France 27-12 Uruguay: Hosts maintain winning start with hard-earned victory

A much-changed France facet overcame a spirited Uruguay outfit in Lille to maintain their winning start at their residence World Cup.

Uruguay hit again by means of a Nicolas Freitas strive earlier than Antoine Hastoy crossed for France.

Baltazar Amaya threatened a Uruguay comeback however Peato Mauvaka and Louis Bielle-Biarrey sealed the win.

A second victory in as many video games moved France a step nearer to the quarter-finals as Uruguay started their marketing campaign with their finest consequence in opposition to a tier one nation on the World Cup.

Les Blues resume their tour of the nation in opposition to Namibia in Marseille of their subsequent Pool A match on 21 September, whereas the South Americans face Italy in Nice the evening earlier than.

Uruguay errors let France off the hook

Uruguay didn’t play within the opening spherical of fixtures they usually had been big underdogs in opposition to the facet who’re tipped by many to win the event for the primary time.

Anthony Jelonch made his return from an anterior cruciate ligament harm sustained in February to captain France as Fabien Galthie made wholesale adjustments.

Jaminet nudged the hosts into an early lead from the tee but it surely was Uruguay who obtained the sport’s first strive.

Freitas was the beneficiary when Felipe Etcheverry’s cross-field kicked was palmed on to his boot by Jaminet earlier than the wing claimed the unfastened ball and dotted down.

France hit again by means of Hastoy, who darted by means of a niche within the Uruguay defence to attain – prompting relaxed smiles from the hosts as they celebrated, and an expectation that it could be the primary of many tries.

But France had been decreased to 14 gamers momentarily when Romain Taofifenua was penalised for a no-arms sort out direct to the top of Santiago Arata.

There was a sense across the Stade Pierre-Mauroy he wouldn’t return to the sector and the bunker would improve his yellow card to a purple, however he would later rejoin the motion due to the mitigation of Sekou Macalou’s involvement within the sort out.

With Taofifenua off the sector, Uruguay got here closest to scoring the subsequent strive as Etcheverry crossed the whitewash from a wrap-around backs transfer, just for it to be dominated out for a block within the build-up by Tomas Inciarte.

Their persistence would pay dividends after the break, nonetheless.

Amaya pierced by means of the French defence with a sniping run from deep to maneuver Uruguay to inside a degree, following Etcheverry’s conversion, earlier than their laborious work was undone moments later.

The Uruguay fly-half’s tried clearance hit his personal participant, and because the ball looped up, Mauvaka scooped it up and carried it over the road.

Bielle-Biarrey, 20, grew to become the youngest participant to characterize France on the World Cup and his debut sparked into life as he ran in a easy strive from a Hastoy go to finish the Uruguayan problem.

Macalou thought he had then wrapped up the bonus level however the strive was chalked off because the flanker appeared to kick the ball by means of the ruck.

‘Credit to Uruguay’ – what they stated

France normal supervisor Raphael Ibanez stated: “The very first thing I want to say is credit score to Uruguay; they performed with a lot ardour and coronary heart. It was a tough battle but it surely’s the second win for us on this competitors and that’s what is most necessary.

“We made a number of errors with the ball in hand and it was troublesome for us to play with a very good construction. We did not take the factors on the finish of the primary half as properly and it is a World Cup recreation, it is enterprise and we’ll study from that.

“The advantage of this competitors taking part in in France is simply the gang and the wonderful environment. It’s a large increase and provides numerous vitality to the gamers, so due to the followers.”

Line-ups

France: Jaminet; Bielle-Biarrey, Vincent, Moefana, Villiere; Hastoy, Lucu; Gros, Bourgarit, Aldegheri, Woki, Taofifenua, Boudehent, Macalou, Jelonch (capt).

Replacements: Mauvaka, Wardi, Falatea, Chalureau, Flament, Cros, Couilloud, Ramos.

Uruguay: Amaya; Basso, Inciarte, Vilaseca (capt), Freitas; Etcheverry, Arata; Sanguinetti, Pujadas, Peculo, Aliaga, Leindekar, Ardao, Civetta, Diana.

Replacements: Gattas, Benitez, Piussi, Dotti, Bianchi, Deus, Ormaechea, Berchesi.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)