Wallabies blow French away with second-half blitz
Darren Walton
June 28, 2008 06:04pm

THE Wallabies broke the shackles to romp to their biggest-ever Test win over France on Australian soil tonight.

The Wallabies rebounded from an uninspiring first half to blow away the depleted tourists 34-13 in front of a disappointing crowd of just 48,899 at ANZ Stadium - almost 20,000 spectators fewer than the last meeting between the countries in Sydney six years ago.

Second-half tries to lock Nathan Sharpe, flanker Rocky Elsom and skipper Stirling Mortlock, plus a personal 19-point haul from five-eighth Matt Giteau, gave Robbie Deans a perfect two-from-two start to his four-year Wallabies coaching reign.

The 23-point victory eclipsed Australia's previous biggest home win over France, a 48-31 triumph in Brisbane back in 1990.

While it was anything but a polished performance from the Wallabies, only their 35-12 victory over Les Bleus in the 1999 Rugby World Cup final in Cardiff provided Australia with a greater winning margin in 80 years of Tests between the two nations.


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