Australia 40 France 10:AUSTRALIA PRODUCED their most impressive performance yet under new coach Robbie Deans with a record-breaking victory over France at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
A second-half double to replacement back Ryan Cross capped a dominant display as the hosts stormed to their biggest win against Les Bleus in the 38th meeting between the nations.
Matt Giteau was superb, kicking eight from eight with the boot and delivering the final ball for each of the Wallabies' four tries.
It was a miserable night for the French who, despite dominating possession in the opening half, could not break the Wallabies' defence until the 79th minute, when François Trinh-Duc crossed for a consolation try.
Australia opened their account in the fourth minute when Giteau slotted a difficult penalty from out wide. He again put his boot to good use three minutes later, landing a pinpoint crossfield kick to Peter Hynes, who crossed untouched for his first Test try.
Trinh-Duc failed to convert a straightforward penalty attempt in the 12th minute as France struggled, and Giteau landed a further three penalties to stretch the lead to 19-0 at the half-hour mark.
The onslaught continued in the 36th minute when James Horwill completed the Wallabies' best attacking movement of the match to make it 26-0. But Horwill's night came to a painful end soon after when the match erupted into a brawl and he emerged looking like a beaten prize-fighter.
To add insult to injury, the French were awarded the penalty and took the points to head in at the interval trailing 26-3.
It was all France after the restart but the Wallabies defence held out and when Cross scored the first of his two tries with 23 minutes remaining, all hope of a French revival was erased.
Cross bagged his double after 67 minutes and Giteau's conversion made it 40-3 with 11 minutes to play, and although Trinh-Duc scored a late consolation try, it was too little too late for Les Bleus.
Australia centre Berrick Barnes and lock Horwill were later cleared of serious injuries.
Horwill suffered an eye-socket injury after being hit by the French forwards Renaud Boyoud and Imanol Harinordoquy during the first-half brawl, while Barnes was replaced in the second half with a shoulder problem.
Boyoud and Harinordoquy have been suspended for three weeks.
AUSTRALIA: Ashley-Cooper; Hynes, Mortlock, Barnes, Turner; Giteau, Burgess; Robinson, Moore, Baxter; Horwill, Mumm; Elsom, Waugh, Hoiles. Replacements: Smith for Hoiles (50), Cross for Barnes (52), Alexander for Robinson (61), Shepherd for Mortlock (72), Freier for Moore (73), Cordingley for Burgess (74).
FRANCE: Thiery; Palisson, Mermoz, Lacroix, Janin; Trinh-Duc, Tillous-Borde; Correia, Bruno, Boyoud; Chabal, Nallet; Lievremont, Harinordoquy, Ouedraogo. Replacements: Lecouls for Correia (51), Kayser for Bruno (61), Caballero for Chabal (72), Yachvili for Tillous-Borde (76). Sinbinned: Boyet (64).
Referee: P Honiss (New Zealand).
