In June 2014, France played a three-test series against Australia as part of the 2014 mid-year rugby union tests. They played the Wallabies across the three week June International window (2–22 June), and which were part of the third year of the global rugby calendar established by the International Rugby Board, which runs through to 2019. This was France's first tour to Australia since 2009 and first series since 2008.
Fixtures Date Venue Home Score Away 7 June 2014 Lang Park, Brisbane 50–23 14 June 2014 Docklands Stadium, Melbourne 6–0 21 June 2014 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney 39–13
Squads Note: Ages, caps and clubs are as per 7 June, the first test match of the tour.
France On 7 May 2014, coach Philippe Saint-André named a 31-man squad for the three test tour of Australia in June.
On 19 May 2014, Benjamin Kayser was withdrawn from the squad due to injury, and was replaced by Brice Mach.
Coaching team: Head coach: Guy Novès Forwards coach: Yannick Bru Backs coach: Jean-Frederic Dubois
Australia The 32-man squad for the 3-test series against France, in Brisbane (7 June), Melbourne (14 June) and Sydney (21 June).
Wingers Henry Speight (Brumbies) and Tom English (Rebels), prop Paddy Ryan (Waratahs) and Lock Cadeyrn Neville (Rebels) have also been invited to train with the squad ahead of the test series.
On 1 June, Ben Alexander with withdrawn from the squad due to injury. Paddy Ryan was promoted to the main squad as Alexander's replacement, while Laurie Weeks was added into the training squad to replace Ryan.
On 9 June, James Hanson was added to the squad to replace the injured Stephen Moore who sustained a knee injury in the first test.
Coaching team: Head coach: Ewen McKenzie Forwards coach: Andrew Blades Backs coach: Jim McKay Defence coach: Nick Scrivener
Matches First test
FB 15Israel FolauRW 14Adam Ashley-CooperOC 13Tevita Kuridrani IC 12Matt To'omua LW 11Nick CumminsFH 10Bernard FoleySH 9 Nic White N8 8 Wycliff Palu OF 7 Michael HooperBF 6 Scott FardyRL 5 Rob Simmons LL 4 Sam CarterTP 3 Sekope Kepu HK 2 Stephen Moore (c) LP 1 James Slipper Replacements:HK 16Tatafu Polota-Nau PR 17Pekahou Cowan PR 18Paddy Ryan LK 19James Horwill N8 20Ben McCalman SH 21Nick Phipps FH 22Kurtley Beale CE 23Pat McCabe Coach: Ewen McKenzie FB 15Hugo BonnevalRW 14Yoann HugetOC 13Gaël Fickou IC 12Wesley FofanaLW 11Felix Le Bourhis FH 10Frédéric MichalakSH 9 Maxime Machenaud N8 8 Damien ChoulyOF 7 Bernard Le Roux BF 6 Fulgence OuedraogoRL 5 Yoann MaestriLL 4 Sébastien Vahaamahina TP 3 Nicolas Mas (c) HK 2 Guilhem Guirado LP 1 Thomas Domingo Replacements:HK 16Christopher Tolofua PR 17Vincent Debaty PR 18Rabah Slimani LK 19Alexandre Flanquart FL 20Antoine Burban SH 21Morgan Parra CE 22Rémi Lamerat FB 23Brice Dulin Coach: Philippe Saint-André Man of the Match: Sam Carter (Australia)
Touch judges: Chris Pollock (New Zealand) Garratt Williamson (New Zealand) Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand) Notes: James Slipper and Wycliff Palu earned their 50th test cap for Australia. Sam Carter made his international debut for Australia. Felix Le Bourhis and Rémi Lamerat made their international debuts for France.
Second test
FB 15Israel FolauRW 14Adam Ashley-CooperOC 13Tevita Kuridrani IC 12Matt To'omuaLW 11Nick CumminsFH 10Bernard Foley SH 9 Nic White N8 8 Ben McCalmanOF 7 Michael Hooper (c)BF 6 Scott Fardy RL 5 James Horwill LL 4 Rob SimmonsTP 3 Sekope Kepu HK 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau LP 1 James Slipper Replacements:HK 16Nathan Charles PR 17Pekahou Cowan PR 18Laurie Weeks LK 19Luke Jones N8 20Scott Higginbotham SH 21Nick Phipps FH 22Kurtley Beale CE 23Pat McCabe Coach: Ewen McKenzie FB 15Brice DulinRW 14Yoann HugetOC 13Mathieu BastareaudIC 12Wesley FofanaLW 11Maxime Médard FH 10Rémi TalèsSH 9 Morgan Parra N8 8 Damien ChoulyOF 7 Yannick Nyanga BF 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c) RL 5 Yoann MaestriLL 4 Alexandre Flanquart TP 3 Rabah Slimani HK 2 Guilhem Guirado LP 1 Alexandre Menini Replacements:HK 16Brice Mach PR 17Thomas Domingo PR 18Nicolas Mas FL 19Bernard Le Roux N8 20Louis Picamoles FL 21Antoine Burban FH 22Frédéric Michalak CE 23Rémi Lamerat Coach: Philippe Saint-André Man of the Match: Nic White (Australia)
Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa) Chris Pollock (New Zealand) Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand) Notes: James Horwill earned his 50th test cap for Australia. Nathan Charles, Luke Jones and Laurie Weeks made their international debuts for Australia. Alexandre Menini made his international debut for France. Australia reclaim the Trophée des Bicentenaires for the first time since 2010, after losing it in 2012. This was the first time France has failed to score any points against Australia, in the 44 meetings between the two teams. Fewest points in an Australian win since their 6–3 win over New Zealand in 1958, and first Australian win without a try since their 21–13 win over Wales in 2001.
Third test
FB 15Israel FolauRW 14Adam Ashley-CooperOC 13Tevita Kuridrani IC 12Matt To'omua LW 11Nick CumminsFH 10Bernard FoleySH 9 Nic White N8 8 Wycliff Palu OF 7 Michael Hooper (c)BF 6 Scott FardyRL 5 Rob SimmonsLL 4 Will Skelton TP 3 Sekope Kepu HK 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau LP 1 James Slipper Replacements:HK 16Nathan Charles PR 17Scott Sio PR 18Laurie Weeks LK 19James Horwill N8 20Ben McCalman SH 21Nick Phipps FH 22Kurtley Beale WG 23Rob Horne Coach: Ewen McKenzie FB 15Brice DulinRW 14Yoann HugetOC 13Mathieu BastareaudIC 12Wesley FofanaLW 11Hugo Bonneval FH 10Rémi Talès SH 9 Maxime MachenaudN8 8 Damien Chouly OF 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo BF 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c)RL 5 Yoann MaestriLL 4 Alexandre Flanquart TP 3 Rabah Slimani HK 2 Guilhem Guirado LP 1 Alexandre Menini Replacements:HK 16Christopher Tolofua PR 17Vincent Debaty PR 18Thomas Domingo FL 19Bernard Le Roux N8 20Louis Picamoles FL 21Yannick Nyanga FH 22Frédéric Michalak CE 23Rémi Lamerat Coach: Phillipe Saint-Andre Man of the Match: Wycliff Palu (Australia)
Touch judges: Wayne Barnes (England) George Clancy (Ireland) Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand) Notes: Will Skelton made his international debut for Australia. The 43,188-person crowd was a record crowd for an Australian test at Allianz Stadium.
Statistics Key Con: Conversions Pen: Penalties DG: Drop goals Pts: Points
France statistics NamePlayedTriesConPenDGPtsFrédéric Michalak3022113––Guilhem Guirado310005––Maxime Machenaud201105––Morgan Parra210005––Brice Dulin300013––Damien Chouly300000––Thomas Domingo300000––Alexandre Flanquart300000––Wesley Fofana300000––Yoann Huget300000––Rémi Lamerat300000––Bernard Le Roux3000001–Yoann Maestri300000––Rabah Slimani3000001–Mathieu Bastareaud200000––Hugo Bonneval200000––Antoine Burban200000––Vincent Debaty200000––Thierry Dusautoir200000––Nicolas Mas200000––Alexandre Menini200000––Yannick Nyanga200000––Fulgence Ouedraogo200000––Louis Picamoles200000––Rémi Talès200000––Christopher Tolofua200000––Gaël Fickou100000––Felix Le Bourhis100000––Brice Mach100000––Maxime Médard100000––Sébastien Vahaamahina100000––Benjamin Kayser–––––0––
Test series statistics NameTeamTriesConPenDGPtsBernard Foley0104032Israel Folau300015Frédéric Michalak022113Michael Hooper200010Adam Ashley-Cooper10005Kurtley Beale10005Nick Cummins10005Guilhem Guirado10005Maxime Machenaud01105Pat McCabe10005Morgan Parra10005Nick Phipps10005Will Skelton10005Matt To'omua10005Brice Dulin00013Nic White00103
References