Slick France crush Samoa
France romped to an emphatic 43-5 victory over Samoa as they warmed up for next-week's clash with New Zealand in fine style.
Last Updated: 22/11/09 10:46am
France romped to an emphatic 43-5 victory over Samoa as they warmed up for next-week's mouth-watering clash with New Zealand in fine style.
Having seen off world champions South Africa in Toulouse last week, Les Bleus turned in another impressive display as they ran in seven tries against their outclassed opponents in Paris on Saturday.
Fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc led the way for France as he chipped in with two tries, while Dimitri Szarzewski, Vincent Clerc, Yannick Jauzion, Thierry Dusautoir and Benjamin Fall also crossed.
Replacement Joe Tekori grabbed a late try for the Samoans, but it was little consolation for what was a comprehensive drubbing at the hands of Marc Lievremont's men.
Despite making 12 changes from the side that started against South Africa, Lievremont's side needed little time to get into their stride with Szarzewski powering over from the base of a ruck with just three minutes on the clock.
Morgan Parra converted from in front of the sticks and just four minutes later he was doing so again as Clerc raced on to Maxime Medard's clever kick to touch down out wide.
The points continued to flow as Jauzion took full advantage of another well-judged kick, this time a lofted one from Trinh-Duc, to get his name on the scoresheet on 13 minutes.
Lolo Lui missed a couple of kickable penalties as Samoa failed to break their duck and France heaped more misery on the visitors just before the half-hour mark as the video official adjudged the flanker to have grounded the ball after the pack surged over the Samoan try-line from a line-out.
Parra slotted his fourth conversion and France were not done as winger Benjamin Fall capped his debut by sliding over for the hosts' fifth try to ensure an utterly one-sided 33-0 half-time scoreline.
Les Bleus rather took their foot off the pedal after the break, although fly-half Trinh-Duc capped off a highly-competent display with a brace of tries after 60 and 65 minutes.
Castres player Tekori then grabbed his late score, but it did little to lift the morale of the battered Samoans.
