Les Bleuets defeat to New Zealand!
Aurelian Cano, Media365, published on Thursday, July 4, 2024 at 7:43 pm.
Against New Zealand on Thursday in their second match of the Under-20 World Cup, the three-time defending champions lost to Les Bleus (27-26). It is a defeat that could deprive the Les Bleus, who face Wales on Tuesday, of a place in the semi-finals.
Triple champions (editor's note: the competition was cancelled in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic), France are once again the favourites to succeed them during this 14th edition of the U-20 World Cup that began on June 29 in South Africa. However, the Bleuets could be disappointed very quickly and not necessarily qualify for the semi-finals for another year. If the outgoing triple winners had a short-lived effort against Spain (49-12) in their first appearance in the tournament on June 29, they were actually stuck on the mat on Thursday during their second exit. Against the always strong New Zealand, the French lost 27-26, an additional attacking advantage at stake for the New Zealanders, who thus dominated Group A, ahead of Wales, France's future rivals, who slipped into third place. A long way from these Welshmen, against whom Barnaby Massa and his teammates will have no right to make mistakes in the next match.
Baliot in a sorry situation..
The setback was all the more unfortunate because the first half should have allowed the Blues, who found fault through Zane Musk in the sixth minute, to protect themselves from the nightmare end to the match they had experienced. Because at half-time, the score (11-0) did not at all reflect the clear dominance of the Baby Blacks who were almost happy to stay in the game before the second half began. Unfortunately for the French, they did so with a completely different face that allowed the New Zealanders to challenge the three world champions, thanks to tries from Tuivailala, Solomon, Pledger and Letio. Mathis Werte's goal, six minutes from time, should have given the Blues victory, albeit a close one. This was without counting on a final penalty by Simpson that allowed New Zealand to achieve this feat. It is all the more painful because it could deny the Blues another coronation (editor's note: only the first in each group plus the best second advance to the quarter-finals). France are not there yet, but they find themselves in an unfortunate position.