U-20 World Cup – France beat New Zealand (35-14) with an attacking bonus

These blueberries are on cloud nine. In another dimension, maybe, even if it’s still a long way to go. In their second match at the U-20 World Cup, France caught a very high performance to stifle New Zealand on Thursday at Paarl Gymnasium (35-14). With five tries, reward in hand, Baptiste Juno had a foot and a half into the semi-finals awaiting the outcome of the match between Japan and Wales.

In mysterious circumstances as rain was one of the key players in the match, the French captured the momentum of their impressive performance against Japan (75-12) at the start. Even better, the world champions in this category the Baby Blacks smothered in all sections of the game with three tries in thirty minutes, those of Theo Atisugbe (7-0, 9th), Bosulu Tuilagi (14-0, 21st) and Baptiste. Jauneau, a real afternoon rusher (21-0, 30).

Disoriented in the face of the intensity of the tricolor, the New Zealanders struggled in forcing the lock and relied on their kicking game. Without success, far from it. An abundance of ingenuity with a shovel of hand errors did not help the players from the southern hemisphere. Add to that a vigilant French defence, and the run was a tad lackluster for New Zealand at the break.

Tuilagi visa and madness is full of pockets

The Blues didn’t stop there when they returned from the locker room. Equally powerful in the conquest, the France team gave themselves a fourth attempt, synonymous with an attacking bonus, just after the break with a brace by Bossolo Toilagi (28-0, 43). For his recovery after the visa scare, the USAP player made his power talk after a touch in the 6+1 to score on a corner kick.

At the heart of a well-established and flawless group, the second row was one of the big players on Thursday. A true physical phenomenon, the native Samoan was the spearhead of the French herd, who gave up little against these black babies. Except for a ten-minute slump, which saw Les Bleuets drop to 13 after cards by Baptiste Jauneau (51) and Paul Costes (56), another symbol of the indiscipline that can prevail in this team, for which they have already been penalized with 2 yellows. against Japan.

New Zealand returned with other intentions in this second quarter. This alertness allowed him to put his game in place with two tries (28-14, 57 and 65). But it took more to disable the blueberries. Because the latter was decidedly under the hood to reboot the device. Less than three minutes into the Baby Blacks second try, Sebastien Calvet’s men pulled out all the stops and came home after a big near line thanks to Brent Liufau (35-14, 68). With Posolo Tuilagi as the bomber, as is often the case in this game.

Thanks to this huge success, Les Bleuets have sent yet another message of their determination to achieve the treble at the U-20 World Cup. Correcting discipline problems, this French team can legitimately dream of such a feat. Because there is very little to complain about because the game by Hugo Reus and others is great.