France overpower Wales in timely reminder of their brutal beauty
The IndependentSign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. This will not be a Six Nations to remember for Fabien Galthie’s side regardless of how they fare against England next week, the title all but out of reach even with a bonus point victory here in Cardiff, but this was a timely reminder of some of the brutal beauty that so characterised their build towards the home World Cup. open image in gallery France’s forward megafauna did the damage to quell a spirited Wales Much has been made of the hosts’ youth movement but this was a similarly tender French squad, outcapped in the 23 by their counterparts and with four backline starters barely out of their teens. open image in gallery Rio Dyer raced away for Wales’s opening try It wasn’t long, though, before France had a try of their own. A Ramos penalty six minutes from time widened the margin beyond two scores, and it felt like Wales had fired the last stone in their slingshot, the last word delivered in French twang as Maxime Lucu squeezed over in the corner.