France had the best of the second period and Guilhem Guirado’s try and Francois Trinh-Duc’s penalty took them clear. Wales penned the French back into the own 22 in the final 10 minutes, but a combination of poor handling and solid defending ensured there was no way back.
Things looked very promising for last season’s Grand Slam winners as the forwards began to dominate the early exchanges. And it was a series of surges and well timed off-loads that opened the space for Ospreys winger Brew to score in the right corner.
Fly-half Flannigan missed the conversion, after also failing with a penalty attempt after six minutes. Falling behind seemed to focus French minds, and they were denied a try four minutes later when referee spotted a double movement by a French forward, but they were not to be denied 10 minutes later as impressive centre Puyo squeezed between Wales number eight Adam Powell and lock Alun Wyn Jones to cross in the shadow of the posts.
France’s second try after the break which clinched victory was also a sloppy from a Wales defensive point of view. Hooker Guirado broke from a rolling maul inside the Wales 22 and sprinted clear with the cover defence no where in sight. Trinh-Duc’s penalty just before the hour mark ended the night’s scoring as France comfortably held on for their fourth win of the campaign.
MATCH DETAILS
Wales U21 (8) 8:
Try: Brew
Pen: Flannigan
France U21 (17) 7:
Tries: Puyo, Guirado
Con: Wisnieski (2)
Pen: Trinh-Duc
Wales U21: J. Roberts; Brew, Bishop, Riley, Czekaj; Flannigan, M. Roberts; R. Gill, Goodfield, Osborne, Wyn-Jones, D. Day, Lewis, Shellard, Powell Replacements: Shervington, I. Jones, W. Jones, Everett, Cheeseman, Davies, Thomas
France U21: Jeuvrey; Boussuge, Mignardi, Puyo, Fior; Wisniewski, Cibray, F. Domingo, Guirado, Merabet, Drozdz, Jacquet, Alexandre, Chouly, Ouedraogo Replacements: Heguy, Delboulbes, Carpentier, Bernad, Tomas, Trinh-Duc, Brana
Referee: David Changleng (Scotland)
