The Wallabies have gone down to a firing France in Brisbane, as the visitors turned on the flair in the second half to win 42-26 and reclaim the Trophée des Bicentenaires for another year.
The Wallabies picked up from where they left off, scoring three tries and winning the first half, with Tom Wright and Fraser McReight impressing for the hosts.
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However, the French flexed their muscles in the second half and showed why they are the Six Nations champions, scoring 30 points to deliver a famous win.
The result sees the Wallabies needing a big bounceback when they travel to Perth next week to face Italy.
So, what did we learn?
It’s a tale as old as time that rugby is a game of two halves, and it proved true once again as captain Harry Wilson lamented his side conceding 30 points in the post-match interview.
While the Wallabies did go down, the match also showed why France are Six Nations champions.
With the Wallabies performing well in the first half, the visitors had to navigate a yellow card, a strong kicking game from Tom Wright, and the tries of Fraser McReight.
However, when they got ball in hand, the French’s composure and class that got them to the Six Nations shone through, their ability to not even give the hosts a sniff for 25 minutes in the second half proving the difference.
The Wallabies have looked to address consistency during their time with Joe Schmidt, and while the first half showed them at their best, the second proved a challenging lesson to stomach.
It took the hosts until the 65th minute to get a hand on the ball, and with the score mounting, pressure led to two key chances in quick succession going untaken.
Ultimately, it was these missed opportunities and the 72nd-minute try to Theo Attissogbe that shut down any hopes of a miracle comeback.
With the three tries scored in that crucial 25 minutes after halftime, Joe Schmidt and his team will have their work cut out to make sure they find ways to swing momentum back in their favour.
Despite the disappointment of the evening, the hosts still had plenty of bright sparks from the match, with Fraser McReight and Tom Wright impressing for the hosts in the first.
While the former picked up two tries for his efforts and was back to his breakdown best, the latter delivered two brilliant 50/22s that the Wallabies scored off - signalling a massive improvement in the Wallabies' kicking game.
Brandon Paenga-Amosa also put in a big shift after Josh Nasser was forced from the field early with an HIA, picking up a try and putting his hand up for starting honours.
The key questions going into the match of flyhalf also saw some promise, with Declan Meredith having a respectable debut as the Wallabies maintained their attacking potency - with plenty of chances to grow into international rugby with more time in the seat.
If there was one thing that could be said about the 25 minutes that France dazzled Suncorp Stadium, it was how relentless they were.
Coming into the second half nine points down, the French settled themselves into the half with a penalty to captain Maxime Lucu, and from then on, they fired into life.
With a brilliant offload game and relentless speed, the side achieved parity in terms of the physical contest, so much so that even with the Wallabies' scrum firing, the hosts were still on the back foot.
The 30 points scored marked a special evening for Les Bleus, and show why they sit inside the top five best sides in the world right now.
Joe Schmidt is set to have his final match as Wallaby coach next week in Italy, and for the men in gold, a chance to snap a two-game losing streak over the Azzurri is more than just momentum.
The Wallabies will know they need to bounce back strongly in Perth, with Les Kiss needing momentum as he prepares for a Japan tour and matches against the Springboks, Pumas and All Blacks.
While the Azzurri have held the rub of the green over Australia since their first win in 2022, a victory on Australian soil would be another prize entirely for Gonzalo Quesada’s men.
It sets the stage for a thrilling clash in Perth - and one where the men in gold need to deliver if they are to send Schmidt out a winner.
