RECAP: France have pulled off a late comeback to defeat the Wallaroos 29-26 in Aix-en-Provence.
The French trailed 19-0 at one stage of the game after a series of cards against the hosts, including a straight red to lock Cloe Correa for an eye gouge and a 20 minute red against prop Ambre Mwayembe
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It saw them down to 11 midway through the first half, with the Wallaroos building the advantage.
But France delivered a double strike as they returned to 13 and reduced the lead before half-time
Play was delayed during half-time for a bus fire, allowing the Aussies to regroup.
A second half try to Piper Duck gave the Wallaroos breathing room, however failed to halt the momentum of the hosts.
Centre Teani Feleu was the hero, scoring the winner with six minutes to go.
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France 29-26: Australia get the turnover and need to run 80 metres for the winner.
But just as they try to attack, another France turnover wins them possession back and they boot the ball into touch for the win.
France 29-26: France have come up with the clutch turnover that could seal the win.
Australia are left stranded at ruck time and are pinged for holding on
France 29-26: There's life left in this Australian team
A dropped kick off gives them the scrum inside France's half, winning the scrum feed 40 metres out.
France 29-26: France's remarkable comeback is complete as Teani Feleu powers over the line.
The centre comes up big as she splits the defence and dives over the line for the try.
Wallaroos 26-24: Monster effort from Tiarah Minns delivers Australia the priceless turnover.
France back their rolling maul and Minns swims through legally to disrupt and make it unplayable, forcing the scrum.
Wallaroos 26-24: France are defying the numbers and are piecing the Wallaroos apart.
They are drawing penalties at will as they hunt for their first lead of the game, with the Aussies holding on for dear life.
Wallaroos 26-24: France are right back in the game as Elisa Riffonneau scores via the rolling maul.
All power from the French as they are marched down the field due to ill-discipline, eventually crossing through their hooker.
Wallaroos 26-17: France stay alive as Tania Naden just can't find the line.
The Wallaroos go back to their rolling maul, getting to the line as the hooker is stopped by a pair of French defenders, dropping it a metre out.
Michaela Leonard back out there, with Tiarah Minns and Ava Wereta also on the field.
Wallaroos 26-17: Would you believe it, another French player is going to the bin for a high tackle.
Georgina Friedrichs and the Wallaroos are park on France's line, with Charlotte Escudero coming across and collecting her high.
France down to 13, Australia still at 14.
Wallaroos 26-17: The Wallaroos are looking to control the clock with Michaela Leonard in the bin.
A crucial penalty against France for taking the scrumhalf, with confirmation Leonard's yellow card will remain a yellow.
They then kick inside France's 22 with a smart grubber, forcing an error 10 metres out from France's line.
Wallaroos 26-17: Bad to worse for the Wallaroos as Michaela Leonard goes to the bin for ten.
Leonard collects centre Gabrielle Vernier high off the kick-off, with the second rower off for ten (it should stay a yellow).
Wallaroos 26-17: French captain Pauline Bourdon Sansus comes up with a spectacular finish to spark the home crowd.
France work their way to the sideline and whilst fullback Bouland is stopped, the scrumhalf stretches out and dives over in the corner.
Pia Tapsell comes off for Tabua Tuinakauvadra.
Wallaroos 26-12: All power from France as Elisa Riffonneau powers to the line but will the try stand?
The French forward pack goes to work, and the hooker dives for the line but drops it as she tries to plant it down!
Credit to Georgina Friedrichs for getting enough of her as the play ends in a goal-line drop-out.
Tia Hinds on for Samantha Wood.
Wallaroos 26-12: Wonderful work from Piper Duck delivers the hit back for the Aussies.
Duck started the original attack with a steal inside their half and the Wallaroos work their way inside the French half, with the flanker running a great line to charge over.
Wallaroos 19-12: The Wallaroos are hunting for a response to start the second half as they work inside France's half.
A knock-on ends their attack 40 metres out, giving France the chance to respond.
Wallaroos 19-12: We're back!
The 10-minute delay was due to a bus on fire as smoke billowed around the stadium.
But play has been cleared to return, with France kicking off to start the second half. Eva Karpani and Brianna Hoy are both on the field.
So this game has officially had everything, with return to play delayed.
A fire is the reported cause from on-the-ground sources, situated very close to the ground.
The smoke is billowing out behind one of the grandstands, which remarkably hasn't been cleared yet.
Wallaroos 19-12: A remarkable comeback from France delivers back-to-back tries.
Emilie Bolard runs a beauty of a line and the Aussies are powerless to stop it.
Wallaroos 19-5: France are rolling as they break Australia open again
A cynical foul against Caitlyn Halse is very lucky not to go to the bin, giving France the chance to throw it in five metres out.
Wallaroos 19-5: The hosts go bang as they go the length of the field for a remarkable try.
They catch the Aussies out after a penalty on the line, breaking down the short side to spark an attack out of nothing.
A pin-point cross-field kick finds winger Anais Grando, who touches down to the delight of the crowd.
Wallaroos 19-0: The Wallaroos miss a golden chance to extend the lead, pinged for side entry as they approach France's line.
The hosts are back to 13, about to be 14, as the 20 minute red card winds down.
Wallaroos 19-0: France stay alive and come up with a clutch ruck penalty to stem the bleeding.
The Aussies are looking to use the numbers while they have them but Kaitlan Leaney is turned over, with France starting to make metres through their maul, winning the penalty.
Australia work back inside the 22 but the ball hits the deck as France go back to 12 players.
Wallaroos 19-0: The Aussies make good use of the numbers as Caitlyn Halse dives over the line.
Desiree Miller is the player left in space, racing away from her own 22 to France's half.
They spread the ball the other way and Amelia Whitaker drops the ball back inside to Halse for the try.
The other two yellow cards to France will remain a yellow card.
Wallaroos 12-0: Amid the chaos, Tania Naden has snuck onto the field and scored a rolling maul try.
Naden, who is on for Britt Merlo (HIA), powers over the line as the French can only watch with 11.
Wallaroos 7-0: I can't believe I'm writing this, France are now down to 11.
This is the most serious of them, with Cloe Correa racking at the eyes of Michaela Leonard at maul time.
It's a straight red card and referee Holly Wood opts for a straight red card!
Now, there's a second red card - this is an upgraded red card for the first one to. Ambre Mwayembe.
Wallaroos 7-0: This is crazy, France are now down to 12!
Another high shot from the hosts, this time on Georgina Friedrichs and Lea Murie goes for ten.
The French crowd are furious as Australia remain parked inside the 22.
Wallaroos 7-0: The French are in all sorts of trouble as Lea Champon is the latest to go to the bin.
Champon is originally pinged for knocking the ball down as Faitala Moleka looks to pass but the TMO finds a high shot on Moleka.
They'll have to defend with 13 for the next five minutes.
Wallaroos 7-0: Emilie Bolard nearly scores the try of the year, bursting through the Wallaroos defence after receiving the kick well past her halfway.
It takes a desperate tackle from Caitlyn Halse and a picture-perfect effort at ruck time from Waiaria Ellis to stop the try and win the penalty.
Wallaroos 7-0: The opener finally comes as Brittany Merlo pilots the maul over the line.
It's all too easy with France down a prop as the hooker guides the maul and plants it down.
France are now under real pressure on the line as they go down to 14, losing prop Ambre Mwayembe.
The Aussies are piling on the offence and France have now given away four penalties inside the 22.
The fifth is a high shot on Faliki Pohiva and Ambre Mwayembe goes for ten, with the warning still applying, it appears.
Waiaria Ellis is really causing France some headaches as the flyhalf skips through the defence.
Australia work towards France's 22 under penalty advantage and whilst they can't find their way through, they'll kick for the line.
Real lung-burner so far, with both teams out on their feet. Australia go again for the line, with the French infringing to stop the lineout.
Desiree Miller gets the Aussies on the front foot with a great burst to beat two defenders, galloping over halfway.
The ball to support doesn't find its mark and while the Wallaroos scramble for now, Miller is eventually dumped into touch a few phases later on the 22.
How about the scramble from the Wallaroos!
Smart hands from the French looked certain to get the opener but Amelia Whitaker makes a superb one-on-one tackle, followed by Caitlyn Halse over the top to stop a certain try.
The Wallaroos clear the danger for now with the goal-line drop-out, with Whitaker getting over the ball for the penalty shortly afterwards.
France have started strong, keeping the pressure on the Australians.
Early nerves from the Aussies have led to a couple of mistakes, and the hosts haven't been able to make their own short-side raid work as they cough it up.
But a scrum penalty to France gives them a lineout five metres out to attack.
Faitala Moleka launches the ball deep and this game is underway!
France launch the ball back and an early mistake from the Wallaroos gives the hosts a chance to attack from inside Australia's half, with the kick in-behind trickling out near the 22.
Both anthems are sung with passion, with the French reverberating around Stade Maurice David.
Tries: Grando, Boland, Bourdon Sansus, Riffonneau, Feleu
Cons: Arbez 1/3, Queyroi 1/2
Pens:
Tries: Merlo, Naden, Halse, Duck
Cons: Wood 3/4
Pens:
Welcome to Rugby.com.au's coverage of the Wallaroos' clash with France in Aix-en-Provence.
Conditions in the south of France are perfect, topping out at 26c with blue skies aplenty.
The Aussies have spent the week looking to build on the first-half performance against England, who at the time of writing are in a belter of a contest against Canada.
France (15-1): Emilie Bolard, Anais Grando, Gabrielle Vernier, Teani Feleu, Lea Murie, Carla Arbez, Pauline Bourdon Sansus (cap), Charlotte Escudero, Lea Champon, Axelle Berthoumieu, Cloe Correa, Hulia Grosz, Assia Khalfaoui, Elisa Riffonneau, Ambre Mwayembe
Replacements: Mailys Mailagi, Yllana Brosseau, Annaelle Deshaye, Siobhan Soqueta, Mouna Toure, Alexandra Chambon, Lina Queyroi, Elodie Fernandez
Australia (15-1): Caitlyn Halse, Amelia Whitaker, Georgina Friedrichs, Faitala Moleka, Desiree Miller, Waiaria Ellis, Samantha Wood, Siokapesi Palu Sekona (cap), Piper Duck, Pia Tapsell, Michaela Leonard, Kaitlan Leaney, Faliki Pohiva, Brittany Merlo, Allana Sikimeti
Replacements: Tania Naden, Brianna Hoy, Eva Karpani, Tiarah Minns, Tabua Tuinakauvadra, Tia Hinds, Piper Flynn, Ava Werera.
Referee: Holly Wood (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Jamie Parr (RFU) & Beatrice Smussi (FIR)
TMO: Dan Jones (RFU)
FPRO: Hamish Smales (RFU)
France's clash with the Wallaroos will be shown LIVE on Stan Sport.
Coverage will be live and ad-free on Stan Sport, slated to start at 1:35 pm (AEST) with kickoff expected at midnight.
