Rampant France fall just short of rare RWC ton but sweat on Dupont

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Marseille: Magnificent France romped to their biggest-ever victory when they ran in 14 tries, including a hat-trick for Damian Penaud, to crush Namibia 96-0 in a raucous Marseille Velodrome.

France hit the ground running when Penaud caught an Antoine Dupont kick to score after seven minutes and did not let up as Jonathan Danty grabbed the second and Charles Ollivon the third after a brilliant handling move down the right wing.

Antoine Dupont copped a knock shortly after half-time in Marseille and was forced from the field.Credit: Getty

Penaud and Danty each got their second before Thibaud Flament, Dupont and Louis Bielle-Biarrey made it eight in the first half for a 54-0 lead.

Divan Rossouw crossed the line for Namibia with an intercept early in the second half but it was ruled out for a high hit on Dupont, which earned Johan Deysel a red card and forced the France captain off the field worryingly holding his jaw.

Against 14 tiring men for 35 minutes France scored further tries through Baptiste Couilloud, Penaud’s hat-trick, Bielle-Biarrey and Ollivon’s second, Melvyn Jaminet and a penalty try, and with Thomas Ramos landing 12 of his 13 conversions, they overhauled their previous record win, also against Namibia, 87-10 in the 2007 World Cup in Toulouse.

Reuters

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