Lievremont backing for misfiring Skrela

FRANCE head coach Marc Lievremont defended David Skrela after the fly-half’s kicking horror show gifted Australia victory in Paris.

Skrela landed just one of his six penalties, and also missed a sitter of a drop-goal in front of the posts.

The Wallabies made hay by scoring opportunistic tries through Stephen Moore and Peter Hynes to complete an 18-13 win in the French capital.

Lievremont refused to criticise Skrela, who was jeered by his own supporters for his kicking foibles before seeing his night go from bad to worse with a late yellow card for a high tackle on Digby Ioane.

“Clearly, we put a helping hand around him,” said Lievremont.

“Apart from his kicking, he played a great match and we all know he is usually a great kicker.

“The idea is more to comfort him than to blame him.

“Sometimes this is what happens in rugby. It is part of the game but we had the ability to win this match. It hurts but it’s like that.”

France found themselves 10-0 down after 32 minutes, through Moore’s converted try and a Giteau penalty, even though the Wallabies never reached the heights of last weekend when they defeated England 28-14 at Twickenham.

However, Les Bleus were granted a penalty try on the stroke of half-time that Skrela converted, and his penalty and a Maxime Medard drop-goal put the hosts in front with 28 minutes left.

Australia hit back with Hynes’ try and with Skrela keeping on missing, the French were unable to recover.

Lievremont admitted it was an opportunity lost, adding: “We could have taken that match but we didn’t and there is an enormous frustration.

“Against teams like Australia, you don’t get 10 chances, you get three or four.

“We are able to compete against the biggest teams in the world but we can’texpress ourselves. We haven’t got a match next week so we will have to wait two more months now.”

lEighteen-year-old winger Tom Homer marked his Guinness Premiership debut with two tries for London Irish who moved up to second place in the table with this 27-14 victory over Saracens in their London derby clash.

Homer, capped at Under-18 level by England, struck in the first half, with flanker Richard Thorpe popping up on the right wing to grab the second half try which ensured victory.

The young winger struck again in the final minute, diving over in the corner after Australian full-back Peter Hewat, who kicked four penalties for the Exiles, split the visitors’ defence.

Saracens’ try came from South African World Cup winner Wikus Van Heerden, making his first start for the club after arriving earlier this month.

Mark Cueto’s last-gasp try snatched a vital one-point victory — 13-12 — for Sale and compounded misery on Wasps who have won just once all season.

The out-of-favour England wing capitalised on some suicidal Wasps’ defending in the dying stages leaving Charlie Hodgson the simplest of tasks to seal the Guinness Premiership win from in front of the posts.