French ‘tick a lot of boxes’ as Frisch grabs debut try

France coach Fabien Galthie said his side “ticked a lot of boxes” after a much-changed team eased past Argentina 28-13 in Mendoza on Saturday in Felipe Contepomi’s first game in charge of the hosts.

Captain Baptiste Serin as well as debutants Antoine Frisch and Theo Attissogbe crossed for tries for Les Bleus, who were without star scrum-half Antoine Dupont as he prepares to play sevens at the Paris Olympics.

Replacement centre Matias Orlando was Los Pumas’ only try-scorer as former fly-half Contepomi tasted defeat having taken over from Michael Cheika after last year’s Rugby World Cup where Argentina lost to England in the third-place play-off.

“We ticked a lot of boxes which allowed us to win the game,” Galthie told Canal+. “Not everything was perfect, we can improve a few things, I think we can play with a bit more freedom. You can consider this a great match from us,” he added.

Contepomi made nine changes from their last game, October’s World Cup play-off, but was still able to name an experienced team including flanker Pablo Matera winning his 99th cap.

Galthie handed debuts to seven players in his starting lineup including flanker Lenni Nouchi, who was called into the side to replace the sick Judicael Cancoriet.

Just five minutes after the break, France took control as an impressive Frisch charged over and Hastoy’s extra took the score to 17-3.

The sides meet again on Saturday, four days after a France team taken from the wider travelling squad face Uruguay in a non-Test match in Montevideo.

Meanwhile, Joe Schmidt’s reign as Wallabies coach got off to a flying start in Sydney with a hard-fought 25-16 defeat of Warren Gatland’s Wales, who slumped to their eighth straight loss.

Taniela Tupou, Filipo Daugunu, and Tom Wright all crossed for tries as an energised Australia kickstarted a new era after the chaotic tenure of Eddie Jones.

A bruising first-half in front of 35,945 fans saw two yellow cards — one for each side —and ended with the hosts just three points ahead at 13-10.

The Wallabies turned on the afterburners in the second half, capped by a sensational 60-metre solo try from weaving fullback Wright that broke the Welsh resolve.

It was an encouraging start for Schmidt, who took over from Jones after Australia’s disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign where they failed to make the quarter-finals for the first time.