Pauline Bourdon pulled the strings and Cyrielle Banet grabbed another two scores as France Women produced a relentless display at Cardiff Arms Park to record an eight-try victory over Wales Women.
Having lost their opening game of this year’s Women’s Six Nations to England, France have bounced back with convincing wins over Italy and Wales – Banet crossing twice in both games.
The winger notched a superb solo score in the early going in Cardiff before grabbing her second just before half-time, with Laure Sansus’s quick-thinking leading to another French try in between.
That 19-0 half-time advantage eventually turned to a 50-0 victory as Les Bleues kicked on after the break – Safi N’Diaye, Sansus, Marine Ménager, Julie Annery and Camille Boudard all crossing.
Victory takes France’s record against Wales in the Women’s Six Nations to 16 wins in 19 fixtures, while the hosts’ search for a first victory in this year’s Championship will head to title-chasing England in Round 4.
France got off to the perfect start as they crossed the whitewash after just three minutes, with a scintillating try from the in-form Banet.
Picking the ball up just inside her own half, the winger powerfully handed off two opponents and showed her pace to streak clear down the left flank
Wales responded well to going behind, with Gwenllian Pyrs making a number of powerful carries, but the final moment of quality eluded them – Lisa Neumann knocking on with room to run in the 22 in one such instance.
Their complete domination of territory and possession didn’t lead to any points and Les Bleues capitalised on the half-hour mark when Sansus caught the Welsh defence napping with a quickly-taken penalty in the home 22 and darted over, Jessy Tremouliere’s conversion making it 12-0.
And they got a third try before the break when Bourdon opted to switch the play in 22 with a brilliant cross-field kick that picked out Banet, who cut inside Neumann and touched down her fourth try of this year’s Women’s Six Nations.
The bonus point was secured early in the second half as lock N’Diaye ended a sustained spell of pressure by powering over from close-range and Sansus got try number five by sniping off the back of a maul close to the line.
Wales continued to push for their first points but were punished by the speed of Ménager who raced clear down the left, before France seized on a loose ball and Annery was released for a seventh try with 15 minutes to go.
And Les Bleues crossed the 50-point mark in the final five minutes as the brilliant Bourdon scythed through the defensive line and offloaded to Boudard for the score.
