France aim to make amends in second test against Australia
Coach Philippe Saint-Andre says the players are mentally scarred after last week’s thrashing
France are looking for a face-saving series-levelling win against the Wallabies with massive team changes for the second test in Melbourne tomorrow.
Coach Philippe Saint-Andre reacted to last week's 50-23 hammering in Brisbane by making 10 changes, including the return of skipper Thierry Dusautoir and centre Mathieu Bastareaud.
Saint-Andre said the tourists were "ashamed" and mentally scarred by the seven-try trouncing, keeping the French without a win in Australia for 24 years.
We were all ashamed, going down by 27 points is never pleasant. There have been talks because that game left physical and mental scars
Les Bleus need to win in Melbourne to take the series to a decider in Sydney on June 21.
Saint-Andre is expecting a big reversal in form from his team against the Wallabies, who have made three injury-enforced changes to their starting XV.
"We were all ashamed, going down by 27 points is never pleasant. There have been talks because that game left physical and mental scars," he said.
"We have prepared ourselves for a big game, a big fight."
Much will rest on the inspirational leadership of Dusautoir and the thrust of Bastareaud, rated as one of the most physically dominant "gain-line yardage makers" in world rugby.