03/11/2017 - Highlights Rugby League World Cup

Plenty of French razzle-dazzle! My

word, they needed that. Lebanon gets

its first ever win at the Rugby

League World Cup. So they are

finally on the board.

Fiji get 50.

And England will claim the opening

try of this World Cup.

The USA are over.

The wolfhounds have made a statement

this afternoon. Here they come,

there are about to crack 50.

Johnson is going to score. Perfect.

That changed the duck egg into four.

Josh Dougan makes absolutely certain

of an Australian victory.

The 2017 World Cup is under way,

and last weekend's opening games

gave us a scintillating display

of international Rugby League.

Week two kicked off early today

in Canberra, with co-hosts Australia

looking to build on their opening

day victory over England.

Their opponents France lost

their first game against Lebanon,

who are already looking

like the tournament's surprise

package, and needed a big

performance against the reigning

World Champions.

Your commentators are Gary Belcher

with Mark Braybrook.

Two teams making their way out onto

the camera playing surface in

outstanding order. A reasonable

crowd here tonight, over 12,000,

plenty of French supporters as well.

It is a tough one for the Aussie

side tonight, four debutants in that

side. Trbojevic comes off the bench,

as does Mansoor and Munster.

The

French side have made a few changes

as well, and beaten last week by

Lebanon, but this is the biggest

test in Rugby, to beat Australia in

Australia.

They did have success

back in 2008, France had a win over

Scotland, 36-18.

The countdown is on, and we are

about to get under way.

WHISTLE

Australia's first use of the

football, defending the southern end

of Canberra's Stadium, and the first

hit of the night. Important they

start well here, France, and try to

get themselves into the game.

Campbell Gillard's tackle, three in

the tackle therefore France as they

try to slow it down, and they are

allowed to, as well. S the tackle

again from France, Garcia one of

those defenders. Smith looking for a

40-20, there is no one back there,

it is not going to get across the

touchline, but France are penned

inside their 20. Good kick, good

chase, and Bergal forced back, good

kangaroos defence.

Getting out of

their territory, they are noticeably

smaller team, last week they tried

to move the ball around early and

I'm not sure if they will do that

again.

Ducked his head, scraping on

the knee there. He played for France

in 1995 in the World Cup. Not a bad

record to have, follow your father

into the World Cup and represent

your country. And Jason Baitieri,

son of Taz as well. Many people will

know him from his development of the

game. Now, Billy Slater, they will

want to give him room. Good tackle

their front to back too. Isn't it

good to see Josh Mansour backplane

for the kangaroos after his injury.

Hard work getting those tough metres

from his line, but they are not so

tough after three tackles, the

Aussies into French territory.

Morgan. Ten metres into France

territory, Smith, McGuire, last

tackle here for the kangaroos, they

are 30 metres away. Morgan with the

kick high, it is to the wing of

Yaha, and it has been kicked ahead

by Chambers and into touch.

He is

good under the high kicks, good to

see Morgan playing on the right side

tonight, and well done to tantra

bother

ditch -- Tom Trbojevic. They are off

to Perth tomorrow, play in the next

week.

One thing we did know last week,

they didn't like to throw it around,

they like to be expansive.

They knew

it was the last tackle, and you are

right, they do need to get the kick

away, the first couple of sets were

fantastic for France.

A good

line-out to the left here. And clean

under pressure, Munster quit in

defence. 40 metres away, though. Now

Smith. Thought about passing to

Graham, but took the tackle.

Maclean had the arm free, but there

was no one to pass two. An injured

Frenchman on the ground as well,

that doesn't help on the defensive

line. And it is Trbojevic who picks

it up, did he get it down?

REFEREE:

It is tackle four. I have a

try. Can you check for possible

obstruction back there, please?

We're looking at possible

obstruction, centrefield. Pause now

and just go through nice and slow

from here. It is the effect on the

France 11, so he is in possession,

goes behind, and in close proximity.

Kicks the ball and takes an

advantage. Yes, we've got no try on

this.

I think that is fair enough,

but what about the pick-up from Tom

Trbojevic? It would have been a nice

first test try, but not to be. Fair

call, the no try. Maclean is

straight through, and where is the

support? They can't link with him,

needs a quick play of the ball.

Comes back to the left to McGuire.

Inside the 20 now. Going across the

play-the-ball. Billy Slater away

from one, can't get away from Fages.

Terrific on this occasion from the

Frenchman. Morgan-Smith, short ball

Maclean, they are there again in

numbers.

Only five metres away here, the

Kangaroos. Smith in front of

Munster, Slater slightly behind him,

and France, have they knocked it on?

I think they did. Bergal with the

error, they did very well to defend

that set.

They did very well, and

that is a tough one, wasn't it?

Bouncing around, skewing on the

ground, Bergal just couldn't clear

it up.

So, Morgan with the dummy to Slater.

Baitieri with the tackle, and up

quickly, to restrict tackle from the

centre, Arnaud.

They will do well to hold on here,

France.

I don't think Cameron Smith

wants to take the two. Do you see

that mark under the right eye of

Cameron? Takes the tap, and now

Graham, Arnaud with the tackle

again. Just shy of the goal-line.

McGuire, slipping and falling, and

luckily there wasn't a clash of

heads. Now Campbell Gillard is only

a metre away from the line. They are

must link, holding on. Smith,

Munster, Graham, straight over one,

straight over another, and they

can't stop Wade Graham from that

close, and he gets his first try for

Australia, and they lead 4-0 with a

kick to come. The weight of

possession finally tilts.

Very

brave, the French defending, but it

was the third set in a row and they

wore them down. He ran a very good

line, Wade Graham. You see the short

ball, spins in one tackle, gets out

of another, good work. The kick to

come, Australia lead 4-0.

This to make it a 6-point lead for

the Kangaroos. He doesn't miss many,

but he missed that one. 4-0,

Australia over France.

Lets just

have a look here. There will be some

tough questions and answers to come

up with, we see Wade Graham scoring

a try. It is a whole new starting

forward pack apart from the hooker,

Cameron Smith. Josh McGuire playing

lock, and it was a nice show of

patience from the Australian side.

They had plenty of ball, but their

patience and maturity showed.

Maclean was instrumental in some big

hits for the two front rower s the

letter that try.

Yes, Maclean and

Campbell Gillard just enormous.

Strong run again, danger here for

France. Smith out of the half, and

up quickly was Jullien, now McGuire.

They don't want to concede

back-to-back, there is a Frenchman

in all sorts of trouble, it is

Boudebza, I think it is his

shoulder. Now into the gap, they

make the last tackle, Smith, Slater,

back in and Will Graham get the

double? He is over and gets it down.

Wade Graham the double inside two

minutes, and Australia now lead by

eight.

If you told me an Australian

player was going to score the first

two tries, I wouldn't have picked

Wade Graham to do it, but he is

backing up from the middle. They

just kept coming at them with a

couple of short balls, strong work,

and the next play just goes down the

short side again without much room

to move, Smith, Slater, back to

Graham and down it goes.

8-0 with a

kick to come, the Aussies in front.

Cameron Smith with a chance to make

it a ten point lead.

The French side

hasn't had the football since their

fourth set, they didn't kick it,

they got halfway and got tackled

with the ball, and they haven't had

the ball for the last six minutes

since then.

It seems longer than

that. Just seems that way, difficult

to score. It will have an impact on

the back end of the game, and Smith

this time correct the radar, and

Australia lead 10-0.

They come extremely flat and they

come fast.

We are at the halfway

mark of the first half. Big French

forwards, they have done a lot of

defending around the middle. They

have been on the back foot. They

will look for a replacement or a

breather, at least.

Garcia, the defensive line. 30 meter

line he will play it on. 10-0 to the

Kangaroos. Stepping nicely, Jullien.

Good defence on the inside from

Munster and McGuire.

The Here's a

break off-load.

. Kicks to the

fullback. The bounce is important.

He just doesn't get it. Mansour has

come up with it for Australia. Best

play of the night for frarngs they

didn't get the bounce.

A pass might

have been better. If it bounced up.

Kheirallah looked like he was home

and hosed.

Is that a play of the

ball or is that... Didn't think he

had momentum, didn't hear the

referee call either. Anyway. Mclean

places it. Munster. Now Graham.

Off-load. To Dugan. He was

absolutely smashed, too. That was by

Marginet, as he passed it.

I think he might have fallen head

He's up slow first.

Ly. Shoulder,

fell awkwardly. The playing surface

is outstanding. It's a bit firm

under foot. Maguire, last tackle.

Smith. Kicking for Slater. Well

done, beats Slater. Will return it.

He's going all the way. Mark

Kheirallah is going to score the try

of a lifetime. He's going to run 90

meters against the Kangaroos in

Australia, and score a French try.

What a play from the Frenchmen,

10-4, a kick to come. That will go

in the scrap book.

That's a massive

highlight for the French team for

Mark Kheirallah himself. He picked

up the kick through. The man he's

beaten. The fullback, the Aussie

fullback chasing through. Billy

can't get two hands to him. Away he

goes. The only person in front of

him was the referee for a moment.

Mark Kheirallah striding out, just

Dugan chasing. But he's going to get

there. Every French fan in the

stadium has got excited, pumped.

Australia 10, France 4, with a kick

to come.

What a try, what a moment.

A young man of Egyptian parents. He

has scored a try that players dream

about at any level, let alone in the

World Cup against Australia.

He's a

French hero for, for the moment

anyway. Wonderful play.

10-6. The

Frenchmen are back to within four.

Very pleasing that you guys gave

Mark Kheirallah a huge wrap. I

thought he was France's best players

last week. Tried so hard.

They are in this contest. It will be

the highlight of his career. With

Lebanon beating France next week

they need to beat Australia or

England to progress forward. Are we

thinking there is a great scalp

tonight?

I'm not thinking that way,

no. They haven't had a tackle in

Australia's 20 in the opposition 20

yet, yet they are so close. Can they

get in there? On the joud side,

Garcia in front of the French

Quarter. Here at Canberra Stadium.

Baiteri. Jullien. They are five

meters away here France. Can they

score and perhaps take the lead?

Can't get away from Munster. Smith

is there as well. For the first

time, the Australian defence are

really under the pump. Long ball

back to Marginet kchl they get a

repeat set? No, Billy Slater is back

there. Billy Slater tidies up,

again.

It wasn't an easy one either.

A rolling ball, bouncing low.

Difficult, Billy. For Billy. He

cleaned it up. Now some work to do

for Australia. Trying to get them on

the front foot.

25 out from their

own line. Woods is on the field.

There's a long way to go. They

didn't expect - I'm sure they wanted

to play as well as they could.

There's the kick coming here from

Morgan. Straight down the throat of

the try scorer.

But they can't sit

down at the moment, the Frenchmen on

the bench. They are starting to

believe am look at them. They are

all up. The officials are up.

40

meter line. Up to the 30. Woods the

tackler. McGuire, Smith and Graham

are there as well.

Marginet. Pulled back on the inside

to Marginet. Waiting for him,

weren't they. The last tackle, they

come the short side.

Just kicked

into touch. I wanted to see a bomb.

I wanted to see something there,

another attempt to score, but

perhaps they do need to take a bit

of a breather. It's been frantic the

pace in the last seven or eight

minutes.

That's the danger for them,

isn't it. 11 minutes to go until

half time. Fact they've worked so

hard. As we've seen in a number of

games so far in this Rugby League

World Cup tries come in spurts and

the back end of halves where tired

players are on the field.

Mansour. Let us see if the Aussie

can get the other end quickly, or

easily. The head rocked bavenlth

that was Tom Trbojevic. The head

rocked back. Is

One of their goals,

I believe, would have been to slow

down the Australian play of the

ball. A lot of big men out there for

Australia, getting them on the front

foot. They need to do that. The risk

always is that those penalties,

those piggybacks.

Frizell, Woods. Charging, trying to

run over the top of Jullien, who

made the tackle. Got some help.

Smith, Maguire. Morgan. Now there's

a tackle. Smith, Woods, the ball was

flat at best, I think. 10 meters

away, Smith. Out the back, Munster.

He's going to get a hat-trick in the

first half. Wade Graham is over.

That was a little bit too easy. Can

you believe it, wade Graham, a

hat-trick in the first half of his

first match starting for Australia.

They shift the ball to the left.

They marched upfield relatively

easily this time. Munster just gives

him the short ball, over he goes.

Three!

Now, that was a little bit

too easy. In reality. France have

done so well. Their danger period is

when we get inside that final 10

minutes. That kick into tuck sent

maybe the wrong message. The

Australians thinking OK. Cameron

Smith adds the extra two. 16-6. The

lead is back to 10.

They scored a

hat-trick here in Round 2. If you'd

known that, you might have been on

him!

France have got to get themselves

sorted here so they don't concede

again before half time. Scrum

defence. They are certainly hitting

hard. Off the line. Baiteri. Good

tackle. There's Marginet, Thibaut

Margalet, 14.

He did some damage in

the finals playing on that right

edge.

Here they come. Duggan, down

the touchline. Looking for support.

The dummy. Now he puts the foot

down. Josh Dugan for the corner.

That is a sensational Kangaroos try,

from one end to the other. What a

try to Josh Dugan.

It is now 20-6.

Cameron Smith.

That's what he has in

front of him. It's not a bad strike,

but just stays out to the left. The

lead for the Kangaroos is 14.

Wonderful football for Australia,

short passing, linking passing.

Dugan, who is in space, throws the

dummy. Entertaining first half of

Rugby League Australia lead France

20-6.

The referee Robert Hicks signals

time on. Second-half is underway.

Terrific first half by France,

despite the fact they are done. They

really pushed the Aussies. Can they

continue that in this second-half?

Yaha.

This is Thibaut Margalet.

One of the defenders. Herold. A kick

here, straight down the throat of

Billy Slater. Danger for France, but

it's a reasonable chase from them.

They are in numbers in a straight

lime.

Difficult to kick a 40, 20. He

read it well. They won't be

displeased with that after half time

France. Now the job again, slow down

this Australian attack.

Mansour

almost breaking through the other

side. The Frenchmen in trouble in

the back play, in real trouble too

in the penalty. I'm not sure who it

is. The centre. Dislocated elbow

perhaps or an elbow injury. An arm

injury, at the very least.

You can

see him in the background there

while Mansour is being tackled. It

happened in the earlier play.

Fell

awkwardly.

Reeled out of that.

Into

a sling, it looks like. He's staying

on - seriously? ! He's staying on,

Gary.

Well, they breed them tough,

don't they?

Wow!

I thought for sure

he was heading off. Just trying to

ease the pain.

Exactly. I thought

the doctor was giving him some of

that and putting his arm in a

splint. Playing on and he's still

there.

Wow.

It shows you what it

means to these Frenchmen to stay out

there and play against the

Kangaroos. They are 10 meters away

here, Australia. Maguire, Woods.

Stay out there, four meters away.

He's got one arm by his side. Slater

he can't make a tackle, surely.

Munster runs past. They score a try.

They ran it to Olivier Arnaud he

couldn't make the tackle. He tried.

He was gallant. He couldn't stop

Cameron Munster on debut from

scoring the try.

He's such a talent.

That last game. With space, throws

the dummy. He's awkward and hard to

tackle and he's very quick as well.

10 out of 10 for courage for staying

out there, but sadly it's the tackle

that led to the try Askam Ron Smith

has little trouble in converting

that. Terrific kick from the

touchline. 26-6, the Kangaroos over

France.s

He tried to set up, Slater

goes into the half acquisition there

and pushes Cameron Munster wide.

Quickly, Maguire, putting on a solid

shot on Thibaut Margalet. The

penalty. Woods went on with it.

He

did well, Marginet. He got smashed

by Woods. It wasn't the wisest pass.

Maguire is the man with the first

impact.

They haven't taken a

backward step all night, France. Can

they get rewarded with some more

points here? They haven't had much

footie down this end of the field.

They've lost the ball, France.

Slater has come up with it. Mistake

on the first tackle.

Chambers to Smith.

Back to Smith. The tackle, 30 out

from the line. Strong defence again

from France, they are there in

numbers. Jullien, one of the

defenders. Straight and hard, they

couldn't stop him, Tyson Frizell was

like a runaway train, straight over

the top. 30-6 with a kick to come.

He knows no other way, Tyson

Frizell. Just look at him steam this

pass on the left, just drops back on

the Munster and away goes through

the line, beats the last line of

defence and slams it down. Callum

Smith three from five tonight. The

lead is now 32 points to six.

We see

some tough hard running from Tyson

Frizell al. That has been the mode

from the Australian team tonight.

All six tries for the Australians

has been on the left-hand side.

Cameron Munster and Josh Dougan all

on the left-hand side for the

Aussies.

They are up again, France,

in the face of the Aussies. Jason

Baitieri back on, and Morgan, then

David Klemmer again. Smith, Morgan,

and Morgan puts the foot down,

Slater is on his inside, and Billy

Slater gets the seventh Australian

try on the back of Morgan Smith and

then Slater. Strap yourselves in,

the Aussies are going on a rampage,

three quick tries, just have a look

at this beautiful dummy by Morgan,

and he looks inside, who is there?

Edges Billy Slater always back up

the middle, whose first of the night

but I reckon not his last. 36-6, all

the hard work of the moment from

France starting to drift away.

So,

Callum Smith adds an extra two,

first try scored on the right-hand

side for the Aussies tonight, 38-6.

Morgan gets his pace on the outside,

and Billy Slater, he has been the

full-back that has changed how all

full-backs have played the game.

Munster, Slater, Dugan. Defending in

that right centre position in the

absence of. Smith. A chance for

Trbojevic, great cover from France.

It looks like the Kangaroos were

going in, Morgan kicking, and here

comes Slater. And he dropped it. Or

did it hit the crossbar? I think the

crossbar distracted him, and Billy

has dropped a gift.

That all the

French player that jumped in front

of the football, but it was a

certain try. They were side to side,

he has got it in his hands. I have

never seen him drop one of those.

And Morgan absolutely smashed by

Jason Baitieri. Smith charged down,

not played, says the referee. Now

looking for a 40-20, Billy Slater,

and he gets it as well,

unbelievable. Billy Slater with a

40-20, Cameron Smith has been trying

all night, and Billy Slater comes up

with his first. And now the

Kangaroos are on the attack. Billy

Slater with a 40-20, they get the

ball back because he found that

inside the opposition 20 from inside

his own 40. Smith, Munster, in the

space, he gets himself four. Wade

Graham has got four tries in a Test

match. Three in the first half, and

now he's cut four on the back of a

Billy Slater 40-20.

He just has to

turn up and called for the ball, and

away he goes, again Wade Graham,

here is the 40-20 from Wade Slater,

not sure he realised it was kicked

from inside his own 40. And Graham

plunges over, number four, can you

believe it?

Wade Graham has got

tried on the four to equal the World

Cup record, Callum Smith adds

another goal to make it 44-6.

This

is one way. He becomes the leading

try scorer for this year's World

Cup, Michael Jennings and David Mead

both scoring three last week. There

is your leading try scorer in the

2017 World Cup.

Keep from Fages, and Tom Trbojevic

is back there, it is on the

goal-line, terrific kick, and a good

chase from France, but Tom Trbojevic

does well also.

Klemmer with the strong run,

Baitieri was there to make the

tackle also. Leads the way for

France. Under pressure, Munster, the

off-load to Graham. Down towards the

30, last tackle. Dugan kicking, he

slips, and the ball will bounce

beautifully for Cameron Munster to

get himself a double. The Aussies

are within two of a half-century.

Josh Dugan down the touchline, and

Cameron Munster gets two on debut.

I

think the Frenchman thought they had

done enough in this set to repel the

Aussies, but they've picked a nice

short side play, wrong-foot the

full-back, and Munster two for the

night, he has had a very good game.

So, Cameron Munster on debut with

two tries, another chance to other

goal. It wasn't his best kick, and

he wasn't happy with it, either.

Still, it is 48-6.

A couple of new

Australian players getting on the

scoreboard tonight. It was certainly

an art in class from Australia. They

have made some mistakes, but it

looks like players are getting some

match fitness, certainly getting

some timing, and great score on at

the moment.

Almost lost it, Klemmer.

He has played an international, Josh

McGuire, you see him filling here at

dummy half, he has played at dummy

half.

Links with Dugan does Munster, Brian

was there as well, and they go back

towards Wade Graham, here is a

chance, passes unselfishly back on

the inside to Mansoor, only ten

metres away from the line. Munster,

Maguire, Klemmer, and this is the

last, Maguire, Maclean, the long

ball, homes for the corner, and

scores. Yaha can't make the tackle,

and Valentine Holmes fresh on the

field gets himself a try. Valentine

Holmes wasn't expected to play

tonight gets a try, and the Aussies

hit 50, 52 looks embarrassing but it

has been a courageous performance

from France up against an Australian

side who have played well, ten

tries. 60% almost possession for the

Kangaroos. And Munster a much better

strike, but across the face. And so

it remains 52 - six.

It is a good

long ball and hit Valentine Holmes

on the chest. He does the rest, to

get them past the 50 mark.

Inside the final minute. Reagan

Campbell-Gillard from a mile back,

runs at who makes the tackle.

Jullien is also there. Ten short of

halfway. Can they hang on here,

France? Maguire trying to slow it

down, and of the line. We can see

Wade Graham score five tries in a

World Cup match. Last tackle,

Maguire looked for that, and

couldn't find it. Follows his

kicker. And now forces the mistake.

I don't think I've ever seen Josh

McGuire kick a footy in the game,

but they weren't rushed to the

scrum. Australia wins its second

match in the Rugby League World Cup,

ten tries to one, full-time,

Australia 52 has defeated France's

six. It was 20-6 at half-time. And

Wade Graham picks up the match ball,

and why wouldn't he? Four tries in a

Test match.

You are the leading try scorer now

in this cup vision, what is going

on?

I don't know, I wish I could

explain it. I'm stoked we have a

team win and could get across the

try line, that is a bonus.

Another

player who will run tonight, you

scored a try against Australia. Can

you tell the emotions?

I didn't

really think too much, head down and

aim for that post, I had Josh behind

me.

And was that one of the hardest

games of football you have ever been

a part of?

I don't figure I have

ever been in a match like it, they

are world-class and it showed today.

I thought we were with them in the

first half but they came through at

the end.

And what is the difference,

you are physical and willing, but

did they just keep that performance?

Just seduced, and they kept us in

our own half of the entire first

half, so the pressure just get

building and we cracked in the end.

He is the Australian captain, but

some of that performance?

The first

half was a little bit patchy from us

although we played some pretty good

footy, had some soft errors, only a

couple, but I thought the second

half we really knuckled down to

business and play direct footy which

we did all week and finished the

game nicely.

You don't like the

limelight too much but 36

consecutive games for Australia, how

do you feel?

Yes, going past such a

legend, he is a morsel of our game.

It is pretty special to me and my

family, something that I really take

a lot of pride in, representing our

country, I love playing in the green

and gold jersey, so nice to get 36

in a row.

The boys today was very

fantastic, and they have played like

a team, real team. And we were

strong in the middle, it was a tough

game for us. We never thought that

it was lost, you know? And they give

us a lot of pleasure. So that's a

good thing for next weekend.

I

thought they were fantastic tonight,

the French. You know, they played

pretty well last week as well, so

they gave us a bit of a battle, and

you can talk about our stats, we

achieved what we wanted to achieve

tonight, so pretty good effort by

both sides, I thought.

So this is how Group A is looking

going into the morning's game

between England and Lebanon.

Australia lead the Group on four

points and France must beat England

next week to give them any hope

of progressing through

to the quarter-finals.

We will be live on Saturday

morning with England

against Lebanon from Sydney.

Join Mark Chapman with

Jonathan Davies, Kevin Sinfield

and Robbie Hunter-Paul from 8.30am

on BBC Two.

We'll be back at lunchtime on BBC

One with extended highlights of that

game as well as Scotland's clash

with New Zealand and

Samoa versus Tonga.

On Sunday, the hits just

keep on coming as we'll

have all the highlights

from Sunday's World Cup

action, including Ireland

against Papau New Guinea.

That's at 4.00pm on BBC Two.

And in between games,

you can keep across everything

happening at the Rugby League World

Cup on the BBC across TV, 5 Live,

the website and the BBC Sport App.

Well, that's it from Canberra.

Australia look as

dominant as ever as

they continue their quest

for back to back World Cups.