France stay on grand slam trail as Romain Ntamack shatters Wales
(The Guardian Sports News)

o Wales 23-27 Franceo Ntamack sparkles in Cardiff with kicking and 40-metre tryAt last, France are really back. Against the very team who have driven them to distraction of late, this latest incarnation of brazen French youngsters held their nerve as an all-too-familiar narrative unfolded, defending what had been a comfortable lead with only 14 men in the dying minutes. This time, there would be no gifts, as in the World Cup in October, as in the Six Nations last year, when their second-half implosion in Paris sent Wales on their way to a grand slam.Now it is France who are a step closer to that honour, having not won one since 2010. A win in Edinburgh in the next round would set up a crunch home match against Ireland on the final weekend. The irony was rich that this callow team might finally defend a lead against a Wales team of more than 800 caps and that it should be Wales who gifted them the key turning point. An interception try by Romain Ntamack in the 52nd minute was the response after Wales had pulled back to within a single point early in the second half. Continue reading...