The China Mail - Rusty France face 'tired' Australia at end of torrid year

Joe Schmidt's Wallabies are one loss away from a first winless European tour since 1958 and a record 10th defeat of the year.

Fabien Galthie's Bleus have struggled for confidence since losing Antoine Dupont to a knee injury as they won the Six Nations in March.

An understrength side lost each Test in a three-match series in New Zealand and, still without the superstar scrum half, they were then humbled by South Africa in their Autumn opener before struggling past Fiji last Saturday.

Their sluggish performances have been in stark contrast to the swashbuckling attack and surefire defence earlier this year.

"We've had four weeks of work together and played the two games," former captain Galthie told reporters on Thursday.

"There's no reason why things don't click for this third game.

"The explanations are that we lacked consistency and then we lacked time together before the first game," the 56-year-old added.

Former Ireland boss Schmidt will leave his role after next July's Nations Championship Tests.

His problems seem to be the opposite of Galthie's. Australia's squad has been together pretty much non-stop since their opening Test of the season in June.

- 'Flog a dead horse' -

"You cannot flog a dead horse and I have never ever been in a Test window for so long," 60-year-old Schmidt told reporters.

"I think the longest period that they've had a break for was eight days since we started.

"I think as much as anything it's mental, emotional fatigue as much as it is physical so that in itself has been challenging," the New Zealander added.

Galthie has made three changes but has kept Romain Ntamack in the key playmaking fly-half position.

Ntamack has born the brunt of the negative assessments of Les Bleus' attack but Galthie defended the Toulouse half-back.

"There's no conversation about his performance," Galthie said.

"The problem with a player at the centre of the game, is if he doesn't get the ball it's hard for him to be a playmaker.

"We hear the criticism. It's expected. We accept them," he added.

Opposite Ntamack under the floodlights of the Stade de France will be Carter Gordon.

Gordon comes is as one of five alterations by Schmidt after the record demolition at the hands of Ireland last weekend, with experienced James O'Connor sent back to his club Leicester.

The 24-year-old Gordon plays just his 10th international, and only his second since September 2023.

"It would have been great to keep James with us," Schmidt said.

"But with Carter and Tain (Edmed) and Hamish (Stewart) there to cover, it was an extra player that would have been a luxury," he added.

An added element is that this is the final Test of the year for both nations and if Australia win by 16 points or more they will overtake France in the rankings, move into the top six and earn a favourable seeding for the Rugby World Cup on home soil, when the draw is made on December 3.

"Sixteen points is very difficult, when it's difficult to win to begin," Schmidt said.

"We're looking at the performance.

"If we chase the big results like that, I think it's too difficult and I think we'll lose the focus that we need," he added.

J.Thompson--ThChM