France Under-20s made it two wins from two at the U20 World Championship. In 32°C heat in Kutaisi, Georgia, they beat Spain 57-32 on Thursday despite a laboured first half. With the attacking bonus point, they move top of Pool D.
A first half to forget
Heavily rotated, with eleven changes to the starting XV, France could hardly have started worse. Despite an early try from Hugo Avogadro, they knocked on repeatedly and conceded penalties at the ruck, letting Spain dictate the game. Driven on by Oriol Garcia and then Solomon Ibeoba, the Spanish even led at the break (17-20).
The turnaround after the break
The second half was a different story. Sharper and more accurate, Cédric Laborde’s side used their power to pull clear and finished with nine tries in all, winning 57-32. Hugo Avogadro, who scored twice, was involved in everything good, and the replacements, Mathéo Frisach among them, gave the pack fresh drive.
Top of the pool, with Australia to come
The bonus-point win puts France top of Pool D on ten points, while Spain, with two points from two rounds, are already out. In this World Championship only the winner of each pool reaches the semi-finals, to be played in Tbilisi. Everything will therefore be decided on the final round, against Australia.
The aftermath clouded by a racism allegation
The win was nonetheless overshadowed by a row. In the post-match press conference, fly-half Luka Keletaona, who has recently signed for Toulon, raised of his own accord an allegation of racist abuse by a Spanish opponent in the first half, after a Spanish try scored from a maul.
“The Spanish players walk past us and that is when the racist comments were made. He has played in France, so he spoke French,” the player said. According to his account, he heard: “Get lost with your Chinese face and your eyes…”, without catching the end of it, having immediately gone to tell his captain Lucas Andjisseramatchi so the referee could be alerted.
“It is in World Rugby’s hands”
The player named in the allegation is understood to be Mateo Aragon, a Spanish wing who came off the bench, a product of the Union Bordeaux-Bègles academy and reported to be joining RC Vannes next season. He has not responded publicly.
In the press conference, Keletaona was unequivocal: “Racist comments have no place on a pitch, in any sport. (…) This cannot be allowed to slip through. We will talk about it in the changing room.” Reported during the match, the incident led to no decision from the officials on the field. “It is in World Rugby’s hands,” said prop Mathéo Frisach in the same press conference, with the governing body due to rule on any sanctions after an investigation.
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