To lose once when you’re ahead as the clock ticks into the red can be considered unfortunate. To lose twice – as France have done in consecutive games – is carelessly problematic.
It’s easy to point at inexperience in the French senior men’s side that had 135 caps, 122 of which were on the pitch at the start of the match. Two of those involved in the Nightmare Moment – full-back Melvyn Jaminet and replacement scrum-half Teddy Iribaren – were on debut in Brisbane. But that’s little more than excuse-seeking.
Iribaren has a reputation for flakiness. But he’s played more than 200 professional...