France women defeated Australia 29:26 in their WXV 1 encounter on September 19, 2026, at home in front of their own supporters. The result breaks France's recent run of defeats and leaves Australia still searching for their first win of the tournament.
Both sides entered this fixture carrying the weight of opening-round losses, each sitting on zero points after one game played. To be fair, the standings tell little of substance at this stage — one defeat each puts them near the bottom, but the table barely exists yet.
France's recent form had been a mixture of heavy defeats and emphatic wins, including a 69:28 victory over Scotland back in May. Australia, meanwhile, have struggled more consistently, suffering a 66:18 hammering by New Zealand in their most recent outing. And here's the thing — neither team has found its rhythm yet.
The final scoreline suggests a contest that could have gone either way, with France pulling away just enough to secure three points. Australia will be disappointed to leave with nothing, but the margin is narrow enough to suggest they are close to turning things around.
What matters now is momentum. France have rescued a point from what looked like a difficult campaign, while Australia need the points badly if they are to avoid finishing at the foot of the table.
