France defeated Serbia 68-8 after leading by just 18-2 at the break in St Esteve on Friday. The superior speed and execution of the home side was too much for the Serbians, as the two sides played one another for the first time since 2004. 

With Richard Agar absent, Renaud Guigue took charge of a France side that blooded a clutch of new young players, including several that have been through the French federation’s high performance programmes at youth level and now play in France’s Elite championship. 

Despite giving a good account of themselves in the middle of the field, Serbia could not contain the swift French outside backs, who registered three of France’s four first-half tries. Soon after the restart full back Clement Soubeyras and centre Aurelien Decarnin completed the clean sweep for France’s back division, while Serbia scored a morale-boosting try through stand-off Vojislav Dedic seven minutes from time.

Pictured: Tony Maurel scored two tries
Photo credit: DDM, Xavier de Fenoyl

FRANCE
Clement Soubeyras, Tony Maurel, Benjamin Jullien, Aurelien Decarnin, Alexis Escamilla, Joris Bissiere, Pierre-Louis Bourrel, Maxime Herold, Bastien Escamilla, Ugo Perez, Samy Masselot, Mourad Kriouache, Bastian Canet. Subs : Charles Bouzinac, Valentin Yesa, Clement Boyer, Romain Pourret

SERBIA
Milos Zogovic, Dragan Jankovic, Milos Calic, Stevan Stevanovic, Nebojsa Zivanovic, Vojislav Dedic, Dzavid Jasari, Danilo Delic, Zoran Pesic, Miodrag Tomic, Vladislav Dedic, Vladica Nikolic, Stefan Nedeljkovic. Subs: Stefan Nikolic, Vlado Kusic, Nikola Srbljanin, Pera Madzarevic