Megan York’s second-half try gave Wales women a stunning 10-8 win over France women to end their Grand Slam ambitions in Neath.
Les Bleues came into the game as favourites after convincing wins in their opening two games, but couldn’t break down an incredible Welsh defence and paid the price when York scored on the counter-attack.
Dyddgu Hywel’s try had put Wales in front early, but they spent the remainder of the half on the back foot, with Safi N’Diaye’s try making it 5-5 at the break.
France took the lead through an Audrey Abadie penalty, but Wales responded through York, and despite spending the remainder of the match defending, held out for a famous win, only their second ever against Les Bleues.
Wales made the perfect start when Robyn Wilkins fed full-back Hywel and she showed her pace to round Elodie Poublan and then hold off Julie Billes to score.
That gave Wales a 5-0 lead, but it should have been quickly cancelled out when France worked their way into French territory. Abadie’s perfect cross-kick looked to have created a try for Caroline Boujard, but she couldn’t collect, and got a blow to the head in the scramble for the loose ball for her troubles.
Still, France were dominant at scrum-time and managed to get the ball back soon after. It was from such a set-piece, five metres out, that they drew level. A monstrous shove had the Welsh pack back-tracking and Safi N’Diaye was able to dot down. Abadie missed the conversion though with the scores level at 5-5.
The opening 40 was really a tale of Welsh defence holding strong in the face of endless French attacks.
But they were able to hold out until half-time despite losing Shona Powell-Hughes to a yellow card in the closing stages of the half.
Les Bleues had come desperately close to a try from Boujard but she was deemed to have been held up by some frantic last-gasp defence from the hosts.
France women struggled to turn their dominance into points, but when Wales were penalised in front of the posts for failing to roll away, Abadie gave France the lead for the first time.
However while it was just a three-point lead Wales were very much in touch, and on the hour they struck back. A searing break from Bethan Dainton had France on the ropes. And when the ball came back the other way, despite bodies strewn everywhere, loosehead York showed her strength and a surprising turn of pace to go over on the left.
Wilkins missed the conversion but Wales led 10-8 going into the final quarter of the game.
France tried to respond immediately but Coralie Bertrand was forced into touch just short of the line, as had happened to Billes earlier in the half.
The visitors continued to press, but found themselves thwarted at every opportunity by a monumental Welsh defence, while committing too many errors.
They will now travel to Scotland for their next game, although they could still win the title if they win both of their remaining games.
Wales are also back in with a chance of winning the title and face a tough trip to England next time out.
