On the most extraordinary day of Test rugby on Saturday (Sunday AEST), exacerbated by off-field drama when the second half had to be delayed by a bus on fire adjacent to the Stade Maurice David in Aix-en-Provence, home fans were left almost in disbelief at how their imploding and depleted side somehow still conjured a win.
And the world's No.9 side Australia will wonder how they let off the hook a fourth-ranked French side who, amazingly, were at one point in the first half down to 11 players after three yellow cards, including one upgraded to a 20-minute red, and a straight red.
It enabled the Wallaroos to power into a 19-0 lead but it still proved not enough to stop France fighting back to prevail with three second-half tries, even while suffering a sixth card after the break.
Wallaroos coach Tim Walsh reflected intense pride as well as bitter disappointment for his team post-match.
"We put ourselves in a position to win and we didn't execute," he said. "The positive is we put ourselves in position to win, but we are disappointed.
"Particularly on halftime when the French scored with 13 players - that is unacceptable.and that's probably where momentum shifted."
Both Walsh and captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona saw the match as a step forward in the drive to become a tier-one team ahead of the home 2029 World Cup, with the need for more such competition to keep improving game management and other skills.
Australia, who also had Michaela Leonard sent to the bin in the second half to complete the seven-card chaos, didn't help themselves as the French reeled off 17 unanswered points in the final 25 minutes to turn a 26-12 deficit into the most unlikely win.
Ultimately, the four Australian tries from Britanny Merlo, Tania Naden, Caitlyn Halse and Piper Duck weren't enough for them to follow up last week's comprehensive defeat by England with a morale-boosting win.
The craziness began early, with the French being hit with four cards in 20 minutes, with Ambre Mwayembe, Lea Champon and Lea Murie all binned for high tackles -- Mwayembe's being upgraded to a 20-minute red -- before Chloe Correa got a straight red for eye-gouging in the maul.
Australia cashed in, Merlo rolling over from the maul for her second international try after 17 minutes, Naden peeling off to score against a side left helpless when down to 11 and Halse then scoring the Wallaroos' slickest effort after a fine team move.
But when France started getting their numbers back, it became a very different game, as they reduced the deficit to 19-12 by halftime, when everyone got distracted by the blaze which left smoke billowing around the ground before it was extinguished.
After Duck's early score five minutes into the delayed second half, Pauline Bourdon went over the whitewash to narrow the gap.
When Leonard was binned for a high tackle, the hosts became increasingly encouraged, only to be checked again as Charlotte Escudero got penalised for 10 minutes for her own high challenge.
Australia missed their chance as Naden knocked on as they pressed for a score, with France then using their maul power to go over for a 68th minute score through hooker Elisa Riffonneau before Teani Feleu crashed over in the corner for the clincher.
The Wallaroos could take some comfort in their improved performance after the England hammering and they'll fancy their chances in Edinburgh next week of downing Scotland, who lost 66-14 to 10-try New Zealand on Saturday.
