Australia 16 France 26
DISAPPOINTED coach Eddie Jones pre-empted a host of changes after lamenting that the Wallabies' dire losing streak had totally sapped the team's confidence.
Up to half of Jones' starting fifteen are in some danger of being dumped after France fed off the jittery tourists mistakes for a stinging Test win in Marseille.
Jones, looking at promoting a string of youngsters, conceded he was also under immense pressure as he took full responsibility after Australia matched the woeful run of the struggling 1968-69 Wallabies who lost six in a row.
He rated the two-tries-to-one loss in front of 55,000 at the Stade Velodrome "bull-ring" worse than the previous five defeats to South Africa and New Zealand.
"(I'm) probably more disappointed just because we didn't play with much confidence," said Jones, who believed the first 30 minutes of the clash was among the most dire in his four years as coach.
"I don't think it gets much worse than this. It's a reasonably testing time."
He admitted to facing tough decisions before Saturday's Test against England at Twickenham and indicated he was seriously considering drastic changes.
"In certain positions definitely," Jones said. "We came up short again in various areas of the game in making simple mistakes and we've got to have a look. "It's the same players making those simple mistakes which are costing us so dearly.
"How we played tonight wasn't good enough so we'll make selection in terms of improving the side and (if that means) bringing in some of the so-called younger guys, we'll definitely do that."
Bullocking inside centre Lloyd Johansson, an eye-catcher off the bench, emerging lock Hugh McMeniman and hookers Tatafu Polota-Nau or Steve Moore are in line for starting roles.
Brendan Cannon, Mark Chisholm and even vice-captain Morgan Turinui are in most danger of the chop and if Jones does decide to bite the bullet then Rocky Elsom, the props (Al Baxter and Matt Dunning) and captain George Gregan may be in trouble.
Jones did rate Gregan's game as "reasonable" behind a beaten pack in his record-breaking 115th Test but he was nowhere near as influential as opposite number Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde, even when he had quality ball.
Backline jack-in-the-box Mat Rogers showed more spark than Matt Giteau in his 15 minutes at five-eighth to put his hand up for the No.10 jersey.
Like in four of their previous five Tests, the Wallabies had their chances to take control of the game but shot themselves in the foot with fundamental handling errors and set-piece dramas.
The attacking line-out was the biggest worry, with only eight of 13 throws won in the first half before improvements were made when the match was already lost at 23-9 midway through the second half.
Hooker Cannon's woes didn't end with some errant throwing, as he also spilt a simple pass metres from the tryline just after the break.
At the time, the Wallabies, down 10-9, had all the momentum and winger Rogers had stepped his way to within a dive of the line.
But Cannon's drop signalled the turning point.
With Frederic Michalak (neck) off the field, Ellisalde kicked a 42m penalty goal and then Remy Martin charged down a Giteau kick for a 20-3 lead after 49 minutes.
"They didn't play any more football than we did. They probably played less but every time they had an opportunity to get something they got something," said Jones.
"We just can't seem to cope with one or two bad things ... and it translates to a string of problems." Australia's sole try came off the last play of the match when fullback Chris Latham, arguably the Wallabies' best, put reserve winger Drew Mitchell over in the corner.
AAP
