Australia vs France Predictions - Wallabies can surprise France in Nations Championship

Ralph Staniforth

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Last updated: 2 hours ago

Ralph Staniforth 2 hours ago

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Australia have lost 8 of their last 9 matches but showed promise vs Ireland.
France, recent Six Nations champions, bring a strong squad but not at full strength.
Wallabies tipped to cover +8.5 handicap; upset over France possible.

Australia can bounce back at home (Getty Images)

Australia vs France Predictions

Australia were beaten last week at home, but they showed enough quality to know that France won’t have it all their own way on Saturday. I am leaning towards Australia on the +8.5 handicap here with an upset win not impossible.

Australia vs France Predictions
Head to Head
Australia Form
France Form
Australia vs France Sarting Lineups, Injuries & Team News

Australia have lost 8 of their last 9 matches.
Australia have lost their last 3 matches to France.
France are the Six Nations champions.
France have won 6 of their last 8 matches.

Head to Head

France have won four of their last five matches against Australia. In November 2025, France beat the Wallabies 38-33 on home soil.

Australia Form

Australia are on a woeful run, one of their worst in rugby union history. They have only managed one win in their last nine matches and that came in a scrappy 19-15 success against Japan.

The 2025 end of year tour to the north ended in defeats to England, Italy, Ireland and France, mostly by comfortable margins. 2026 hasn’t kicked off too well either with the Wallabies going down 33-31 at home to Ireland last weekend.

Australia did not look out of place at all last weekend though, most parts of their game was really good. By half time they had built up a 12-point lead, but they let it slip in the second half.

France Form

France defended their Six Nations title earlier this year, losing just one game on their way. That defeat to Scotland was a shock loss, but it didn’t hamper their chances of the title.

Usually, the French send a second-string squad on their July tours, and they have done much the same this year, but they have picked a strong squad that usual, despite some names staying at home.

Last week, France came within a whisker of snatching a win on New Zealand soil, losing 34-32 in the end. It was a gutsy display from a side that didn’t have their strongest side available.

Australia vs France Sarting Lineups, Injuries & Team News

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Angus Bell.

Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 James Slipper, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Lachlan Shaw, 20 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Jock Campbell, 23 Filipo Daugunu.

France: 15 Matthieu Jalibert, 14 Theo Attissogbe, 13 Fabien Brau Boirie, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang; 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Maxime Lucu (captain), 8 Marko Gazzotti, 7 Oscar Jegou, 6 Lenni Nouchi, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Florian Verhaeghe; 3 Demba Bamba, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 1 Moses Alo-Emile

Replacements: 16 Maxime Lamothe, 17 Jefferson Poirot, 18 Tevita Tatafu, 19 Hugo Auradou, 20 Tom Staniforth, 21 Killian Tixeront, 22 Nolann Le Garrec, 23 Kalvin Gourgues.