Last week’s rip-roaring victory over three-time winners New Zealand was always going to be a hard act to follow for the hosts, but few had expected them to struggle against Uruguay, one of the lowest-ranked teams at the tournament, who put on a defiant spectacle at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille.
France coach Fabien Galthié had made wholesale changes to the home side, opting to rest the likes of Gregory Alldritt, Gael Fickou, Charles Ollivon and captain Antoine Dupont.
But he warned his players not to show complacency, noting that Uruguay had “big hearts” and “a lot of energy and aggression”.
That warning turned out to be an understatement. Uruguay were making their tournament debut in France, four years after they kicked off their 2019 World Cup in Japan with a memorable win over Fiji.