Rugby: France fair dinkum - Wallabies better than All Blacks

Wallaby first-five Matt Giteau scores his side's only try during last night's test against France. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - It sounded like typical pre-match flattery last week, but France remained adamant after last night's 22-6 test loss that the Wallabies are a better side than the All Blacks in 2009.

In a confidence boost for Australia's hopes of a first Tri-Nations title since 2001, French coach Marc Lievremont, whose side had arrived in Sydney following a rare win and a narrow loss in NZ, said the Wallabies had shown his side a "real level".

"They were probably better organised than New Zealand, they don't make any mistakes," he told reporters through an interpreter.

"They had a better start and maybe what we did wrong during the last two games was OK for that, but in this game we paid cash.

"A very good Australian team showed us maybe a real level."

Recent form suggests Lievremont is not just playing the gracious guest.

The All Blacks, who have been without champions Dan Carter and Richie McCaw, lost to France on home soil for the first time two weeks ago, 27-22 in Dunedin, and were lucky to scrape home 14-10 last week in Wellington.

The Kiwis' 27-6 win over Italy last night in Christchurch was described by one NZ pundit as a "mess".

Meanwhile, Australia have barely cracked a sweat in seeing off Italy - with their B-team in one of the two tests - and a full-strength France.

Australia's other Tri-Nations opponents, South Africa, have had a tough preparation in going up 2-0 in their series against the injury-hit British and Irish Lions, but got out of jail to win 28-25 at Loftus Versfeld this morning (NZT).

The Wallabies begin their Tri-Nations campaign against the All Blacks in Auckland on July 18.

France were unable to post their first win on Australian soil since 1990 but were clinging to a first victory in NZ since '94 in claiming their tour had been a success as they, like the Wallabies, shape a 2011 World Cup squad.

"Our players have been courageous but maybe after two very hard games (against NZ), after 11 months of competition, this was one game too much," Lievremont said.

"Winning in New Zealand showed the quality of this squad, the players have learned and improved their rugby during the tour. We maybe have started to find a collective.

"At the end of the game we didn't find any solution, even though we were very courageous we missed a bit of brain.

"The regret I've got is that we did not play the game as we planned to do it, it's in this sector that we have to grow up and get more experienced."

- AAP