The Fiji Water Flying Fijians endured a difficult start to their November Nations Championship campaign, suffering a 54-17 defeat to France in Lyon.

In what was the first match under new head coach Jake White, Fiji showed promising signs early but struggled to contain a clinical French side that took control after the opening 20 minutes.

The hosts opened the scoring through Jean-Baptiste Gros before a penalty try extended their advantage. Fiji responded with a penalty from Simione Kuruvoli, but further tries to Sipili Falatea and Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang helped France race to a commanding 26-3 lead at halftime.

Any hopes of a Fijian comeback were quickly dashed after the break as France continued to pile on the pressure. Tries from Kalvin Gourgues and Theo Attissogbe stretched the margin, with skipper Antoine Dupont orchestrating much of the attack.

Despite the scoreline, Fiji showed resilience in the closing stages. Vinaya Habosi crossed for the visitors’ first try in the 66th minute before Selestino Ravutaumada added another late in the contest.

However, France finished strongly with veteran flanker Charles Ollivon scoring from a lineout move before Dupont capped a superb individual performance with a late try of his own. Maxime Lucu added the extras to seal the comprehensive victory. [

The defeat leaves the Flying Fijians searching for improvements ahead of their next Nations Championship outing, while France continue to build momentum heading into the remainder of the international window.

Meanwhile, France’s celebrations were tempered by concerns over star fly-half Romain Ntamack, who was forced from the field with a shoulder injury midway through the first half. Early fears of a dislocation could see the 27-year-old sidelined for several months, potentially placing his participation in the upcoming Guinness Six Nations in doubt.