Glory for France - but more ignominy for Wales and Henry

France used a combination of youth and experience to upset South Africa 20-10 in their international at the Stade de France in Paris yesterday.

Rookies Francois Gelez and Damien Traille kicked five penalties between them, and hooker Raphael Ibanez, in his 44th test, scored France's only try.

South African first five-eighths Braam van Straaten opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a penalty from 30m. Gelez, one of seven rookies in the French starting XV, levelled for France four minutes later and put his side ahead 6-3 in the 12th minute.

France led 9-3 at halftime but South Africa took the lead when winger Pieter Rossouw scored eight minutes into the second spell. Reliable goalkicker Van Straaten converted.

A 50m Traille penalty regained the lead for France, Gelez added his fourth penalty and the win was sealed with Ibanez's try five minutes from the end, after a fine run from wing David Bory.

* Iestyn Harris endured a nightmare start to his international career at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, when Argentina pulled off a 30-16 win over Wales to pile on the misery for the home fans and for coach Graham Henry.

Harris, making his debut in the hallowed No 10 shirt after his $A3.9 million ($4.84 million) switch from rugby league with Leeds to Cardiff this season, scored 11 points.

But he also committed two errors which led to tries for the Pumas on a day when his opposite number, Felipe Contepomi, scored 25 of his team's points as Argentina clinched their first win on Welsh soil.

"We believed we could do this. We've come here three times in the last four years and it's third time lucky," Contepomi said.

As usual in Wales, Harris was being hailed as the latest saviour of the national team and expectations on him were further increased when he scored 31 points on his club debut for Cardiff in the European Cup win over Glasgow last month.

However, even he could not save the day or stop the long-suffering supporters from booing the team off the pitch as the Welsh pack were completely overwhelmed by the Pumas.

Harris was clearly distraught by his debut and refused to talk about it afterwards.

The 25-year-old was never allowed to settle into his normal exciting, running game.

The Pumas' first try, by Contepomi, came from a Harris clearing kick which was charged down, but prop Darren Morris kept Wales in the game, scoring just before halftime. Harris did kick his goals, but his second major mistake of the afternoon was failing to find touch, and a loose ball ended up in the hands of winger Gonzalo Camardon, who scored in the corner, effectively dashing Wales' hopes.

Henry offered no excuses for his side's defeat, saying: "We're not very good really."

On Harris, he added: "We've got to start somewhere with Iestyn.

"It wasn't the most positive display but he will get better - he's a very natural rugby player.

"With him we had to go backwards before we could go forwards."

* In Treviso, first five-eighths Diego Dominguez scored 29 points as Italy overwhelmed Fiji 66-10.

Fiji first five-eighths Waisale Serevi gave the visitors an early 10-3 lead by scoring a try, a conversion and a penalty, but that was the sum of their threat.

* Scotland made a satisfactory start to their autumn test series with a four-tries-to-one, 43-20 win over a lively but penalty prone Tonga at Murrayfield yesterday.

First five-eighths Gordon Ross scored 23 of his side's points in a near faultless display on debut, kicking five penalties and converting all four of Scotland's tries.

The accurate goalkicking of Ross and a try in the left corner by centre James McLaren gave Scotland a 22-11 halftime lead, Tonga having scored the game's first try through lock Viliami Vaki and kicked two penalties through Sateki Tuipulotu.

- AGENCIES