France-Namibia: Damian Penaud scores his 33rd try and becomes the third best scorer for the Blues

2023-09-22 00:06:53

Damian Penaud is becoming more and more familiar with the stars of the French XV. While he scored his 30th try during the opening match of the Rugby World Cup against New Zealand, tying Philippe Sella in fourth place among the Blues’ best try scorers, the winger in scored three more this Thursday against Namibia, which now places him on the podium, one point ahead of Philippe Saint-André.

The new player from Union Bordeaux-Bègles began his rise in the standings from the first minutes of the match. In the 6th minute, after an interesting touch five meters from the line, Damian Penaud was on the receiving end of a long cross at the foot of Antoine Dupont. The Frenchman, always so lively on his feet, was quick to frame his last opponent and flatten him in the corner to open the scoring in this match.

Five tries from Serge Blanco’s record

His second try of the evening arrived just 14 minutes later. After another touch in the Namibian 22 meters, Peato Mauvaka was able to bring his impact against the opposing defense, before cleverly shifting his winger into the short side, who had no trouble flattening into the in-goal for the second time. This try, the Blues’ fourth, even allowed them to secure the offensive bonus, after only around twenty minutes.

The ex-Clermont winger, who joined Bordeaux-Bègles this summer, scored his third try in the second half, at the conclusion of a French attack led by full-back Melvyn Jaminet.

Thanks to these three tries, Damian Penaud is now the third best try scorer in the French XV. With 33 tries, he exceeds Philippe Saint-André by one unit, and is even closer to Vincent Clerc’s 34 tries and Serge Blanco’s 38 tries. Will he manage to break the record at this World Cup? The task promises to be complicated, with the opponents becoming increasingly tough. But with Damian Penaud, you never know…