Wallabies first-five Noah Lolesio slotted a penalty with two minutes left as a 14-man Australia edged France 33-30 in a nerve-shredding classic in Brisbane on Saturday to seal the three-test series 2-1.
Australia were a man down in the fifth minute when winger Marika Koroibete was given a red card for a high tackle on France captain Anthony Jelonch but the Wallabies rallied brilliantly at Lang Park.
Lolesio was nerveless off the tee in the last few minutes, and he calmly kicked over the winner from a sharp angle to extend Australia's winning streak to nine at their Brisbane fortress.
His kick capped a fairytale series for the young flyhalf, who had slotted the winning penalty after the siren when Australia clinched the series-opener 23-21 at Lang Park.
Australia had tries from Tate McDermott, Lolesio and Taniela Tupou, with Baptiste Couilloud, Cameron Woki and Pierre-Louis Barassi crossing for the understrength French, who were missing many of their test regulars due to COVID-19 travel curbs.
All three matches of the series were decided by three points or less, but the finale topped them all for drama.
Australia lost both their Fijian wingers in a disastrous start, with Filipo Daugunu forced off with a wrist injury in the second minute before Koroibete's sending-off.
Koroibete's shoulder made contact with Jelonch's chin but the French skipper had crouched low into the tackle and the red card was roundly booed by the crowd.
Jelonch clutched at his face as he went down in the tackle.
Lolesio finally nudged Australia 30-27 ahead with a 73rd minute penalty, but more drama was to come as the Wallabies coughed up possession after the restart and Rob Valetini laid a high tackle on Jaminet.
Jaminet, who kicked the winner in the 28-26 win in Melbourne on Tuesday, slotted the penalty to level the game at 30-30 with five minutes left.
Australia were not to be denied, however, and Lolesio's assured finish gave the rebuilding Wallabies a vital confidence boost ahead of next month's All Blacks tests.
Reuters
