Clerc leads a 13-try massacre

France went a little way towards putting their nightmare World Cup start behind them by thrashing hapless Namibia, winger Vincent Clerc leading the way with three of their 13 tries.

The one-sided nature of the

contest will be little guide to

their future prospects,

however.

Namibia were always going

to be up against it as they

faced a pumped-up host nation in Toulouse, but their

chances of keeping the

score to a respectable level

disappeared when flanker

Jacques Nieuwenhuis was

given the first red card of

the World Cup for a 'clothes

line' tackle on Sebastian

Chabal.

Six tries came in the first

half, including a brace for

lock Lionel Nallet, but a

string of unforced errors

and sloppy handling kept

the score down.

As the under-strength

Namibians tired in the

second half, the pace of

scoring increased with

Chabal bulldozing his way

over for two tries in five

minutes and Clerc doing the

same to complete a treble.

Bradley Langenhoven

intercepted a pass in the last

minute to race away for

Namibia's consolation try.