France dashed Wales' hopes of a repeat of their Six Nations Grand Slam on Friday, winning a thrilling encounter 21-16.

France scored two tries to one with Thierry Dusautoir and Cedric Heymans touching down while Morgan Parra made light of the hosts lacking a specialist goalkicker with 11 points.

Wales' try came from Lee Byrne.

"Wales attacked at the end with a lot of energy and intensity," said man-of-the-match Imanol Harinordoquy, the French No 8.

"But our defence didn't break. We won with defence and spirit. At half-time, when the score was 13-13, we knew we could show another face and win the match. We wanted to show what we can do."

Harinordoquy said that the win justified coach Marc Lievremont's controversial selections.

"There was pressure on the coach because of all the criticism during the week."

Wales centre Tom Shanklin admitted that defensive frailties had let the champions down.

"Conceding a try right at half-time didn't help," said Shanklin whose team had led 13-3 at one stage.

"We needed to play a lot smarter and not play in their half as much. We lost the ball in the contact a few times and you can't do that against the French."

The Welsh took an early lead when Stephen Jones slotted over a penalty after referee Mark Lawrence penalised the French for offside.

However, the hosts were level in the seventh minute as Parra converted a penalty.

Jones, though, restored the three-point advantage a minute later with a penalty from long range after a French player was judged to have played the ball on the ground.

The French then thought they had scored a try which Lawrence sent to the video referee, but instead the visitors were awarded a penalty because a French player had handled the ball on the ground.

It was the Welsh who scored the first try as a superb break in midfield by Shanklin saw the ball passed by Stephen Jones from the ensuing ruck out to Byrne, who ran it in unopposed for his seventh try in 25 tests.

Jones converted to make it 13-3 with 26 minutes gone.

France reduced the deficit in the 35th minute as Parra stroked over a superb penalty from wide out on the right to make it 13-6.

The French then lost fly-half Benoit Baby after he went down with what looked like a knee injury having just knocked on and he was replaced by Francois Trinh-Duc.

The hosts had the last laugh on the stroke of half-time as Dusautoir scrambled over with the try having been effectively created by Harinordoquy with a storming run which was only stopped by a great tackle by Byrne.

Parra converted to make it 13-13 at the break.

Parra had a chance to give France the lead for the first time early in the second-half when the Welsh were caught offside but sent his penalty wide.

Wales were rattled by the resurgent French and errors crept into their play and it was from one of these that France's second try stemmed.

Scrum-half Mike Phillips was penalised for accidental offside and the French played the ball down the line with the Welsh stretched.

France almost ruined the opportunity when they passed the ball behind a player with a three-to-one advantage but recovered to see Heymans go over.

Parra failed to convert to leave France 18-13 in front.

Wales coach Warren Gatland rang the changes at this point taking off three players including Phillips but it changed little.

Parra extended France's lead with 12 minutes remaining, slotting over a long distance penalty after Wales were penalised for obstruction.

James Hook, who replaced Stephen Jones, reduced the deficit with a penalty with eight minutes remaining.

Wales wasted a superb opportunity to at least grab a draw with minutes remaining as replacement Gavin Henson opted to go inside when he had two players outside him well inside the French 22.

He lost the ball to extinguish Wales's Grand Slam hopes.

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