The Wallabies' spring tour has ended on a high note with a record 59-16 thrashing of France in Paris.

Australia scored seven tries to a lone France penalty try in front of 80,000 on a cold night at the Stade de France, the 43-point margin smashing their previous best of 30 set in Brisbane in 2008.

It also topped Australia's previous highest score against France of 48 achieved in 1990.

And, in a major boost after some wobbly goalkicking in recent weeks, winger James O'Connor booted 10 from 12 and, with his try, beat Matt Burke's haul of 25 points against France in 1999 with a personal tally of 29.

The Australians can now reflect on a tour with four Test wins out of five, including a breakthrough over the All Blacks in Hong Kong and a massive victory over a European power, the world No.5-ranked French.

The Wallabies had looked to be in big trouble at halftime with their scrum being pummelled, resulting in the penalty try being awarded in the 30th minute which levelled the match at 13-13.

But two second-half tries in three minutes to inspired prop Benn Robinson and halfback Will Genia gave the visitors breathing space at 27-16 and silenced all but the brass bands at either end of the stadium.

A late hat-trick to winger Drew Mitchell and O'Connor's try knocked the stuffing out of the French, whose coach Marc Lievremont is yet to register a win against the Wallabies in five attempts.

"It's a great way for us to finish the tour," coach Robbie Deans said.

"It's easy to acknowledge the finishing but I think what was better was some of our contact work and we were a little straighter as a result in attack."

Australia had struggled with every scrum set in the first 40 minutes, earning the disapproval of New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence to concede four penalties and two short-arms.

France's penalty try - which also led to tighthead prop Ben Alexander being yellow-carded - had the scores locked at 13-13 at halftime and seemed to have the home side right back into the match after they had been down 13-6.

France even briefly led at 16-13 early in the second half before Australia piled on the last 46 points of the match.

The Australians might have seen some light at the end of the tunnel when they got their first short-arm at a scrum in the 46th and they only needed to wait three minutes before replacement prop Robinson crashed over.

Genia dummied and strolled over in the 52nd minute before the flood gates opened with Mitchell's first in the 67th.

"We kept France in the game early with some of our ineffective exiting from our own 22 in particular," Deans said.

"The 14 point barrier is obviously a really important one and once you get more than two scores ahead the nature of the contest changes.

"That happened and you could see a freeing of the spirits at that point."

The Wallabies will take a psychological boost out of the win ahead of next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, but there remains a major question mark over their scrum.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP