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• Wallabies will get things right before Lions tour, promises Rugby Australia chief

  Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh is confident the Wallabies will be ready to compete with the British and Irish Lions next year, despite suffering the heaviest defeat in their Test history last time out.

  Australia were crushed 67-27 by Argentina in the Rugby Championship last time out, their third defeat in four games in this year's tournament.

  They were also dumped out of last year's Rugby World Cup in the pool stage following losses to Fiji and Wales, and they are down to ninth in the World Rugby Rankings.

  The British and Irish Lions will face Australia in three Tests when they tour down under between June and August next year, with many fearing Joe Schmidt's team will be blown away.

  Waugh, however, says there is plenty of time for the Wallabies to get things right before then, telling the Sydney Morning Herald: "You can see the progress is there.

  "It is not nearly where we need it to be, but if we keep progressing at the speed with which we have moved things in the last six months, then there is plenty of time.

   

  "It is a team that is, and I hate using the word 're-building', but it is a team that is re-setting, and it takes experience in big moments to get better. 

  "Obviously, the enormity of the scoreline in that second half was disappointing.

  "But there is context that is important... we are not the most experienced team in world rugby, and we are building that experience."

  Australia conclude their Rugby Championship campaign with two fixtures against New Zealand before the end of September, then face England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in their Autumn International Tests in November.

• France 2-0 Belgium: Dembele leads Les Bleus back to winning ways

  Ousmane Dembele starred for France as Didier Deschamps' side overcame their opening day defeat to Italy with a 2-0 triumph over Belgium in the Nations League.

  Randal Kolo Muani handed the hosts the advantage in the first half, with a moment of individual brilliance from Dembele rounding off a dominant display in Lyon. 

  France's much-changed side struggled in the opening exchanges, as Dodi Lukebakio and Kevin De Bruyne fired the early warning signs to the hosts. 

  But Les Bleus' slow start improved and they took the lead in the 29th minute after Dembele's scuffed effort was parried into the path of Kolo Muani to smash home, despite the best efforts of Wout Faes on the line. 

  From then on, Domenico Tedesco's side failed to lay a glove on their opponents, with Belgium ending the first half with two shots compared to France's 12. 

  The triumph was sealed by a moment of magic, with N'Golo Kante laying the ball to Dembele, who drove at the Red Devils defence before rifling a fierce left-footed effort beyond the grasp of Koen Casteels. 

  There was also a moment of history made in the 79th minute, with Matteo Guendouzi leaving the field to be replaced by Antoine Griezmann to claim his 137th French cap, going joint-third on their all-time list alongside Olivier Giroud.

  Data Debrief: PSG(oals)

  Each of France's last five goals, excluding own goals, have now been scored by players under contract at Paris Saint-Germain, the longest such run by the Les Bleus since between June and August 2003.

  Dembele was a particular standout for the hosts, producing the most shots (four), shots on target (two) and touches in the opposition box (nine), with his 19 passes into the final third a total only bettered by Manu Kone (22).  

• Australia 'fell off a cliff' in biggest-ever Test defeat

  Australia suffered their biggest-ever Test defeat on Saturday, as Argentina came from behind to win 67-27 in the Rugby Championship.

  And Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said his team simply "fell off a cliff" after taking a 17-point lead.

  Having snapped an eight-game winless run in the Rugby Championship with their last-gasp victory over Argentina last week, Australia were looking to keep the momentum going.

  And they looked well set to do just that as tries from Carlo Tizzano and Andrew Kellaway propelled them into a 20-3 lead.

  But Mateo Carreras and Julian Montoya, who was playing for Argentina for the 100th time, dragged Argentina back into it and paved the way for Australia's capitulation after the break.

  Juan Martin Gonzalez, Joaquin Oviedo, Juan Cruz Mallia and Lucio Cinti all crossed for the Pumas in the second half, with Santiago Carreras' conversion condemning Australia to their record defeat.

   

  "To lead a Test match 20-3 and get run down in the manner which we did is really disappointing," said Schmidt.

  "We cannot let a game get away from us like it did and fall off a cliff.

  "We lost connection in our defensive line. We were forever chasing them.

  "We didn't put enough pressure on at the breakdown, so they were operating off a lightning-quick ball, and it's just too difficult to keep chasing a team on a hot day when they’ve got the ball and going forward."

  Australia's previous record Test defeat had come against South Africa in 1997.

  Matters do not get any easier for the Wallabies, who now face two matches against Schmidt's native New Zealand as they aim to avoid finishing bottom of the pile.

  Second-place Argentina, meanwhile, will tussle it out with Rugby Championship leaders South Africa.