France end Wales' World Cup hopes in play-off final

Elliot Kear again captained Wales in France

France (20) 48

Tries: Romano, Rouge 2, Franco, Pelissier, Sangaré, Fages, Belmas 2 Goals: Rouge 6

Wales (6) 6

Try: Williams Goal: Fozard

Wales will not feature at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup after a heavy defeat by France in their qualifying play-off final in Perpignan on Saturday.

France have now earned a place at the 2025 World Series, in which the last available 2026 World Cup spots will be on the line.

The hosts were 6-0 up after seven minutes at the Stade Municipal St Esteve when Arthur Romano crossed, with Catalans Dragons team-mate Cesar Rouge adding the conversion.

Rouge then scored two further tries, finishing off a cutting move on the right wing for an unconverted try before taking an inside ball off Theo Fages for another six-pointer, before Romain Franco went over at the corner to make it 20-0 after 26 minutes.

Wales hit back when skipper Elliot Kear and Mike Butt combined to send Rhys Williams in for the try, with Matty Fozard converting to make it 20-6 at half-time.

Record cap holder Williams is now only four points away from becoming just the fourth man to reach a century of points for Wales, with the score also moving him above dual-code great Jonathan Davies into fourth in the list of all-time points scorers for Wales.

France extended their lead early in the second when Wales failed to mark up at a play-the-ball, allowing Eloi Pelissier to squeeze over close to the posts.

Interchange Justin Sangaré used all his considerable size to force his way over for a sixth French try.

The hosts continued to turn the screw and, despite brave Welsh defending, Fages and Lambert Belmas - twice - crossed for further French tries.

Wales had named an unchanged 19-man squad from the side that beat Serbia 48-0 to reach the play-off final, but Max Clarke was ruled out of the matchday starting team through injury, with Matt Ross replacing him and Sam Grice in line for a senior debut from the bench.

Wales head coach John Kear was again absent after the 69-year-old was taken ill on Sunday, recuperating at home after leaving hospital.

Prior to the game against Serbia, Kear had criticised the qualification process for the 2026 World Cup and Saturday's result in France will not have improved his opinion about a tournament that has been trimmed down from 16 to 10 teams.

Assistant coach Mark Moxon remained in charge in France, with the support of Wales Rugby League director of performance Clive Griffiths.

Wales reached the play-off final with a 48-0 victory over Serbia in Carcassone on Tuesday, while hosts France beat Ukraine 74-8 later that day.

Squads

France: Romain Franco (Bradford Bulls), Clement Boyer (Carcassonne XIII), Guillermo Aispuro Bichet, Alrix Da Costa, Theo Fages, Mathieu Laguerre, Arthur Romano, Cesar Rouge (Catalans Dragons), Hugo Salabio (Huddersfield Giants), Mickael Goudemand, Justin Sangare (Leeds Rhinos), Ugo Tison (London Broncos), Hakim Miloudi, (Pia XIII Baroudeur), Lambert Belmas, Anthony Marion, Eloi Pellissier, Maxime Stefani (Toulouse Olympique), Mathieu Cozza (Wakefield Trinity), Tiaki Chan (Wigan Warriors).

Wales: Max Clarke (Barrow Raiders), Elliot Kear (Batley Bulldogs), Sam Grice (Castleford Tigers), Matt Ross (Cornwall), Curtis Davies (Dewsbury Rams), Connor Davies (Halifax Panthers), Billy Walkley (Keighley Cougars), Ashton Robinson (Leeds Rhinos), Sam Bowring (Midlands Hurricanes), Ben Evans (North Wales Crusaders), Joe Coope-Franklin, Finley Yates (Salford Red Devils), Josh Ralph (St George Illawara), Ant Walker, Rhys Williams (Swinton Lions), Will Evans, Huw Worthington (Whitehaven), Mike Butt, Matty Fozard (Widnes Vikings).