WALES' campaign ended how it started after an impressive French outfit left Rodney Parade with a 17-8 victory.

It was a bruising aggressive encounter with both packs going toe to toe from the outset.

At first the hosts took a liking to the tough stuff, with Rhys Shellard's thumping tackle in the opening minutes setting the tone for the game.

But with hits coming thick and fast neither side was able to stamp their authority on the game and it was dominated with turnovers, errors and penalties.

The deadlock was broken on 19 minutes when Aled Brew was released down the right after a bursting charge by the Welsh pack.

But as the game went on, the French began to grow into their game and got the upper hand in the forward confrontations.

They were rewarded on 32 minutes when centre Gregory Puyo burst through from 15 yards. Jonathan Wisnieski added the extra's.

Flanagan edged the Welsh ahead with a penalty at the end of the half, but the French struck back seven minutes after the break.

Perpignan hooker Guilhem Guirado rumbled over from 20 yards after breaking from the back of a maul.

Wisnieski superbly adding the conversion with a drop goal after the ball had fallen off his tee.

The French were totally dominant both upfront and in the backs and could have been out of sight had they not squandered several chances.

Replacement fly-half Francois Tinh Duc extended the lead to 17-8 with a penalty and with the game turning scrappy and France's defence looking strong, a comeback seemed unlikely.

Despite laying siege to the French line in the closing stages the Welsh could not reduce the deficit and were comdemned to their second loss of the campaign.

Wales Under-21: J Roberts (A Thomas 32), A Brew, A Bishop, T Riley (T Cheeseman 72), C Czekaj, D Flanagan, M Roberts, R Gill (I Jones 57), D Goodfield, P Osborne, A Jones, D Day (W Jones 62), B Lewis (C Everett 62), R Shellard, A Powell France Under-21: J Jeuvrey, Ja Boussuge (T Brana 75), A Mignardy, G Puyo, Y Fior, J Wisnieski (F Tinh Duc 52), F Cibray, T Domingo, G Guirado (A Heguy 52), L Delboules, D Drozdz, L Jacquet, F Ouedraogo, F Alexandre (L Bernard 77), D Chouly.