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THE five-minute captaincy trauma of hobbling Stephen Moore last night fast-tracked Michael Hooper into a rousing taste of Test leadership he is likely to keep for a full-series assault on the shell-shocked French.
Captaincy of the Wallabies was tentatively sketched for two years from now for flanker Hooper not after the single minute it took for Moore to cop a cruel twisted knee at Suncorp Stadium.
The Wallabies did not miss a beat with Hooper's follow-me style at the forefront of a resounding four-try, 29-9 statement by half-time and a 50-23 victory by the final whistle.
Fullback Israel Folau was a menace from his first 30m dash into the fractured French defence off a slick Bernard Foley cutout ball, prop James Slipper was superb in his 50th Test and debutant lock Sam Carter was a worthy physical and tackling presence.
Hooper was all tackling, driving, stout-legged running and breakdown energy. If he'd been wearing a French jersey, he would have been a blond, long-haired reincarnation of Jean-Pierre Rives, the wonderful flanker for Les Bleus in the 1970s and '80s.
Coach Ewen McKenzie said he sent out a message for Hooper to be captain ahead of fellow vice-captain Adam Ashley-Cooper although Hooper had a more playful spin.
"'Coopy' said I was closer to (referee) Craig (Joubert) and said 'You can have the job'. I said 'thank you'," Hooper said.
"Stephen put in such a good platform in the lead-up that it was just 'heads down and let's get going' for us all."
The impressive Wallabies did just that. They scored just six tries in as many Tests on home soil last season when they lost four of them.
They had scored that many by the 68th minute last night when McKenzie's promise that running rugby would be his side's calling card was invigoratingly true. A fifth straight win for the Wallabies is their best streak since the first five Tests of Robbie Deans' reign in 2008.
Hooker Moore badly twisted his left knee in an awkward tackle on French flanker Bernard le Roux inside the opening minute.
Moore wanted his 92nd Test to be a memorable one as leader of his country for the first time. Medical staff spent more than two minutes summing up his situation before strapping his left knee on the captain's demand.
He hobbled back into position but the crowd of 33,718 shared his pain as it quickly became apparent he would not be able to play on.
He helped out with two tackles close to the ruck before the tough decision to leave the field was made after just five minutes because he was playing on one leg.
Moore headed to scans post-match but with a medial ligament strain he is certain to be ruled out of the second Test in Melbourne and the third Test in Sydney on June 21.
Nick Cummins bagged some "meat" in the second half. Source: News Corp Australia
Hooper's first stamp as a captain was to attack rather than take an early pot at penalty goal. Folau's 11th Test try came with a lovely pirouettte out of tackle but it was set up by Slipper surging around No.8 Wycliff Palu and popping a pass fit for a five-eighth.
"He is a class player," France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said of the fullback. "He's a match-winner. He showed that tonight. "Australia were very strong in contact and won 70-80 per cent of the collisions.
"They were physical with a lot of urgency, and we panicked too much."
The best of the Wallabies tries was artful and full of clever angles. Inside centre Matt Toomua and Adam Ashley-Cooper threw sharp passes and Folau's well-timed run was finished by a switch to Nick Cummins.
"Seven tries is a good indicator of our intentions. I wanted a statement to reward the players for what they have put in this week," McKenzie said.
"Stephen's injury is definitely a medial ligament. What level we don't know and being slightly older the knee is going to be a bit looser.
"Very disappointing for him. You don't lie in bed at night imagining that is going to happen.
"Tatafu Polota-Nau did a great job coming in (for 75 minutes). Solving problems is what Test rugby is all about."
On his new Nic White-Bernard Foley partnership and Carter's strong debut, McKenzie was succinct: "Everyone did a good job and Sam's display was no surprise to me...he likes the physical parts and goes the 80-minutes."
A French deflection added Ashley-Cooper's try and Hooper's own touchdown was only awarded by South African referee Craig Joubert after video evidence convinced him to backflipped on his initial thought that a creative tap-on by centre Tevita Kuridrani had gone forward.
French wing debutant Felix le Bourhis fumbled the ball three times on his tryline from a poor pass on half-time to gift Toomua his try. It summed up a largely limp French effort that was hinted by a less than rousing singing of their famous anthem before kick-off.
Halfback Nic White's pass was long and precise and Foley was very good in terms of taking the ball to the line and directing.
Hitting 50 points impressively topped the 48-31 win over the 1990 French side at Ballymore as the highest total against Les Bleus on Australian soil.
It was focused, hungry and breathed team throughout.
Late in the game, Kurtley Beale came in off the bench, threw a nice long ball to Kuridrani and backed up inside for the seventh try.
The Wallabies scrum was good early when the biggest questions were going to be asked. French prop and captain Nicolas Mas was twice penalised.
Less inspiring was the second-string Wallaby front-row, with Pek Cowan and Paddy Ryan as props, splintering on full-time and conceded a penalty try to the French
The tourists ran from their own quarter in the opening 60 seconds but the French resistance was smashed by half-time with clinical try-strikes and some luck.
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