Imperious All Blacks put France to the sword

29 November 2009 (00:27)
Sitiveni Sivivatu © Reuters Images
New Zealand continued their unbeaten tour of the northern hemisphere with a comprehensive 39-12 win over France in Marseille on Saturday thanks to their commitment to a running style of rugby.

The All Blacks, having already seen off Wales (19-12), Italy (20-6) and England (19-6) without really hitting second gear, showed a welcome willingness to spurn the aerial ping-pong that has marked many games of late.

In return, their sure-handedness in the offload and ability to turn the slightest mistake by the French into an attacking opportunity made for some often breath-taking rugby that resulted in five tries.

The visitors overcame a nervous opening ten minutes to score five-pointers through Sitiveni Sivivatu, Mils Muliaina, Jerome Kaino, Cory Jane and Conrad Smith, with the exceptional Dan Carter booting an additional 14 points.

France, who had sprung a 20-13 win over South Africa and posted a facile 43-5 victory over Samoa in their autumn internationals, responded with three Julien Dupuy penalties and a Francois Trinh-Duc drop-goal.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, who was named IRB player of the year after the match, said: "It was an incredible test match between France and New Zealand and we appreciate that."

Coach Marc Lievremont said France had to be dignified in defeat.

"The All Blacks played very well. They put a lot of pressure on us in defence and scored points when they needed to," he said.

"We did manage to get back into game after their first try but we struggled after that. We were not able to convert our opportunities into points."

A tremendous shunt from the French pack at the first scrum on New Zealand ball saw the visiting front row buckle and pop under pressure, and Dupuy made no mistake from 35 metres after three minutes.

But the All Blacks came firing back, Yannick Jauzion hauling down Ma'a Nonu within striking distance of the French line but Sitivatu skipped through the threadbare defence after quick ball from the resulting ruck.

Carter converted and was then on hand to produce a potential try-saving tackle on Fabien Barcella after Jauzion had exploited a huge hole in midfield.

Dupuy kicked his second penalty on the quarter-hour mark after Julien Bonnaire had been obstructed at an attacking line-out to pull the score back to 7-6.

The Stade Francais scrumhalf added to his tally when flanker Kaino released his binding from another scrum under enormous pressure.

France had a lucky break when Trinh-Duc's clearing kick from the restart was charged down by Jimmy Cowan, but the All Black scrum-half just failed to ground the ball.

But after a bad tactical choice by Dupuy, Cowan spread the ball wide in the New Zealand 22m area, the speeding Sivivatu turning provider by drawing Vincent Clerc and offloading to full-back Muliaina for an easy try.

Carter missed the conversion but grabbed a 29th minute penalty when Jauzion failed to roll away after tackling the dangerous-looking Nonu.

Tom Donnelly then spilled the ball over the line after Nonu gathered Carter's clever chip and fed a galloping Kieran Read.

The French front-five crumbled in the ensuing scrum, Kaino touching down amid a mass of bodies for a try Carter converted.

Trinh-Duc pulled back three points with a 35-metre drop-goal to leave the All Blacks 22-12 up at half time.

Dupuy missed two pots at goal early in the second-half either side of a successful Carter effort and French heads went down.

Carter, who was part of Perpignan's Top 14-winning side last season, then enjoyed an impressive cameo for a full ten minutes, giving a textbook demonstration on why many consider him the world's best rugby player, mixing solid defence with deft handling touches and chips.

Jane scored the All Blacks' fourth try in the 61st minute, finding himself in space down the right flank and gathering his own chip over Traille to touch down. Carter converted.

Smith rubbed French noses in it when he skipped down the blindside unmolested for a try Carter also converted as tempers frayed between a well-beaten home side and an All Blacks team that now play the Barbarians in London next week.

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Comments

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by JV November 29, 2009 00:37 GMT
Could not watch the game, of course, but I followed live commentary on the internet and wow, what a treat this must have been! Well done to both teams for proving that attractive, running rugby at test level still exists. Awesome performance by the All Blacks, not conceding a single try on tour thus far - a special achievement indeed. New Zealand deservedly maintain their spot as No. 1 in the world, and with Carter, McCaw, Muliaina, Sivivatu, Nonu and the rest seemingly getting back to their best, the rest of the rugby world better take note. Write off the All Blacks at your peril :)
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by Jason Fell November 29, 2009 01:23 GMT
I saw the game on P2P....and though I am an AB fan, I can't praise the effort enough. I also watched the Ireland vs SA game and the Wales vs Australia game earlier in the day. Ireland were too resilient for a strangely flustered Bokke team. Maybe the weather didn't help. Australia finally clicked and showed that Wales still have lots of work to, albeit missing several class players. But the NZ France game was something else entirely. Both teams ran it, the scrums were a great contest, and running rugby won the day. A complete performance to end a fair but not great season. The litmus test will be SA in '10.
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by Terry Puckey November 29, 2009 09:40 GMT
The litmus test vs SA in 2010 will see NZ back on top of the tri-nations ladder as they have overcome a very difficult year from the start. With many key players missing with injuries etc from the start and facing some tough situations they finished as they should ranked no. 1. SA showed that they lack depth when they lose several front liners from their tri-nations success with several players going to Europe and more recently the injury to Bakkies Botha showed that when they have to bring in the replacements SA has little depth. The SA squad will have to win in NZ next year in 2 matches and with the All Blacks fronting with a full squad the result will be different!!.
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by Pdivvy November 30, 2009 01:56 GMT
SA wont do well next year coz they will manage senior players and will forfeit the tri nations. ABs can battle it out with Oz. Then choke in 2011 !!!
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by JV November 30, 2009 04:05 GMT
To JaY: great teams don't forfeit anything buddy. Wake up and don't start making excuses already. But you are right, the All Blacks will beat Australia for the TriNations next year, with SA nowhere in sight as usual. The Springboks were pathetic in the November test series, compared to every other team who participated. They are riding the crest of a very superficial wave right now, but things are looking pretty bleak going towards 2011. But you can always blame it on the Soccer World Cup next year, now there's a good excuse!
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by JV November 30, 2009 04:05 GMT
To JaY: great teams don't forfeit anything buddy. Wake up and don't start making excuses already. But you are right, the All Blacks will beat Australia for the TriNations next year, with SA nowhere in sight as usual. The Springboks were pathetic in the November test series, compared to every other team who participated. They are riding the crest of a very superficial wave right now, but things are looking pretty bleak going towards 2011. But you can always blame it on the Soccer World Cup next year, now there's a good excuse!
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by Pdivvy November 30, 2009 08:33 GMT
Sounds like the same drivel before every world cup. And instead of the Haka its tgonna be the heimlich manouvre !!! And JV if youre gonna judge it like that ..... Web Ellis cup , Tri nations cup , Lions series trophy , Sevens champs , S14 cup. IRB team of the year .. (robbed of player of the year) Ranked number one in union and 7s. No team has had as much silverware in one year ever....so JV its maybe you who needs to do the waking up. Maybe the kiwi soccer team will do better than their rugby team at a world cup
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by Lawrie Mabin November 30, 2009 10:42 GMT
I was getting despondent watching Rugby Union week after week deteriorating as a spectator sport - until I watched N.Z and France on Saturday night - what a magnificent game of rugby. Congratulations to both teams.
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by n m November 30, 2009 11:51 GMT
Huge congratulations to the ABs AND the French. The French could have played the mind numbingly boring, brain dead, coma inducing Bok version of the game, but no, they decided to play positive, constructive and entertaining rugby instead and run the ball, good on them.
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by TylerNZ December 3, 2009 19:00 GMT
Agh - how can I watch this game!? I did have a subscription with Setanta but they don't have anymore games for the AB's. I don't see this (or future games) for the AB's on here ... soooo ... where can I watch it!?
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