Imperious All Blacks down France in style
By Luke Phillips, 29 Nov 2009 Luke Phillips is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- All Blacks, France, Rugby Union
New Zealand saved their best for last as they punctuated their unbeaten tour of the northern hemisphere with a comprehensive 39-12 win over France in Marseille on Saturday.
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 run the ball against the French.
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 10 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.
Dupuy opened the scoring 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 before Sitivatu skipped through the threadbare defence.
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 to pull the score back to 7-6, the Stade Francais scrum-half adding to his tally when flanker Kaino released his binding from another scrum under enormous pressure.
But after a bad tactical choice by Dupuy, Jimmy 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 before Kaino touched 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, but Dupuy missed two costly pots at goal early in the second-half.
Carter then showed why many consider himself 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.
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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Unconditional said | November 29th 2009 @ 10:06am | Report comment
What a game! Extremely satisfying.
Parisien said | November 29th 2009 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Awesome, entertaining, but hardy satisfying. I hate it when the Abs make it look so easy.
Frank O'Keeffe said | November 29th 2009 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Yeah it has to be said that the All Blacks played awesome. That was stuff ala 2005-2007. A really tremendous performance.
Muliana’s try was my highlight of the game. That was awesome, awesome counter-attacking. His pass was wonderful, but to come back into the play and take the ball from Sivivatu was incredible too.
The weekend’s rugby was pretty entertaining I must say. Australia played well. New Zealand played better. The Ireland/South Africa game isn’t anything to ride home about, but it was an entertaining game at least.
Parisien said | November 29th 2009 @ 11:08am | Report comment
Sivivatu and Muliana both awesome, but also what about Cory Jane’s palm off, chip kick, gather and try?
Viscount Crouchback said | November 29th 2009 @ 11:13am | Report comment
I wonder what the Chris Rattue “Deans Must Replace Henry!” Mob think now, eh?
Stash said | November 29th 2009 @ 11:29am | Report comment
The Abs pulled out the game of the weekend.
An excellent all round performance..
Well done ABs – this made the SH dominant for 2009.
Sam Taulelei said | November 29th 2009 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
VC
Does anyone really pay heed to what Chris Rattue writes? He’s controversial and sells papers and gets people talking but he flitters from one extreme to another in his opinions it’s hard not to dismiss him completely.
The way both teams tore into each other in that first half, it was as if it was a knockout World Cup match. Thrilling stuff, as for making it look easy Parisien I guess that is the domain of all great sporting performances – classy teams and individuals always make it look easy.
France have not always been an easy opponent for the All Blacks and I’m glad the team played well enough to take the referee out of the equation which is as it should be in a game between two class sides.
If it was possible I would award the entire team the man of the match award, particularly for their defence, two shuddering tackles by Sivivatu on Dusauttoir and Kieran Read on another player immediately afterwards left an indelible impression on the Frenchmen and me watching.
Wal The Hooker said | November 30th 2009 @ 5:28pm | Report comment
What about Kaino’s hit on Chabal! It sure was a an awesome performance by the AB’s pace and power game. Lets hope next season we see a similar come back.
To my OZ fellow bloggers especially the ones that started the debate on Rugby Heaven some months back DC v Gits. Have a read and watch the game and make yr own minds. He’s a freak!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10612474
Sam Taulelei said | November 29th 2009 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
I owe Chris an apology, he was gracious and full of praise for the All Blacks win against France in his latest column today
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10612357
Jerry said | November 29th 2009 @ 2:13pm | Report comment
That’s Gregor Paul, Sam. He’s generally pretty good.
Spiro Zavos said | November 29th 2009 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
You have to understand that Chris Rattue is a self-confessed rugby league tragic. Anything he writes about rugby union has to be read through this perspective.
Mitch O said | November 29th 2009 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
This I was not aware of. Sheds a tremendous amount of light on his bizarre raves over the years.
johnny-boy said | November 29th 2009 @ 5:39pm | Report comment
Chris Rattue, Paul Lewis and Mr Loe and are some of the best, no b……. rugby journalists in NZ. No backside kissing just telling it like it really is. Obviously some people dont like that. Gregor Paul and others are just sychophants.
Dean Pantio said | November 30th 2009 @ 10:47am | Report comment
Chris Rattue doesn’t know what rugby is – he’s never even played the game. “best rugby journalist” hahaha, spare me.
ohtani's jacket said | November 30th 2009 @ 3:31pm | Report comment
Don’t look now johnny-boy, but Rattue was a happy pappy this weekend.
johnny-boy said | November 29th 2009 @ 5:42pm | Report comment
Like the Wallabies VC – the All Blacks will pull a good game out of the bag every now and then, despite their coach. Whoop de do.
ohtani's jacket said | November 29th 2009 @ 10:37pm | Report comment
Mate, it was one of the better All Black performances in recent times.
Chris said | November 30th 2009 @ 6:25pm | Report comment
Good game every now and then? The ABs are the world number one and have won 65 of 77 games (84.4%) of their games under Henry.
This puts it in perspective:
Deans and Henry have both lost exactly 12 games as coach of their teams.
For his 12 losses Henry has produced 65 wins.
For his 12 losses Deans has produced 15 wins.
Graham Henry’s stint as All Blacks coach is statistically the greatest stint any coach has had in International Rugby History. That does not happen by accident.