Despite being without nearly 400 test matches worth of experience, the All Blacks fell to a tenacious and aggressive France 27-22 at Carisbrook.
In just New Zealand’s fifth loss at the fabled House of Pain, the French recorded their third highest ever points inflicted on the All Blacks, and will now eye a piece of history, looking to become just the fifth team to ever beat New Zealand twice in one year at home.
Excuses are not feasible, and as it was widely said prior to the game, there is no such thing as a weak All Blacks side.
They were missing 19 players from their 2008 test squad (through injury or being overseas), which doesn’t include players simply not selected. In retrospect, one wonders why so many, myself included, thought that an All Blacks win was a formality.
However, despite the fact that so many key players were missing, there was still enough talent in the match day 22 for the All Blacks to take this match, seven All Blacks on the starting XV and bench had more than 30 tests. Even their debutants and less experienced players were there on merit.
So much was summed up initially by Graham Henry. The All Blacks coach remarked that for his debutants in particular, the step up in physicality was to be the key.
Wayne Smith, the New Zealand backs coach, made similar remarks at half time during the match, saying that the contact was not being won, and that the All Blacks were being dominated at the tackle.
The All Blacks ordinarily reign supreme in these areas.
The back row missed an intimidating presence. Even Liam Messam, the most physical of the trio who traditionally plays at blindside flanker, is used to having a power player like Sione Lauaki or a worker like Rodney So’oialo to contribute.
In Carisbrook there was neither.
It was here that the tight five, which would have been classed as full strength with the exception of debutant Issac Ross, must shoulder the responsibility. The French terrorised the pillar defences of the All Blacks, and the script was in place by the end of the first quarter, where Les Bleus had turned over four All Black rucks.
By the end of the match the All Blacks had conceded over 20 turnovers. It has been a long time since a team that could be credited with the art of ruck and tackle supremacy, has come up second best.
In this, rugby for all its complexities is a simple game. Physically dominate, and the match is already half won.
In the backs, it was a solid effort, with captain Mils Muliaina and Cory Jane in particular injecting into the game whenever possible. Jimmy Cowan had a solid game, but the physical presence of Piri Weepu almost changed the tide for the home team.
The midfield combination of Isaia Toeava and Ma’a Nonu didn’t fire, with the two players of similar styles not complementing each other. The All Black three quarter line missed the presence of a specialist number 13 – the intelligence of a Conrad Smith or Richard Kahui.
Still, the fact that a strong French team beat an under strength New Zealand team, and it is still called an upset, is a testament to the – as Thierry Dusautoir called it – the mystique of All Blacks rugby.
For France, it was their beautiful simplicity that allowed them to squeeze the All Blacks out of the game. There were small doses of flair, but by in large it was a brilliant defensive effort, seemingly a mix of an umbrella pattern and inward drift defence, that disallowed any form of cohesion for the home side.
One could argue that in theory, it would be simple enough to counter such a basic strategy.
But it is not the first time in modern history that the All Blacks have been unnerved by an aggressive defensive blueprint.
The French, always so full of respect for a team they regard as the worlds benchmark, looked as if they had won a World Cup with their reaction after the match.
Captain Dusautoir, who looks like the world’s finest flanker when he plays the All Blacks, remarked that the team was nervous before going out to play the home team.
But equally, remarked later that he was unimpressed with the Haka, and his team certainly followed his lead, when 80 minutes of flooding the ruck with French bodies ensued.
The French, missing only three first choice players, and players from Clermont and Perpignan (due to the Top 14 final) will be joined by the latter in camp this week.
However, Lievremont may be loathe to tinker with a match winning team.
Irrespective of broken New Zealand hearts, or cries of “Allez Les Bleus!” in the streets of Paris, the reality was that this was a classic test match, showcasing all that is good with rugby.
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