All Blacks coach Steve Hansen admits it was ugly at times but says the 23-13 first Test win over France has given the side a foundation for the rest of the series.
New Zealand outscored the tourists two tries to one in Auckland on Saturday night, but they were made to fight for the victory in a physical encounter.
There was plenty of attacking intent from both sides, but mistakes and lack of fluency also made for a stop-start affair.
“We’re really happy with the win against the quality of opposition,” Hansen said.
“Obviously we’re not happy with the performance to the point where we know that it was ugly at times, but we also know that it’s the first game of the season.”
Hansen said the All Blacks were working on introducing new things into their game, and that was always going to create potential for mistakes.
But he was confident they would come up with a better display when the three-Test series moves to Christchurch next Saturday.
“This game has given us a good marker,” he said.
“We’ve got the win and we’ve got a whole lot of information that we can go away and digest and improve our game on.”
French coach Philippe Saint-Andre was disappointed with the defeat and believed the 10-point margin didn’t really reflect what happened on the pitch.
“We were in the game for 80 minutes,” he said.
“We broke them quite a lot, maybe seven times, and we didn’t finish enough. In a high-level game, it’s small details.”
But Saint-Andre also rued the mistakes that his side made.
He cited lost balls in contact, a crucial turnover that led to an All Black try and a set piece that didn’t work as well as he had expected.
Gaulois
Guest
No he didn't !!! You understand what is it to agree to other team to play with its colours ? No ? In fact is WE HAVE NOT PLAYED WITH OUR COLORS Blue, white, red.
Gaulois
Guest
Gaulois
Guest
:( So I must find a friend with the french private channel. Grrrrr I would like to Watch it in my home... ALLEZ la FRANCE... OUAH OUAH Chabal the warrior will comment it on a radio, I would like see it again Vs ABs.it was marvellous.
Jerry
Guest
Nah, I watch on Sky Sports in NZ.
Gaulois
Guest
Ok we'll see the next test match. And about a streaming channel on internet ? Have you one ?
Jerry
Guest
And you should search "Autopsy of a Quarter Final". Oh no, you shouldn't cause it doesn't exist. Wonder why? As far as the next test goes, it's hard to say. If France can maintain the physical edge at the breakdown and get its set piece working better, it could easily win. On the other hand, if the AB's commit more to the breakdown and hunt as a pack, they could dominate. It's really up to which of the packs addresses the weaknesses from last weekend.
Jerry
Guest
Graham Henry did, actually.
Gaulois
Guest
Jerry, I think that the next test match we (France)'ll win 25-9. And you, you think what ? Do you know a free link on internet to see the test matchs because here, in France, is not possible it's on a private channel... ?
Gaulois
Guest
Seacrh "Autopsy of a final" it's great...
Gaulois
Guest
But BEFORE the match none ABs said thanks to French team which agreed ABs to play in Black... Why ?
Jerry
Guest
You've got a funny concept of 'dominated'.
Jerry
Guest
Maybe he didn't feel like acknowledging the grubs who'd eye gouged him 5 minutes earlier?
Tipene Roar
Roar Rookie
Why do you call them that?You are no guru ,what a joke
Gaulois
Guest
And Mccaw doesn't play, he done just one thing that the French can't play. Super McCaw, even he said nothing for the finalist French team, it was the first time that the winner didn't say "good game" or something like this. SHAME this man. HAKA and our V, why a taxe on this ? it is not an honor to be warriors that meet a warrior cry? French agreed to ABs to play in Black and the french team has not played with his colours. Are we gentlemen or not ? Nobody in NZ said thanks. Strange for a big team no ?
Gaulois
Guest
And how many times our penalized melee while dominated ?
richard
Guest
Good to see someone raising the issue of Ian Foster's influence starting to come through.The forwards have to start doing their core job first and foremost,or the ABs are going to be in for a world of hurt come the RC.
mapu
Guest
That's the best you can do?its still the best jersey.it must irk you but you know it
mania
Guest
agree riccardo, tho i still thought he was under used
mania
Guest
riccardo - i mentioned nonu. strong game and hopefully all those naysayers going on about his super form will quieten down. nonu as usual is a far better player in black. read played well but was still pretty quiet for him. but saying that read made no errors so my bad not mentioning him. yes also my bad not mentioning benSmith. that slice up the middle setting up aaronSmith was sublime and vs none other than dusatoir. upside of benSmith only being world famous in NZ is that those french players made the huge mistake of hanging off him. had it been conrad or nonu running that every french player wouldve been straight in to stop him. as it was they hung off benSmith expecting him to use one fo the other strike players and instead he burnt them with pure acceleration up the middle.. agree picamores and fofana played awesome. and retallick worked hard in the tight
Riccardo
Guest
The 2nd Tuilangi (Alesani?) will take some bringing down mate. Man, he's a big unit!