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By – Paul Rolton
In the best contest of the series the All Blacks took a long time to repeal a very determined French XV before prevailing 29-19 after coming back from a 17-19 halftime deficit.
Being played in Hamilton the French had picked their best side for the dead rubber match with a big pack, led by the impressive Mickael Guillard at No 8, whilst the Irish born Josh Brennan was again a standout. Captain Gael Fickou was outstanding in his 96th Test, being a rock on defense whilst also being the point of the park where the French based their very narrow attack from.
Equally the All Blacks had made a raft of changes including handing outstanding Hurricanes Fullback Rueben Love his first starting Cap, whilst naming a Chiefs midfield with Damien McKenzie at 10 joined by Quinn Tupaea and Anton Lenart-Brown 1t 12 and 13 respectively. Sevu Reece comes back from enforced concussion protocols with Cortez Ratima starting at scrumhalf.
In a late change Du ‘Plessis Kirifi comes in to start at openside with Captain Ardie Savea Replacing the injured Luke Jacobson at 8. Tyrel Lomax starts his first test this year after injury has kept him in the stands, and he is joined in the front row by Chiefs rack Samisoni Taukei’aho replacing the resting Cody Taylor.
After a frantic start that went for 4 minutes without a stoppage, France with Guillard prominent looked hunger and with their big forward park taking a very direct route around the breakdown they were rewarded with an 8th minute try after deciding to go for a lineout after a penalty. A well worked lineout drive resulted in diminutive halfback Nolan Le Garrec sneaking around the blindside and diving over in the tackle of Ethan De Groot for a well worked 5 pointer, Le Garrec converted his own try from far out on the left for a perfect start.
The All Blacks struggled in the early stages as the French pack were very physical with ball in hand and their defense was stoic, and this allowed France to camp in All Black territory for the first quarter of the match. In the 18th minute Lenart-Brown was penalized for no clear release after a strong tackle and Le Carrec pushed the score to 10-0 with an easy penalty.
From nothing the All Blacks, though who else but Will Jordan who has a happy knack of having the ball stand up for him when every he is close to it, got a great bounce from what looked like an ordinary Ratima box kick to waltz over unopposed for an easy 7 pointer.
Another error from the All Blacks at kick off saw Savea make an uncustomary mistake which gave the French the ball back and they were punished when Antoine Hastoy drop kicked a neat goal to push their lead back to 6 points.
At this stage of the game the All Blacks looked to raise the tempo of the game and they started to stretch the defense of a French side that were happier with the game being played in the middle of the park. An outstanding kick chase from Reece saw some brilliance from McKenzie, and after a Love probe down the right side the All Blacks went close when Finau was held up over the line, one of four times the All Blacks were denied like this in the game.
A 30th minute penalty from McKenzie was somewhat spoilt by another poor kick receipt and Lenart-Brown was again the culprit when caught offside for the French to convert another easy 3 points.
Still trying to run the French pack off their feet the All Blacks go quickly from a lineout and after chopping infield Tupaea is caught with no support as is penalized for holding on, and the Le Carrec penalty from 43 meters pushes the difference to 9 with 4 minutes to half time.
After great carries from Finau and Taukei’aho the All Blacks are rewarded with a penalty, and they go for touch for one last push. Another Fabian Holland lineout win, and the forward pack takes things into their own hands, with De Groot held up over the line, from the subsequent line drop out Savea lead his forwards for one last attack. Again, De Groot and Taukei’aho are prominent before a strong Finau run brings defenders to him allowing the backs to attack strongly. A switch of play to the right sees Lenart-Brown take an inside route to the line and with two French forwards on his back, scoring after driving early and going over with momentum, putting the All Blacks back into a game they had struggled to control at any stage during the first 40-minute stanza.
Another poor receipt of the kickoff did not make for a convincing start for the New Zealand side, and they were lucky not to go further behind when Hastoy misses with an easy drop goal attempt. A further missed penalty from Le Carrec from 51 metres in the 49th minute keeps the All Blacks in touch and after receiving a kickable penalty in the 54th minute the All Blacks showed their intent by going for touch and the lineout, howevr the execution was again poor from the All Blacks before George Bower who had replaced De Groot was penalized at scrum time to again send the home side back peddling.
A piece of Love magic and another rampaging run from Finau saw the French again penalized and again McKenzie puts the ball out just short of the French line. A deft McKenzie grubber is well followed up by Reece who seems to pluck the ball from the arms of Fullback Leo Barre, propelling it back to Kirifi to score a well deserved All Blacks try, whilst unable to convert the All Blacks find themselves in front for the first time after 59 minutes. Jordy Barrett who replaced Tupaea, was then the hero with an excellent tackle on Barre who looked odds on to score after a great French attack down the right side, putting him into touch inches out from the tryline.
The danger was still not over for New Zealand and after a lineout overthrow from replacement hooker Brodie McAlister, in his first test, enter Captain Fantastic as Savea steals a great turnover at the break down to relieve the pressure just metres from their defensive tryline
A huge All Blacks scrum in the 67th minute, with replacement tight head prop Fletcher Newall leading the way resulted in another All Blacks penalty that saw another kick to the corner and another held up over the line this time with replacement loose forward Dalton Papalii going close.
A missed drop goal attempt from Love was followed by a sustained period of attacked that saw Savea held up over the line after 22 phases, as the French just held on. The breakthrough finally came in the 76th minute after another strong Papalii run and a good carry from replacement midfielder Timoci Tavatavnawai, Barrett ghosted around a weak tackle in midfield from a tiring French forward to then slip an inside pass to McAlister doing what all good hookers do, coming up the fat man’s track, and a dive from 4 metres out saw him slide in for the match winning try which Mczkenzie converted from close. One last attack from the All Blacks was thwarted by the French and the game come to an end with both sides run off their feet.
After 10 changes to their starting side the All Blacks showed their depth with forwards Finau and Kirifi having their best games in the black jersey, whilst De Groot was back to his best and Papalii showed the strength of the loose forward group with a great cameo from the bench.
A 3-0 series win, against a French side that gave their best and other than a thumping in Wellington in the second test, were more competitive than some had thought. This series will leave both coaches with some things to ponder as the French home for a well end rest and the All Blacks move on to tougher rugby in three weeks’ time when they start their Tri Nations campaign Against the Pum’s in Argentina.