Blacks flog sorry France
New Zealand were very impressive in their 39-12 victory over France in Marseille.
The French seeked to base their challenge around brutality at the tackle point and flair in the backline. However, with the latter being so reliant on the former, they struggled when they found an All Black side unwilling to take a backward step in contact in general play or at scrum time.
Furthermore, the French defensive line looked decidedly porous at times, with the likes of Dan Carter, Sitiveni Sivivatu, and Ma’a Nonu slicing through with alarming ease at times.
It underlined the fact that France had shot their bolt with their strong performance against the Springboks, and the Blacks were never forced to shift into fifth gear to negotiate their challenge. Graham Henry’s charges comprehensively outplayed their hosts in all facets of play, and finished their year-end tour with a morale boosting win.
The early exchanges suggested neither side were going to be afraid to get width on their attack, with France the more expansive, if less effective, of the two.
However, it would be the Blacks who would be the far more clinical of the combatants, capitalising on the majority of the opportunities they created in the first half, and racing to a 22-9 lead.
They breached the goal-line first, with their first threatening foray into France’s 22m. They rumbled up into the red zone, shifted the ball wide, where Sivivatu shrugged off the challenge of Vincent Clerc to score.
Carter converted, but France scrumhalf Julien Dupuy kicked two more penalties to go with an earlier three pointer to stay in touch.
Then a vintage moment from the Blacks, as they counter-attacked from deep in their half in a move that culminated in Sivivatu turning provider for Mils Muliaina after a break down the touchline.
Carter missed the conversion, but not long thereafter the Blacks extended their lead when they shoved the France scrum over their tryline, and Jerome Kaino was on hand to apply downward pressure for the try. Carter made no mistake with the conversion.
France were on the ropes, their counter-strikes being easily repelled by a well organised defensive line. Their inability to unlock the Blacks off set or general play forced them to seek other routes of point collection, and in this regard they had to be content with a Francois Trinh-Duc drop-goal.
The Blacks would have trotted down the tunnel the more content of the sides, enjoying a comfortable 10-point lead. Carter increased the buffer with a penalty 10 minutes into the second half and at 25-12, France would have been acutely aware that they needed to be next to cross the whitewash to drag themselves back into the contest.
Dupuy missed his second penalty of the half to compound their woes. Cory Jane then produced a wonderful piece of individual skill to hand off his defender then chip and collect, all within the confines of the tram tracks out wide, and you sensed it was all over.
Carter converted to take the score to 32-12, and when Conrad Smith broke around an unguarded blindside to score with 10 minutes left, the French looked utterly deflated and accepting of their fate.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:57 am
It’s all about Dan Carter for the ABs
He was a magic and that against a very strong French team.
We got to give it to him
November 29th, 2009 at 4:06 am
Dan’s only the second-best rugby player on earth. Sir Richard McCaw is even better.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:13 am
@grant10: #236
Watch him next week for the Baabaas.
@Robzim: #242
Robzim, I always respect your views, I really do. But to now put the blame on PdV for JS’ effort today is just not on. JS is a leader, a born one according to most. He could have told PdV “gaan kak” when PdV approach him and asked him to move to TH. He did not. I can only think that he bulked up out of his own free will. How can you blame PdV for that?
@fantasticbarnsmell: #246
Nobody on this site is racist. They just call it the way they see it. Ask Hondo and WP. And they don’t even have a chip on their shoulder, mind you.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:14 am
@kwas:
The fact youre on here dissin the ABs, after a result like that, is more satistfaction than words can commute.
@grant10:
Hope you enjoyed the game tonight G10. I know you love the ABs so. Can you deny that this is the best team on the Planet ?
I cop alot of criticism here, but have you ever….ONCE…….seen me coming on here saying “I hate the Boks” or “I hope Boks lose” ?
and they say I show the Boks no respect. Well be my guest, read your countrymens remarks here and tell me who is respecting who.
Wise up ladies, France in France couldnt live with an AVERAGE AB team !
The thing I like about THIS ab TEAM ? well, everyone says theyre sh*t. And they probably are. But theyve ended 2009 as no1. Again. And they can only get better.
Fk it, Im opening another bottle of port.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:28 am
@AiDoc:
Yeah, where the hell IS Big Hit ?
y’know, Ive gotta say. It doesnt take a man to blog here annon about how much he hates a team, a nation of peoples, every day, and make a name for himself on that platform, and throw candys out the back of passing limos. But not ONCE has BH this week, after a convincing 13pt victory at HQ, has he bothered as to say so much as a “well done” or “ABs were better”. FFS, what does it take ?
Well scroll back a few pages here and I’ll tell you 1 thing, After every single TriN match this season, every single one of Cane, CaptFanny, Hurricane, NZinChina, myself – to a man we’ve ALL rocked on up and passed on our ‘Congrats’ and atleast acknowledged that the Boks were better on the day (which they were, no doubt, we all said it). Im not sure Tackler did, but then he’s 1 of yours anyway fellas !
But not ONCE has BH even made 1 positive comment to NZ or the Keo Kiwis here. Im sure none of us need that pat on the back, I certainly dont. But what sort of person cant bring themselves to, on a sports level, acknowledge the better man won ?
BH, I thought I was starting to grow some begrudging respect of you. But you know what ?
F U.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:32 am
@Robzim:
Wow, how good IS Rob Kearney ? simply sensational !
November 29th, 2009 at 5:12 am
@WakaNathan: #253
Kearney was great yesterday. He certainly is giving your man a run for his money as the best in the world at the moment.
I thought Muliaina got his mojo back last night.
November 29th, 2009 at 5:17 am
@nama1:
Mils never lost his mojo, his mojo lost him. Mils, the Ever Reliable One. Great player, Great Man.
But Kearney, now that man is SOME player.
Presumably if Bakkies was there, he would have been assigned to AXE him.
November 29th, 2009 at 5:32 am
@WakaNathan: @WakaNathan:
Are you talking about AXE, the underarm deodorant?
Now why would Bakkies want to make him smell like a human being?
November 29th, 2009 at 5:35 am
Actually youre right. Didnt Bakkies AXE Adam Jones right in that sensitive unprotected under-arm region ?
November 29th, 2009 at 5:41 am
@WakaNathan:
No, I don’t think so. According to Adams his body position was not right and that was the reason for his injury.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:20 am
@WakaNathan:
Congrats to your team. That was a great display of total rugby. France’ backline defence was horrendous but it doesn’t detract from the fact that the ABs made it look that way.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Wow, i didnt watch the game last nite but what a result for the AB’S. A surprising scoreline in my opinion, i expected a close victory for NZ and not a hammering. Well done. Boks beat nz 3-0, lost to france & ROI…Nz beat france. Maybe it now means that any nation can win on the day now, thats good for rugby.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:58 am
Awesome All Blacks ….. what a great game from them. Made the Boks look like u10’s. VEry impressed. They were really up for it, you could see it in their Haka. French were all chest beating and head bashing after the first scrum, and then proceeded to get totally f…ed up! Had to have a laugh!!
Well done AB’s … what a great team effort with some scintillating rugger .. best performance by an International team all year.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Wow! That was pure comprehensive rugby. As a Bok fan I can only applaud the All Blacks for that performance. Totally stunning. Just wish we had the go ahead to try and run the ball too. The French were made to look amateurish throughout.
The only perk out of yesterday was seeing no tries scored by NH teams against SH top 3.
Well done Wallabies and All Blacks.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:21 am
congrats to the Kiwis….
November 29th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Was an enjoyable game to watch and that is something you can’t say very often about modern rugby. Well done ABs for putting on such a comprehensive performance despite any fatigue that may be beginning to set in. Boks take note.
November 29th, 2009 at 10:56 am
As Graham H said afterwards – both sides came to entertain. Hats off to the French that even though they were getting exposed at times they kept running and were unlucky not finish a couple of good breaks. The AB defense has been outstanding.
Interesting that the chair shuffle of the 3 wise men does seem to have improved (or at least maintained at a high standard) the defense, attack, and forward play (not sure about the scrum?). Maybe it really wasn’t the desperate move of a dying trio as was made out in much of the NZ media.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:00 am
@<a href="#comment@The Analyst: @mampara73: @grant10: @jonnymain: -1474632″>David: @SKW:
I thank you for your sporting and gracious comments.
Just goes to show…………………..The Anarchists do not rule Keo all the time.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:06 am
@aliboy:
True Ali, France came to play.
Why did NZ have to wear White?
I thought the HOME Team changed strip in the event of a colour problem!
November 29th, 2009 at 11:12 am
As a fan of the ABs, I’d like to thank the Brain Trust, Richie, Dan Cj and the rest of the boys. That was awesome. Cheers Boys.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Well done All Blacks,I was so nervous for this game..Great win. Good luck to the SA cricket team playing England today.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:43 am
@cane:
That’s the frustrating problem in supporting the Boks. So much potential in gaining possession and stuff all ideas in what to do with it. The fact that we seem to have worked out how to beat the ABs has clouded our judgement in how to vary our game against other sides.
We’re actually starting to become the “Wimbledon FC” version of the rugby world.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:53 am
@David:
South Africa are moving to another country and changing their name?
November 29th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Actually I think AFC Wimbledon just got promoted for the third straight year. A couple more years and they will be playing the Milton Keynes Dons
November 29th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
@David:
cheers fella. respec
November 29th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
@grant10:
see, now that wasnt so hard.
Cheers G10.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
@cane:
and when France were in NZ earlier this year, who wore what ?
I thought convention dictates that touring sides wear their normal strip and, if there is a colour clash, the home town changes ?
So a small stab in the eye back to the Frogs for the repulsive lengths they went to at RWC07 and force the Blacks to be Grey.
love that All Black white strip. Cant remember them losing in it either.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Congrats to AB supporters, your team really entertained last night! I almost fell asleep during our game… It was like watching someone repeatedly hitting their head against a brick wall for at least 70 minutes of the game
November 29th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
@WakaNathan:
I thought that the away team changes.
November 29th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
@WakaNathan:
Do you think they chose to wear it to honour your national soccer side reaching the WC?
November 29th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Can’t believe McCaw has been cited for lazy running.
I thought that was just for Foul Play?
November 29th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
So typical of *#$@&ing Frogs…save their best for tired Boks and fall to pieces against a decent game plan….
November 29th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
@Storm outta hell: A bit like Boks saving their best for AB’s and falling apart on EOYT
November 29th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
@Flametop:
McCaw should have got a yellow for that.
I can’t believe the ref let that go?????
Cracking game though!!
November 29th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
yip, this is how you play NH rugby, forwards are committed and backs are attacking – we played shite on this tour – and actually its pisspoor.
Sure the Boks have done very well, but these performances were not on. If they not up for it, pick a rested EOY bokke team that is.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
@kwas: No mate, you might have the WC ( Toilet) but we have the greatest prize of all, RESPECT!!!
November 29th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
@chch – welcome back Laulala: and how is the manu version doing?
November 29th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Unfortunately did not see the match, but was wondering what the French did with the NZ anthem…
November 29th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
you leave for 8 months and come back to the same myopic drivel….
Yep you Bokkes had a great 3N, no question, and about time too, it took us to be at our weakest and you at your strngest for it to occur, but like all things in sport, every dog has its day.
Great win by AB’s in France, best game of the year by a country mile, I wonder what will happen this weekend at Twickers, no doubt if Big Hit does return, he will some how turn it into an English performance if the Ab’s lose, Im calling it 50-50 at this stage.
November 30th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Cant understand why after 100 yrs of Black playing Blue suddenly no one can tell them apart so they need to change jerseys. The Black jersey hasnt changed….. so what gives
November 30th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
@lapoftherugbygods:
take this with a grain of salt
or not
but an urban myth swirling in these parts whispered by a passing unicorn in a fairies grove outside Camelot made mention that…..
‘2-3 years prior to RWC ‘07, the marketing gurus of the French Rugby Union decided to de-aura the Black jersey, in anticipation of meeting them in their home RWC. The decision was made to darken the blue French jersey, considerably, and almost wipe red and white (ie ‘les Tricolors’) from the strip. The ‘blue’ is now a black-blue and not a red-blue, as per their National flag and FRU jersey throughout history. The FRU knew that as host Nation on home soil, they would get 1st preference of jersey colour in case of a clash, which was the opposite of touring ediquette which stated the touring team would play in its usual colours, the home team changing. Fast-fwd to the upcoming QterF at RWC’07 and catastrophe for the marketing gurus of FRU……it was in Cardiff, ergo not ‘@ home’. ! There was a major kerfuffle, the French had been sprung and tried to throw their weight around. ABs wouldnt budge. The IRB forced a coin-toss and, lo and behold, France call correctly…….and that, my friend, is why the All Greys were forced to change their strip on the eve of the match. And we all know what happened then…..’.
What a wonderful rich history the game of Rugby Union has. Indeed.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Go to YouTube and search ‘Changing room after French clash’
Good times !
Only 1 Brad Thornie…..theres only 1 Brad Thornie….
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:19 am
@WakaNathan:
Its a sad day when modern team management can overcome rugby’s traditions… The very tradition thats created the marketable game it is today