All Blacks bounce back but France take trophy

Published on Saturday 20 June 2009 19:37

New Zealand14 France 10

NEW Zealand produced a vastly improved performance from their first Test loss to beat France in atrocious conditions at Westpac Stadium yesterday.

Ma'a Nonu scored a try as the All Blacks won the second Test to level the series, but France secured the Dave Gallaher Cup for the first time since it was introduced in 2000 by virtue of their five-point win in Dunedin last week.

The visitors had been looking to become the first French side since 1994 to win a series against the All Blacks in New Zealand.

"It's the first time France has won the trophy," said France captain Thierry Dusautoir. "It's a very young team and they can be very proud of what they achieved.

Fly-half Stephen Donald (two) and Luke McAlister slotted penalties for the All Blacks. Cedric Heymans scored a brilliant individual try down the left wing, beating four defenders after getting the ball in open space from 40 metres out for France. Julien Dupuy added the conversion while Dimitri Yachvili slotted a penalty.

Both sides failed to execute basic skills with too many handling errors and seeming inability to take the high kicks both teams used when they had a swirling southerly at their backs.

"It was just hell of a difficult to play rugby in those conditions," said All Blacks coach Graham Henry. "It was very difficult to catch the ball floating around in the stadium in those conditions."

New Zealand, outplayed in a 27-22 loss at Carisbrook last week, produced a better performance at the breakdown and in contact, though France demolished their front row in the early exchanges.

Nonu's 26th-minute try was created off New Zealand's first stable scrum of the game, which allowed the loose forwards to make ground and, after several phases, Joe Rokocoko was given space on the left and he then held the ball up in the tackle for Nonu looping behind him.

The All Blacks were unlucky not to be awarded a second try three minutes later when Cory Jane went over in the corner, but the television official was unable to determine whether the winger had grounded the ball before being pushed out.

Donald landed his first penalty in the 40th minute to give the home side an 8-0 lead but that was reduced shortly after the break when Heymans produced a scintillating run down the left wing, stepping past four defenders. Dupuy added the conversion to bring the visitors back into the game.

France twice produced some desperate goal-line defence to stop All Blacks scoring opportunities, though Donald was able to add his second penalty to make it 11-7. Replacements McAlister and Yachvili then traded penalties to leave the score 14-10 with ten minutes left.

France coach Marc Lievremont lamented two lost opportunities, including one that could have been a repeat of the "try from the end of the world".

The loss meant the French did not emulate the 1994 team, the only French side to beat the All Blacks in a series in New Zealand achieved with a length-of-the-field try in the dying seconds at Eden Park.

With time almost up on the clock, a sense of deja vu swept over the crowd with France's Damien Traille receiving the ball inside his own 22 and with at least 60 metres of open space in front of him. The centre, however, knocked the ball on, allowing the All Blacks to soak up the seconds, set their scrum as the hooter sounded for full-time then watch replacement scrum-half Piri Weepu kick the ball into touch. "At the end of the game there was a possibility when we could have scored another try from the end of the world like 1994 but Damien Traille dropped the ball," said Lievremont. "Once Cedric scored the try we thought that we could win the game, but we missed an opportunity when Cedric kicked the ball and Vincent Clerc dropped the ball. We played with a lot of spirit in the second half but it was not enough."

All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen said: "We played a lot better right across the park, particularly the tight five," said All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen. "They were a lot more effective in what they did and in their decision making. "Their work at the breakdown gave the three loose guys the opportunity and they played particularly well. They got a good platform to work off and that was the big difference between the first Test and the second Test."

New Zealand:

Muliaina, Jane, Smith, Nonu, Rokocoko, Donald, Cowan, Woodcock, Mealamu, Tialata, Thorn, Ross, Kaino, Latimer, Read. Replacements: Toeava for Smith (66), McAlister for Donald (61), Weepu for Cowan (57), Afoa for Tialata (57), Evans for Ross (65). Not Used: de Malmanche, Whitelock.

France:

Medard, Clerc, Mermoz, Traille, Heymans, Trinh-Duc, Dupuy, Barcella, Servat, Mas, Chabal, Millo-Chluski, Dusautoir, Ouedraogo, Picamoles. Replacements: Yachvili for Dupuy (58), Szarzewski for Barcella (40), Chouly for Servat (40), Martin for Chabal (58), Domingo for Picamoles (40). Not Used: Jauzion, Bastareaud.

Scorers: New Zealand – Try: Nonu. Pens: Donald 2, McAlister. France – Try: Heymans. Cons: Dupuy. Pens: Yachvili.

Referee: M Jonker (South Africa).