New Zealand cruised to an easy 23-11 win over France in the second of the two autumn Tests on Saturday but the home side at least mustered more resistance than in last week’s seven-try drubbing.
Tries by Joe Rokocoko and Ma’a Nonu and 13 points from the boot of the unflappable Dan Carter cancelled out Cedric Heyman’s early try and two penalties from Dimitri Yachvili for the home side.
Rebounding from the 47-3 hiding in Lyon, France, playing in an all-white strip to celebrate 100 years of Test rugby, gave a spirited performance, particularly in the first-half, but it was never in doubt that they would again capitulate to an all-encompassing All Blacks side.
”It was tough tonight [Saturday],” admitted Carter.
”The French really took it to us and came back well in the second half. It was a scrappy win, but we will take it.”
Coach Graham Henry said he was ”delighted” with two wins in France.
”The French were a lot more physical and confrontational up front. They defended much better and we didn’t play as well as last week,” Henry said.
”That was a quality Test match and both sides performed pretty well. It was a pretty even game, but there was a reasonable margin and we’re happy with that.”
If anything, the visitors were even more assured ball-in-hand than they had been in Lyon, but a defence led by doughty veteran hooker and captain Raphael Ibanez and number eight Elvis Vermuelen held firm for large parts of the game.
”We were easily better than we were in Lyon,” France coach Bernard Laporte said, praising his side’s defensive efforts.
”I’m very proud of the spirit shown in the game. The players didn’t expose themselves as they had done previously.
”It’s just a shame we didn’t finish as well as we started. There’s hope and we will move forward.”
There were still many basic errors in the French game, none more so than the continued wasteful kicking of the ball away to the dangerous All Blacks backline. — AFP
