The All Blacks have overcome a rusty start and a first-half yellow card to pip France 34-32 in front of almost 30,000 fans in Christchurch and give coach Dave Rennie a victory in his first test in charge.
France were missing nine first-choice players, but they were the first to score at Te Kaha, with wing Damian Penaud going over for an uncontested try in the first few minutes of the match, after being put through a gaping hole in the All Blacks defence.
All Blacks first five Ruben Love during the test against France.
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Things then got worse for the hosts with Ruben Love, making his first start at first-five for the All Blacks, yellow-carded for a high tackle in the lead-up to the France’s try.
Despite going down a man, the All Blacks were the next to strike, with wing Will Jordan producing an acrobatic effort to score in the right corner. With Love off the field, Damian McKenzie missed the conversion, before France kicked a penalty to extend their lead to 10-5.
Will Jordan of the All Blacks scores a try in the tackle of Theo Attissogbe of France.
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The All Blacks got Love back from the sin bin and began to make some nice breaks, with wing Caleb Clarke providing the final pass to give Peter Lakai an easy run to the tryline. Love nailed the extras to put the hosts ahead 12-10 midway through the first half.
France then wrestled back the momentum and forced the All Blacks into giving away a penalty in front of the posts, with the visitors taking the three points on offer to go back in front 13-12.
The All Blacks hit back just before halftime, with halfback Cam Roigard scoring their third try, which Love converted, to give the hosts a 19-13 lead at halftime.
The French weren’t downcast though and were the first to score in the second half, with midfielder Yoram Moefana dotting down for a converted try to put France back in the lead 20-19.
The All Blacks hit back almost immediately, with Roigard scoring his second try, which Love converted, to put New Zealand back in front 26-20.
Cam Roigard of the All Blacks celebrates his try.
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The tit-for-tat nature of the game continued, with France the next to dot down for a five-pointer, capitilising on a dropped high ball by the All Blacks to score through centre Fabien Brau-Boirie, but the try was disallowed for a French knock-on in the lead-up, with the score remaining 26-20 to New Zealand.
France wouldn’t be denied for long, with wing Théo Attissogbé scoring in the corner to cut the All Blacks lead to one point. The conversion was missed to leave New Zealand in front 26-25 with 20 minutes to go.
The All Blacks kicked a penalty next to extend their advantage to 29-25, and reserve wing Fehi Fineanganofo and reserve prop Xavier Numia came on as replacements to make their test debuts.
Jordan then bagged his second try of the match, after a period of good continuity from the hosts, as the All Blacks pushed their lead out to 34-25 with 10 minutes left.
France wouldn’t go away however and first-five Matthieu Jalibert barged over from close range to put the visitors back within two points of the hosts, with All Blacks ahead 34-32, but it wasn’t enough and that’s how the game ended, with New Zealand claiming a tough-fought victory in their opening test of the season.
It was far from a complete performance from the All Blacks, with plenty of errors and defensive lapses, but they did enough to win.
The All Blacks next play Italy in Wellington next weekend.
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