Ma'a Nonu extends Toulon deal, aged 43
Nonu signed a short-term deal with the four-time French champions last season and became the oldest player to feature in the Top 14 in
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1News
22 minutes ago
- 1News
'We were ruthless' - All Blacks' joy at wrapping up French series
All Blacks skipper Ardie Savea says his side achieved the 'ruthless' performance they were looking for in scoring six tries to two during their 43-17 victory over France in Wellington last night. Their attempted blitzkrieg attacks spluttered during the first Test win in Dunedin, but were far more polished at the Cake Tin with the All Blacks leveraging a strong and at times surprisingly innovative line out to pressure the visitors and effectively put the game to rest by halftime. Watch now on TVNZ+ — Lineout play bamboozles French in dominant All Blacks win 'We spoke during the week about wanting to front up and work on the things we needed to and I thought the boys did that really well tonight,' Savea said. 'I thought we were ruthless in most parts of the game and allowed our backs to finish things off.' Three of the All Blacks' four first-half tries originated from their lineout – halfback Cam Roigard's neat set blindside move, plus two mauling tries for Codie Taylor and Ardie Savea. ADVERTISEMENT Tupou Vaa'i's try under the posts was the most spectacular score of the night, if not the series, and was a result of the pressure the All Blacks were exerting. It was also a win for their offloading, run-and-gun style — clearly extremely hard to stop when done well — which they will want to ramp up even further for bigger challenges to come. Second-half tries for Rieko Ioane in the left corner – a good finish after excellent decision making in the lead up from Du'Plessis Kirifi and Jordie Barrett – and the almost inevitable score for fullback Will Jordan allowed the home side to finish with a flourish at a place where they haven't had a lot of success over the past five years. Winning back the Dave Gallaher Trophy was clearly significant, too. 'It means a lot to us,' head coach Scott Robertson said. 'We haven't held the trophy for a long time. We handed it back to them seven years ago and it's good to have a couple of drinks out of it and honour the great Dave Gallaher.' Ardie Savea makes a break against France, with Will Jordan in support. (Source: Photosport) There were other highlights. Defensively, the All Blacks were much better after being too easily opened up and conceding three tries last weekend, their kicking game was better, and there was a popular Test debut for Timoci Tavatavanawai — the back-up midfielder who was on in the first half as a short-term replacement and back after the break. ADVERTISEMENT The Fijian-born 27-year-old, playing in front of his mother and two siblings who made the trip over, had tears streaming down his face during the national anthem. 'It was a goal of mine to play footy for New Zealand, for the All Blacks, and it was a goal of my dad's too,' Tavatavanawai said in reference to his late father. 'I couldn't hold back… my dream came true.' And there is no doubt that converted blindside flanker Vaa'i has the skills and instincts to play there fulltime if required. Robertson will likely ring the changes for next Saturday's third Test in Hamilton, which will likely mean a starting spot for Samipeni Finau, but Vaa'i is looming as an important piece of the head coach's puzzle as he looks ahead to the visit of the world champion Springboks for two Tests in September. Asked about his try, his second in two weeks, Vaa'i said: 'We wanted to keep the ball alive and we talked about going through them early on. 'I guess I was in the right place at the right time… I'll give the credit to Fabian [Holland], he was the one who gave me the offload to put me under the sticks. 'Ardie told us before the game 'let the shackles off, be free, be you and play your game'. I guess that paid dividends for us tonight.' ADVERTISEMENT In a pointed reference to last weekend's constant interruptions from the television match official, who ruled out three All Black tries, Robertson said: 'It was good to see the referee making the calls and the flow of the game… a couple of good maul tries… it was pleasing.' Asked to rate his team's progress out of 10, Robertson said: 'We've got a game next week which we have to prepare for so I'll answer it then. 'This is a series. We've won two but the third is just as important to us.'
NZ Herald
5 hours ago
- NZ Herald
France player ratings: How they rated in second test defeat to the All Blacks
How the French rated in their 43-17 defeat to the All Blacks in Wellington. 15. Leo Barre - 8 Another strong outing from a French fullback. Was dangerous with ball in hand and was hard to put down, beating seven defenders. Managed to score a try as he finally got
1News
7 hours ago
- 1News
All Blacks turn on the accuracy to clinch French series
The All Blacks have won back the Dave Gallaher Trophy with a 43-17 victory over France in Wellington tonight thanks to a first-half performance which blew away the visitors. It is the first time in seven years that the All Blacks have held the trophy and it means the home side have won the three-Test series with one match to come in Hamilton next Saturday night. It was done via a dominant first half, the All Blacks outscoring the visitors four tries to nil in the first 40 minutes and they achieved an accuracy they couldn't manage in the first Test in Dunedin last weekend. In the end the margin of victory - six tries to two - probably flattered the visitors. Brushing off injuries to skipper Scott Barrett and a last-minute problem for Caleb Clarke, the All Blacks displayed a ruthlessness in the first stanza that will please the coaches, with Cam Roigard, Ardie Savea, Codie Taylor and Tupou Vaa'i crossing the line. The All Blacks were hamstring by a yellow card for Beauden Barrett's alleged intentional knock-on in the first half, but after leading 10-0 at that point thanks to a penalty for Barrett and an excellent converted try for Roigard off a front-of-lineout move, it hardly mattered. ADVERTISEMENT The visitors, who pushed the All Blacks all the way under the roof last weekend, took advantage with a penalty but that was their lot in the first half as the home side attacked with verve and vigour against a vastly inexperienced line-up. After competing so well in the first Test of the series, France coach Fabian Galthie elected to make 10 changes to his match-day squad, and it wasn't only the lack of combinations that told in the surprisingly benign weather conditions at the Cake Tin. The French had only 10 caps in their starting XV compared with a remarkable 708 for the All Blacks and the home side made the visitors pay with a composed and mature response high on discipline and low on mistakes – at least in the first half. With a 29-3 advantage at halftime, it was perhaps understandable that the All Blacks took the foot off the throttle a little, the visitors responding with converted tries for halfback Nolann Le Garrec and replacement outside back Antoine Hastoy. But despite New Zealand's ordinary record in Wellington heading into this Test – a victory, two draws and three defeats in since 2018 – the All Blacks were never truly troubled. Tupou Vaa'i celebrates his try in Wellington with Patrick Tuipulotu and Beauden Barrett. (Source: Photosport) Assistant coach Jason Ryan will be pleased with his lineout and excellent variation off the front which led to a score for Roigard, with Vaa'i finishing what was perhaps the try of the series and Savea overtaking Richie McCaw as New Zealand's leading try scoring forward in Test matches with 29 in total. ADVERTISEMENT They were solid in the set piece again and defensively far better than they were in Dunedin, where they leaked three tries, but if were there to be any complaints they may come from a second half which was even in terms of points – 14- all, the All Blacks scoring via Jordan, who scored his 41st try in 43 Tests, and Rieko Ioane. Le Garrec and Hastoy responded for the visitors but overall the All Blacks will be happy after wrapping up the series and attacking with an ambition that got almost immediate results. Lock Patrick Tuipulotu, a replacement for Scott Barrett after the skipper's torn calf suffered in Dunedin, was a solid performer, as was Codie Taylor again, with Vaa'i impressing again on the blindside flank – an experiment which must now be considered a success. Roigard constantly asked questions of the defence, with Beauden Barrett again solid in the No.10 jersey, centre Billy Proctor accurate, and Emoni Narawa shining as a late wing replacement for wing Clarke. It turned out to be a regulation victory for the home side thanks to their improved combinations against a green opposition and they will be favoured to put the French to the sword at Waikato Stadium next Saturday if Galthie decides to again go for a young line-up in the final Test. After getting so close and losing only 31-27 in Dunedin, it would represent a disappointing finish for the French but they will have their goals for this series and are unlikely to change them despite this setback. All Blacks 43 (Cam Roigard, Ardie Savea, Codie Taylor, Tupou Vaa'i, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane tries; Beauden Barrett 5 cons, pen, Jordie Barrett con) France 17 (Leo Barre, Josh Brennan tries; Nolann Le Garrec pen, con, Antoine Hastoy con) Halftime: 29-3
