All Blacks v France: World media reacts to Hamilton win as New Zealand sweep test series

NZ Herald

5 days ago

For nearly an hour, they tackled, harassed, and challenged the All Blacks on their own soil.
We saw a resilient, united, and often dominant French team. We dreamed of a feat. But as in the first two tests, the bar was ultimately too high. As the minutes ticked by, lucidity frayed, the mistakes became costly, and New Zealand finally imposed its law.
Three matches, three defeats, but still, a promise: that of a French youth that did not flee the fight. And who, tomorrow, could well win it.
All Blacks 'unimpressive'
Tony Harper, The Roar
First-ever Test tries to Du'Plessis Kirifi and Brodie McAlister, and two huge moments of class from All Blacks legends Jordie Barrett and Ardie Savea, guided the hosts to an unimpressive 29-19 win over a determined French team in Hamilton.
France led until just before the hour mark and held up the All Blacks over their tryline four times before the hosts' strength in depth off the bench proved crucial and they completed a 3-0 series sweep.
'Big time players needed to stand up. The experience of some of these key players – attitude, and the mental hardness,' said All Blacks great Mils Muliaina.
'It wasn't pretty at times. The French, they were resistant, they were hard, they were hearty.'
Jordie Barrett proved the difference down the stretch at both ends of the field. He was supposed to be missing this game but was a late call-up after an injury to Rieko Ioane.
The All Blacks will open the Rugby Championship with two games against Argentina. The jury is out on how they'll front up in those after struggling in the first and third Tests against a weak French team, which certainly exceeded expectations, but coach Scott Robertson is hoping their struggles will only make them better.
France 'defending and defending'
Frederic Bernes, L'Equipe
Leading at half-time, France lost for the third time in a row to New Zealand (29-19) on Saturday in Hamilton, in the final match of their summer tour.
After July 14, 1979 in Auckland, June 26, 1994 in Christchurch, July 3, 1994 in Auckland and June 13, 2009 in Dunedin, there will be no fifth glorious season this summer. Beaten 31-27 in Dunedin then 43-17 in Wellington , the Blues fell 29-19 in Hamilton, Saturday, not without remaining in the lead until the hour mark.
The French fifteen began by defending and defending long New Zealand sequences. This was done without making any mistakes.
The Blues then recovered the All Blacks' first touch, which was too long, and a first penalty for a foul on a carried ball. They chose not to attempt it in favor of a penalty touch.
The ambitious option paid off as the maul advanced, crabby but it did advance, until Nolann Le Garrec got in close to touch down (0-7, 9th).
The Blues once again had to repel a prolonged attack around their forty-meter line. Despite a direct touch from Antoine Hastoy and a hesitation from Léo Barré on a low pass, the New Zealanders' play was contained and the counterattack allowed them to invest the opposing camp.
All Blacks 'under the spotlight'
Adam Kyriacou, PlanetRugby
New Zealand had to come from behind to defeat a dogged France 29-19 at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday in a result that wraps up a 3-0 series victory over Les Bleus.
Tries from Will Jordan, Anton Lienert-Brown, Du'Plessis Kirifi and Brodie McAlister, coupled by nine points from Damian McKenzie's boot, saw the All Blacks prevail.
France were excellent for large parts in Hamilton with scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec scoring 16 points that included a crossing while Antoine Hastoy struck a drop-goal.
The All Blacks were looking to pick up a clean sweep in this series, which has been under the spotlight ever since rumours of France's squad intentions were made clear.
Scott Robertson's outfit had to deal with some late disruption to their line-up after Luke Jacobson pulled out injured in the warm-up, which meant Ardie Savea shifted to number eight and Kirifi was handed his first start on the openside.
Risk v reward
Liam Napier, NZ Herald
The pendulum between risk and reward frequently swung towards the former to leave a constant state of unease before the All Blacks hung on for an unconvincing victory that secured a series sweep of the understrength French in Hamilton.
Exercises in attempting to build depth are often fraught affairs. That again proved true as All Blacks coach Scott Robertson grasped the chance to rotate his squad by making 10 starting changes after locking away the Dave Gallaher trophy last week.
Samipeni Finau was a standout figure in his first start of the series from blindside flanker with strong carries and a physical presence the All Blacks demand from their enforcer.
After two starts from Tupou Vaa'i at No 6, Finau sent a reminder of his claims in an impressive 65-minute shift.
In other areas such as hooker and halfback, though, the drop off from incumbents Codie Taylor and Cam Roigard was significant.
Given the widespread adjustments it should perhaps be no surprise the All Blacks lacked cohesion which resulted in few fluid moments for the 24,162 crowd to savour.
All Blacks grind down France
Ian Ransom, Reuters
Replacement hooker Brodie McAlister scored a late try in a memorable test debut for New Zealand to seal a 29-19 win over France in Hamilton and complete a 3-0 series sweep on Saturday.
Jordie Barrett set up the winner with a linebreak in front of the posts, before passing back inside to McAlister who slid over the line in front of delighted home fans at Waikato Stadium.
With his brothers Scott and Beauden out with injuries, Barrett represented the family with distinction in a sparkling game off the bench.
He made a try-saving tackle near the hour mark to hold off the valiant French, who battled in vain to break a win drought in New Zealand dating back to Dunedin in 2009.
Though France arrived in the country without a slew of their top players, they were a handful for Scott Robertson's All Blacks, barring the 43-17 drubbing in the second test in Wellington.
Robertson fielded a much-changed lineup in Hamilton and was forced into a late shuffle when number eight Luke Jacobson broke down with an apparent hamstring strain in the warmup.
He made way for Du'Plessis Kirifi who celebrated his first All Blacks start with a try near the hour mark that nosed his team in front after trailing 19-17 at halftime.