All Blacks score six tries to hammer under-strength France
rugby union
By Daniel GILHOOLY
New Zealand crushed an under-strength France 43-17 in the second test in Wellington on Saturday, scoring six tries to clinch the three-match series.
The All Blacks bounced back from a nervous 31-27 win in the first test in Dunedin with a commanding performance against an inexperienced French side who made 10 changes to their starting line-up.
Led by a dominant forward display, the home side were more clinical in converting scoring positions into points in Wellington, having had three tries disallowed a week earlier.
While the All Blacks made two injury-enforced changes from the first test, French coach Fabien Galthie removed a core of experienced players to name a starting side with just 60 test caps between them.
Four starting French forwards were making their debuts and it showed as the home side dominated the breakdown and lineout in particular, giving a solid platform for standout scrum-half Cam Roigard to control the contest.
Up 29-3 at half-time, the All Blacks were never threatened, securing a 10th straight win over France on home soil.
An early New Zealand penalty goal by fly-half Beauden Barrett was followed by three tries that all stemmed directly from lineouts -- the first to Roigard, who ran 30 meters untouched after a trick move that fooled the defense.
France scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec scored his team's only points of the half with a penalty before the home side pulled clear with successive tries from lineout drives to flanker Ardie Savea and hooker Codie Taylor.
Savea, standing in as captain in place of the injured Scott Barrett, gave a dominant display.
"The boys fronted up to get the win," said Savea. "This week we talked about our defense. We wanted to bring fire there and I think we did that in most parts of the game."
A former world player of the year, Savea instigated a brilliant team try before the interval.
His break from 60 meters out sparked a flowing move which ended with flanker Tupou Vaa'i scoring under the crossbar.
The half was marred by a yellow card offense from each side -- to Beauden Barrett for a deliberate knock-on and debut French lock Joshua Brennan for a lifting tackle.
France made six substitutions early in the second half and the refreshed side created a try for fullback Leo Barre.
"Credit to the French, you know they never give up, they're always there," Savea said. "I'm proud of our boys for just digging in and doing a good job tonight."
All Blacks fullback Will Jordan responded for the hosts with his 41st try in 43 Tests before wing Rieko Ioane powered across in the left corner.
Brennan had the final say for France, barging over for their second try.
"Obviously we're really disappointed with the score." said France wing Emilien Gailleton. "We wanted to prove much more today. Really disappointed but we're going to recover and come back much better next week.
"We want to finish our season with a good performance.
The third test is in Hamilton next Saturday.
© 2025 AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
7 hours ago
- Japan Today
All Blacks score late try to secure 29-19 win over France in the 3rd test
New Zealand's Will Jordan scores a try against France during their rugby union test match in Hamilton, New Zealand on Saturday, July 19, 2025. (Brett Phibbs/Photosport via AP) rugby union Replacement hooker Brodie McAlister scored a 76th-minute try on test debut to seal New Zealand's 29-19 win over France, completing a series sweep 3-0. The All Blacks rallied from 19-8 down in the first half, taking the lead for the first time in the 59th minute and holding on with 12 unanswered points in the second spell. A try to center Anton Lienert-Brown three minutes after the halftime siren was crucial to the All Blacks' comeback win, allowing them to go to halftime only two points behind at 19-17. The All Blacks then played mostly in France's territory in the last quarter to close out the match by adding 12 unanswered points. Scrumhalf Nolann Le Garrec scored a try among 16 points as France established its 19-8 lead by the 36th minute. He converted his own try and kicked a penalty for France to lead 10-0 after 19 minutes. He then added two more penalties while France's only other points came from a dropped goal by flyhalf Antoine Hastoy. New Zealand scored a 22nd minute try through winger Will Jordan to stay in the match, then crucially scored again in the dying moments of the first half to set up a thrilling second spell. Hastoy missed a dropped goal and Le Garrec a penalty attempt early in the second half before New Zealand gained its first lead with a try to backrower Du'Plessis Kirifi to start the last quarter. Winger Emilien Gailleton was forced out in the corner in Jordie Barrett's tackle in the 61st minute, preventing France immediately regaining the lead. McAlister's try made the game safe. Center Barrett broke through the French line with a fend and McAlister was at his hip to take the ball, dive and slide over the line. The try denied a brave French team that tested New Zealand to its limits. France named its strongest lineout of the series while New Zealand made 10 changes to its starting lineup from the second test. 'The French really turned up tonight,' All Blacks captain Ardie Savea said. 'I'm proud of the boys really sticking it out in the first half and in the second half we really brought it home.' The All Blacks looked good in the short periods in the first half in which they were able to lift the tempo of the match and they created opportunities from kicks into an unguarded French backfield, one of which led to Jordan's try. But France was able to disrupt New Zealand at the breakdown and won numerous turnovers from the All Blacks lineout. France's goalline defense was superb and New Zealand players were held up over the line on four occasions. The French were also outstanding in the collision area, causing frequent handling errors which disrupted the All Blacks' continuity. A fan released a cockerel, the symbol of French rugby, onto the field during the second half as a tribute to the touring team. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Kyodo News
17 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Badminton: Shida, Matsuyama fall to Malaysian pair at Japan Open
TOKYO - Host nation favorites Chiharu Shida and Nami Matsuyama were knocked out in the semifinals of the women's doubles at the Japan Open badminton championships on Saturday. Malaysia's Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan rolled to a 21-13, 21-11 victory over the Paris Olympics bronze medalists, who have decided to part ways after the world championships in the French capital next month. "In the end, we couldn't play our game at all," Matsuyama said after the doubles pair's last match in front of home fans. The Malaysian pair turned around a 4-3 deficit by winning eight straight points in the first game in the rematch of the bronze medal contest at the Paris Games. After that, they never allowed their Japanese opponents back into the contest at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. No Japanese player was left at the championships after all three of the country's remaining singles players also lost in the semifinals -- Akane Yamaguchi and Riko Gunji in the women's draw and Koki Watanabe on the men's side. China's Wang Zhiyi defeated Yamaguchi 21-15, 21-18, while South Korea's An Se Young trounced Gunji 21-12, 21-10. France's Alex Lanier defeated Watanabe 21-19, 21-15.
Kyodo News
2 days ago
- Kyodo News
Badminton: Shida, Matsuyama reach Japan Open semis in women's doubles
TOKYO - Japan's disbanding women's badminton doubles pair Chiharu Shida and Nami Matsuyama, the Paris Olympics bronze medalists, reached the semifinals at the Japan Open on Friday after edging past the South Korean pair of Kim Hye Jeong and Kong Hee Yong in three games. Shida and Matsuyama, who on July 8 announced they will part ways after the world championships in the French capital next month, advanced at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium after coming from behind to win 19-21, 21-19, 21-18. "I was intent on never backing off mentally," said Shida after she and her partner won three straight points from 18-18 in the decider to end a 1-hour, 26-minute encounter. "We're getting better the more we play. It was our best match here." Playing in their last tournament together on home soil, Matsuyama voiced her trust in her long-term partner as they reached the last four at the competition for the first time. "I had the sense of security that if I don't make mistakes, Shida will get us points," she said. "We've finally overcome this wall. We might still be developing." Shida, 28, plans to form a new women's doubles partnership with two-time Olympic mixed doubles bronze medalist Arisa Igarashi, while Matsuyama, 27, is considering moving into mixed doubles.
