France accomplished a rousing second-half comeback to safe a 3rd straight win over New Zealand with a breathless 30-29 Autumn Nations Sequence victory on the Stade de France.
Tries from Peter Lakai (9′) and Cam Roigard (27′) helped the guests earn a deserved 17-10 lead on the break with debutant Romain Buros (32′) going over for France.
But it surely was the French who turned the screw early within the second interval earlier than a passionate 82,000 sell-out crowd, with very good scores from Paul Boudehent (44′) and Louis Bielle-Biarrey (51′) incomes Les Bleus an important 24-17 lead.
It was a bonus they might not relinquish, with Thomas Ramos and Damian McKenzie buying and selling penalties till the tip of a frantic Take a look at battle. The All Blacks suffered the primary defeat of their European tour by the narrowest of margins after wins towards England and Eire.
France return to the Stade de France to face Argentina on Friday night, with Scott Robertson’s All Blacks pressured to choose themselves up after this agonising loss earlier than visiting Turin to tackle Italy on Saturday.
Speaking Level: Spectacular France construct in the direction of Six Nations title bid
France look to have gotten that slim 29-28 quarter-final defeat to South Africa within the World Cup in Paris a 12 months in the past out of their system with arguably their greatest efficiency since that loss.
After toiling on the line-out and scrum within the first half, Fabien Galthie’s recovered strongly and had been in all probability price their victory over a buoyant All Blacks facet, who had been recent from late victories over England and Eire.
France suffered their solely defeat of final 12 months’s Six Nations to Eire, however may have critical ambitions of bettering up their second-place end behind Andy Farrell’s males this season.
Participant of the Match: Ardie Savea (New Zealand)
One other pulsating powerhouse efficiency from the All Blacks flanker, who struggled to comprise his disappointment on the finish after arising quick whereas additionally praising the house crew.
“We’re extraordinarily disillusioned,” he informed TNT Sports activities. “We put ourselves proper in there to win the sport, however we made foolish errors and turned the ball over and a high quality facet will punish you, which they did. Fairly gutted.
“After all, you must credit score them. We felt like we had been in management and we had been fairly correct within the first half. Within the second half we simply allow them to into the sport. They utilized stress on us and we couldn’t deal with it. Though I’m extraordinarily disillusioned, I’m additionally proud.”
Match Highlights
27′ TRY! FRANCE 3-14 NEW ZEALAND So scientific from New Zealand as Cam Roigard cashes in from a unfastened piece of play on the scrum to steal the ball from Alldritt and switch to race over. Appeared like a France break on playing cards, however out of the blue All Blacks are two scores clear with Beauden Barrett including the 2.
44′ TRY! FRANCE 17-17 NEW ZEALAND And this sport is out of the blue all degree early within the second half. Severe momentum shift in issues. A key line-out win 5 yards out and the maul sees Boudehent rating the strive earlier than Ramos floats over the conversion. Sport on certainly.
52′ TRY! FRANCE 24-17 NEW ZEALAND Properly, the temper of this match is totally remodeled as France out of the blue storm forward on this contest. Vaa’i’s offload is nowhere and Bordeaux winger Bielle-Biarrey speeds onto the Ramos kick to provide the house facet the lead earlier than Ramos converts. French crowd loving this!
73′ FRANCE HAVE A PENALTY! A excessive problem going towards New Zealand this time. Ofa Tu’ungafasi is the person within the dock and shakes his head. Over goes the three from Ramos to extend the result in 4.
75′ THIS MATCH IS HEADING FOR A CLOSE FINALE This time McKenzie drills over the penalty simply inside the house half after France had been penalised for foul play. French lead 30-29.
Participant Scores
France: Buros 7, Villiere 7, Fickou 7, Moefana 7, Bielle-Biarrey 8, Ramos 7, Dupont 7, Gros 7, Mauvaka 7, Tatafu 7, Flament 7, Meafou 7, Boudehent 6, Roumat 6, Alldritt 6
New Zealand: Jordan 7, Reece 7, Ioane 7, J Barrett 7, Clarke 6, B Barrett 7, Roigard 7, Williams 7, Taylor 7, Lomax 7, S Barrett 7, Vaa’i 7, Finau 7, Savea 7, Sititi 7
Key Stat
France equalled their greatest successful sequence of all time towards the All Blacks by successful a 3rd straight Take a look at match. They final managed the feat in 1994/95.
