Clinical Kiwis crush France
France 12
New Zealand 39
Sunday November 29 2009
New Zealand scored five tries without reply as they gradually took control of an initially closely fought clash in Paris.
The hosts started brightly and twice led in the first half, but Sitiveni Sivivatu, Mils Muliaina and Jerome Kaino crossed to put the All Blacks 22-12 up at the break. And Cory Jane and Conrad Smith rounded off an ultimately comfortable victory.
The French scrum dominated early on and earned a penalty, which Julien Dupuy slotted over to make it 3-0.
But the lead was short-lived as good line-out ball allowed Jimmy Cowan to put Ma'a Nonu away and the centre off-loaded to Sivivatu, who dummied the last defender and touched down. Dan Carter converted to make it 7-3.
Yannick Jauzion appeared to have put Fulgence Ouedraogo in, but the All Blacks defence held firm and the opportunity was wasted with flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc poised for a drop goal.
But a needless penalty allowed Dupuy to boot another three points and, after another strong scrum, it took an offside defender to prevent Julien Bonnaire breaking and the scrum-half made it 9-7.
Once again the Kiwis responded well, as Trinh-Duc's chip was picked off by scrum-half Cowan and Sivivatu broke to put Muliaina over. Carter missed the conversion but added a penalty after a fine break involving Kieran Read, Nonu and Smith.
Another excellent run by Read was halted just short of the try-line by Damien Traille and the loose forward failed to offload to Tom Donnelly.
The All Blacks began to impose themselves on the scrum and sent flanker Kaino over for a third try, Carter adding the extras, and Trinh-Duc's drop goal left France still trailing by 10 at halfway. Maxime Medard was halted illegally as France sought a way back into the game, Dupuy missing the resulting penalty.
Carter showed him how it was done after Donnelly drew an infringement and, after another miss, Dupuy was replaced by Morgan Parra. But Jane touched down after a delightful chip and chase and Smith was only held up two yards from the line after a jinking break. The nimble centre was not to be denied, though, and jogged in for a soft score off the back of a ruck and Carter converted.
Meanwhile, All Blacks captain Richie McCaw's evening ended on a double high as he saw off competition from Ireland duo Brian O'Driscoll and Jamie Heaslip, amongst others, to win the IRB's Player of the Year award for 2009.
Scorers -- France: Dupuy 3 pens; Trinh-Duc dg. New Zealand: Sivivatu, Muliaina, Kaino, Jane, C Smith tries; Carter 4 cons, 2 pens.
France: Traille; Clerc, Marty, Jauzion (David 63), Medard; Trinh-Duc, Dupuy (Parra 59); Barcella, Servat (Szarzewski 57), Marconnet (Mas 51), Chabal (Nallet 52), Millo-Chluski, Dusautoir, Ouedraogo (Puricelli 63), Bonnaire.
New Zealand: Muliaina; Jane, C Smith, Nonu (McAlister 71), Sivivatu; Carter (Donald 77), Cowan (Ellis 75); Woodcock, Hore (Flynn 74), Tialata (Boric 65), Thorn, Donnelly, Kaino, McCaw, Read.
Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).
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