Twelve years that they were waiting for that, the Blues offered themselves to the Blacks this Saturday night at the Stade de France. The XV of France won 40 to 25 against New Zealand. The autumn tour therefore ended with three victories for the French Rugby team after winning against Argentina (29-20), and Georgia (41-15). The French, who remained on fourteen consecutive defeats against the All Blacks, scored four tries against three opposing side and had never beaten New Zealand with such a gap in score. They will meet these same New Zealanders during the opening match of the next World Cup (September 8 – October 28, 2023) organized in France.
In front of 80,000 spectators in turmoil, the Blues of Fabien Galthié struck a blow against one of the world references, less than two years from the opening match of the next World Cup (September 8 – October 28, 2023), organized in France, facing these same All Blacks.
Blues unleashed in the first period …
The Blues delivered a recital in the first period, concluded on three zero tries, overflowing the Blacks guilty of hand faults and technical errors. Hooker Peato Mauvaka, for his second tenure in the absence of Julien Marchand, forfeit, took advantage of two balls carried meticulously built by his clan to offer himself a double (3rd, 33rd), as against Georgia last Sunday in Bordeaux. In three fall matches, the Toulousain scored five tries. Romain Ntamack, replaced at the opening, distinguished himself by scoring the second solo attempt after a fake pass followed by an acceleration which pierced a double curtain of five New Zealand defenders.
… who held in second
At the break, the Blues led by eighteen points (24-6), an already unprecedented gap in their favor in front of the Blacks. But when they got back from the locker room, they slackened and opened intervals for upset New Zealanders.
Authors in turn of three tries in less than fifteen minutes (Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane and Ardie Savea), the Kiwis have returned within gun range (27-25). But an interception by winger Damian Penaud allowed the Blues to regain oxygen in the score (37-25). The Clermontois, top tricolor scorer this year, offered his seventh try in 2021 and the back Melvyn Jaminet continued his flawless performance in front of the poles (20 points in total).
The French back lines continued to put pressure on New Zealand defenders to hold the score. And Jaminet finished work on a new penalty, his fourth successful, to give the Bleux a record victory. The previous one, 22-8 in Cristchurch, dated back to 1994.
Earlier in the day in Castres, the French also dominated the New Zealand women (29-7) thus signing a second success in eight days against the reigning world champions, already beaten in Pau (38-13), on Saturday latest. Magical !