New Zealand 62 France 13
Richie McCaw leads with a turn and glance over his shoulder. The other unsmiling giants know what needs doing. Quick ball, his eyebrows demand. The seven disciples pass by, led by Kieran Read, as the captain looks to Dan Carter. The method of attack decided with old, wise eyes.
Nehe Milner-Skudder has just decimated some interesting French resistance. Attacking the short side Conrad Smith offloads in contact and Ma’a Nonu offloads just before contact to allow the electric winger step Brice Dulin and go under the posts. Dan Carter recovers from a blocked down drop goal attempt to slot the conversion that makes it 17-6. 23 minutes played.
McCaw looks at blood red French jerseys knowing it’s time to go in for the kill.
The ball is going into midfield as that’s where the rupture was most evident. 101 caps and Nonu has to remind everyone every time he takes the field that he’s the best 12 in the game. Because the second best is sitting on the All Black bench.
No need for Sonny Bill here though. Not with Carter playing like it’s 2005.
There is reminders all over the place that this mighty force can regain the William Webb Ellis trophy on October 31st. Springboks next.
They are ready.
Freddie Michalak, in a simple twist of fate, is already gone. The hero of 2007 felt something loosened in his right hamstring when Brodie Retallick, the 2.04 metre lock who at 24 is already a world player of the year, blocked his kick on 24 minutes, gathered and sprinted away in what was an astonishing sight.
Next, Carter’s no look pass creates enough space for Julian Savea to run in try number 36 in 39 test matches.
37 was coming and it was in direct homage to Jonah Lomu.
But France came to play, they truly did, with Louis Picamoles battering his way to the New Zealand try line on 35 minutes. Morgan Parra’s conversion - despite taking no part in the pre-match kicking practice - made it 24-13.
That was enough to light the French masses to the possibility of another 1999 or 2007.
Problem was France had made Savea angry. Earlier in the half French right winger Noa Nakaitaci soured over the black 11.
New Zealand always attack your core strengths. The brilliant Ben Smith went into the sky with Picamoles, coming down with the ball as the French Number Eight crashed onto his back. Aaron Smith zapped the ball towards Savea who bumped Nakaitaci (all 100 kilograms of him), bumped Spedding and sprawled Rabah Slimani on the Millennium turf. Slimani is a tighthead prop for Christ sake!
It was 29-6 at the turn.
It seemed impossible that France could survive this high rugby altitude. A rout was promised and delivered.
It took a while but not before Nigel Owens added some new terminology to rugby speak: Picamoles didn’t punch a grounded McCaw it was “pushing with the fist” or just a “fist in the face.” Just a yellow card.
The 71,619 disagreed as much as the heavies on either side did.
Milner-Skudder hadn’t reappeared after half-time but there’s a strong argument to suggest New Zealand improved. Beauden Barrett went to fullback to allow phenomenally effective Ben Smith revert to his preferred right wing.
Barrett stalled his pass perfectly to put Jerome Kaino over as the occasion became, for a while at least, Irish. The Fields of Athenry reverberated around the stadium. Just a reminder that we are here and there’s more coming in the morning.
But of course it was Savea’s night. The hat-trick was delivered approaching the hour mark. Carter stretched his ageing calves before planting the conversion. A little crack perhaps but with Barrett there it might not matter.
The rout came via Read and Tawera Kerr-Barlow (twice) tries.
Right now the All Blacks look unstoppable but their most ferocious foe comes next. New Zealand versus South Africa in Twickenham at 4pm next Saturday.
Scoring sequence - 6 mins: D Carter pen, 3-0; 9 mins: S Spedding pen, 3-3; 10 mins: B Retallick try, 8-3; D Carter con, 10-3; 14 mins: M Parra pen, 10-6; 22 mins: N Milner-Skudder try, 15-6; D Carter con, 17-6; 28 mins: J Savea try, 22-6; D Carter con, 24-6; 35 mins: L Picamoles try, 24-11; M Parra con, 24-13; 37 mins: J Savea try, 29-13. 49 mins: J Kaino try, 34-13; 58 mins: J Savea try, 39-13; D Carter con, 41-13; mins: K Read try, 46-13; D Carter con, 48-13; 67 mins: T Kerr-Barlow try, 53-13; D Carter con, 55-13; 70 mins: T Kerr-Barlow try, 60-13; D Carter con, 62-13.
New Zealand: Ben Smith; Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea; Daniel Carter, Aaron Smith; Wyatt Crockett, Dane Coles, Owen Franks; Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock; Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (capt), Kieran Read. Replacements: Joe Moody for W Crockett (27 mins), B Barrett for N Milner-Skudder (half-time), Sonny Bill Williams for C Smith (51 mins), K Mealamu for D Coles (60 mins), V Debaty for E Ben Arous, N MAs for R Slimani (both 61 mins), V Vito for J Kaino, T Kerr-Barlow for A Smith (both 65 mins), S Cane for R McCaw (68 mins).
France: Scott Spedding; Noa Nakaitaci, Alexandre Dumoulin, Wesley Fofana, Brice Dulin; Frédéric Michalak, Morgan Parra; Eddy Ben Arous, Guilhem Guirado, Rabah Slimani; Pascal Papé, Yoann Maestri; Thierry Dusautoir (capt), Bernard Le Roux, Louis Picamoles. Replacements: Remi Tales for F Michalak (11 mins), Yannick Nyanga for P Papé (47 mins), S Szarzewski for G Guirado (56 mins), M Bastareaud for A Dumoulin (60 mins), R Kockott for M Parra (68 mins), D Chouly for L Picamoles (72 mins).
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales).
