Gritty, not great, as All Blacks hang on
COMMENT Brodie Retallick would get into a world XV.
There also remains the fact of Franks’ tackling technique. You pray that this young man does not face a brain-damaged future, but if someone does not get him to lower the sights in the tackle, it is hard to see where else he is heading. For the umpteenth time this season he clashed heads with an opponent, this time Remi Lamerat being the man on the receiving end.
And what of Beauden Barrett? The first-five remains an enigma. For the most part his tactical kicking was awful and gave possession back to the French. He was also turned over in the tackle and did not bring his runners onto the gain line.
He will be lauded for the crosskick that led to the opening try. It was a fine piece of skill, but French coach Guy Noves will be sitting down Noa Nakaitaci and having a long talk with him. When Barrett kicked, the French wing’s first movement was back.
That cost him the chance to compete for the ball in the air, yet he still jumped. He sold himself completely and left Julian Savea a clear run ahead.
And then there was the crucial Barrett interception. These are the things that make you want him in the team. The All Blacks were under the pump and Barrett recognised the slow ball, recognised that Camille Lopez was going to push the pass to the second receiver. Then he was gone.
Noves will feel that his team blew this match and he would be right. France dominated but made the big mistakes in the big moments. One team was used to winning, the other was not. It was the difference.
But this looks like a French team on the rise and that should give us cause for celebration.
The rugby world is a far more vibrant place when Les Bleus are lighting the place up. They pushed this All Blacks team around at times, particularly when the likes of Whitelock were dropping back to obstruct the chasers.
We have also discovered that the gap between the northern hemisphere and this All Blacks team is not so very great.
There are questions for coach Steve Hansen and his team to address in the off season. The biggest one is to decide who you want at 9 and 10 in games when the pack are liable to be beaten on the gain line.
At the end of this game there was no razzle dazzle, there was no show boating to the crowd. Aaron Smith was quick to kick the ball straight off the park.
Another symbolic gesture. Like the All Blacks, Smith was just happy to get out of there.
Brodie Retallick 6 Owen Franks 6 Dane Coles 7 Joe Moody 5 RESERVES Codie Taylor 5 Wyatt Crockett 5 Charlie Faumuina 7 Scott Barrett 7