French over-run by All Blacks
New Zealand ran-in five tries without reply in Marseille as the tourists won an ill-tempered clash 39-12 against France.
Last Updated: 28/11/09 10:35pm
New Zealand ran-in five tries without reply in Marseille as the tourists won an ill-tempered clash 39-12 against France.
The home side began well and twice led through the boot of Julien Dupuy, but tries from Sitiveni Sivivatu, Mils Muliaina and Jerome Kaino in a 25-minute burst gave the All Blacks the boost they needed.
The visitors - unusually sporting white jerseys - were 22-12 ahead at the break and ran away with things late on with Cory Jane and Conrad Smith rounding off an ultimately comfortable win.
The French scrum earned an early penalty that Dupuy nudged over but it was a short-lived advantage as good line-out ball enabled Jimmy Cowan to put Ma'a Nonu away, and the centre off-loaded to Sivivatu who touched down near the flag - Dan Carter slotting the difficult extras.
The French enjoyed further possession but the chance was wasted with Francois Trinh-Duc poised for the drop goal, however two indiscretions in the space of five minutes allowed Dupuy to give his side a 9-7 lead.
But that was as good as it got for the hosts, Trinh-Duc's telegraphed chip picked off by Cowan before Sivivatu turned provider for Muliaina to touch down on 22 minutes.
Carter missed the conversion but made up for the error by adding a penalty before the half-hour mark, and it was not long before the Kiwis were crossing again, this time Kieran Read making a run for the line before flanker Kaino went over.
Trinh-Duc added a drop goal before the break but the French had been over-run and New Zealand emerged from half-time in similar vein, scoring a further 17 points without reply.
Dupuy missed an early penalty but Carter showed him how it was done after Tom Donnelly drew an infringement and, after another miss, Dupuy was replaced by Morgan Parra.
Nonu's knock-on ended a promising Kiwi move and Carter's drop-goal attempt hit the bar.
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. Some unseemly afters broke out, centring around Parra, before Carter converted.
That was the end of the scoring, though New Zealand replacement Owen Franks earned a needless sin-binning as tempers flared again three minutes from time.