All Blacks score six tries to hammer under-strength France / Photo: Grant Down - AFP
All Blacks score six tries to hammer under-strength France
New Zealand crushed an under-strength France 43-17 in the second Test in Wellington on Saturday, scoring six tries to clinch the three-match series.
The All Blacks bounced back from a nervous 31-27 win in the first Test in Dunedin with a commanding performance against an inexperienced French side who made 10 changes to their starting line-up.
Led by a dominant forward display, the home side were more clinical in converting scoring positions into points in Wellington, having had three tries disallowed a week earlier.
While the All Blacks made two injury-enforced changes from the first Test, French coach Fabien Galthie removed a core of experienced players to name a starting side with just 60 Test caps between them.
Four starting French forwards were making their debuts and it showed as the home side dominated the breakdown and lineout in particular, giving a solid platform for standout scrum-half Cam Roigard to control the contest.
Up 29-3 at half-time, the All Blacks were never threatened, securing a 10th straight win over France on home soil.
They can make it 11 in next week's third Test in Hamilton.
An early New Zealand penalty goal by fly-half Beauden Barrett was followed by three tries that all stemmed directly from lineouts -- the first to Roigard, who ran 30 metres untouched after a trick move that fooled the defence.
France scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec scored his team's only points of the half with a penalty before the home side pulled clear with successive tries from lineout drives to flanker Ardie Savea and hooker Codie Taylor.
Savea, standing in as captain in place of the injured Scott Barrett, gave a dominant display.
The former world player of the year instigated a brilliant team try before the interval. His break from 60 metres out sparked a flowing move which ended with flanker Tupou Vaa'i scoring under the crossbar.
The half was marred by a yellow card offence from each side -- to Beauden Barrett for a deliberate knock-on and debut French lock Joshua Brennan for a lifting tackle.
France made six substitutions early in the second half and the refreshed side created a try for fullback Leo Barre.
All Blacks fullback Will Jordan responded for the hosts with his 41st try in 43 Tests before wing Rieko Ioane powered across in the left corner.
Brennan had the final say for France, barging over for their second try.
U.Dumont--JdB
