Rugby: Black Ferns end tour with another defeat to France

France's Caroline Drouin celebrates after scoring a try. INPHO/Frederic Scheiber

The Black Ferns have been left with a lot of work ahead of their home World Cup next year after ending their Northern tour winless today.

France handed New Zealand their fourth defeat of the tour with a 29-7 victory in Castres. The Black Ferns at least showed improvement after heavier defeats to England and France.

New Zealand had a slow start after France took a 14-0 lead after 13 minutes but fought back to close to gap to seven on the verge of halftime when Kennedy Simon crossed over in the 37th minute.

A Kendra Cocksedge conversion made it 14-7 but France struck a blow when The Black Ferns conceded a penalty try and yellow card to lock Maia Roos on the stroke of halftime.

French winger Marie Aurelie Castel made it a double scoring the only try of the second half.

It is France's fourth win in a row against the Black Ferns and sets them up as World Cup favourites alongside England.

France 29 (Marie Aurelie Castel 2, Agathe Sochat tries, penalty try; Caroline Drouin 2 con, pen) Black Ferns 7 (Kennedy Simon try, Kendra Cocksedge con) HT: 21-7 France