KEY POINTS:
The All Blacks have beaten France 23-11 but this was a far, far tougher battle.
It wasn't the massacre of Lyon -- French resistance made sure of that -- but the All Blacks were still a class above to win the second rugby test at Stade de France.
New Zealand played with the same verve as in the 47-3 hammering at Lyon last week but it was a performance sprinkled with mistakes while the hosts restored lost pride with a far more resolute display in a night that marked their centenary of international rugby.
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The All Blacks managed just two tries, either side of halftime, compared to seven last week while France snared one of their own through winger Cedric Heymans to hand them the early lead 5-3.
However, French passion was still comfortably trumped by the skill of an All Blacks team whose standout performer was first five-eighth Daniel Carter, a constant threat on attack and on song throughout with his general kicking.
He also landed 13 points with the boot which takes him to an All Blacks' record 170 for the calendar year, past Andrew Mehrtens' 166 tallied in 1999.
The All Blacks most experienced ever test team -- labelled "the best right now" by coach Graham Henry -- were frustrated for long periods, particularly with a propensity for spilling the ball from mauls or with basic handling mistakes.
The French provided better pressure at the tackle, roared on by a crowd of 82,000 who were deafening in the early stages as captain and hooker Raphael Ibanez was at the heart of some drives to prove they weren't going to be pushed over.
The All Blacks were forced to keep it tight for much of the first half, with last-pass errors punctuating several breaks, many sparked by Carter. They found themselves starved of possession for long periods in the second spell.
New Zealand's work at the scrum and lineout once again outpointed their opposites but the biggest gulf between the teams was at first five-eighth where ponderous Frenchman Damien Traille wasn't in the same league as Carter.
The difference was symbolised in the opening minute when Carter charged down a Traille kick and towed ahead 50m, which ultimately led to a penalty he kicked for the early lead.
France struck back with a try, something they couldn't manage at Lyon, in just the ninth minute to Heymans. He capitalised on a straightforward spilled ball by Leon MacDonald under a high ball, one of a clutch of first-half mistakes from the fullback.
Carter had the All Blacks back in front via a second penalty after a 20m lineout drive was halted just short of the tryline.
The All Blacks were unlucky not get their first try from a dazzling Carter blindside break when winger Sitiveni Sivivatu appeared to be taken out as he loomed to take the last pass.
Justice was served when Sivivavtu's cousin Joe Rokocoko crossed in the right corner on the stroke of halftime, soon after Carter had nailed his third penalty.
Rokocoko's try came from midfield bust by MacDonald, making amends for a mixed first half.
The gap extended to 18 points 10min after halftime when Carter performed a slick switch with Ma'a Nonu and the powerful second five-eighth shimmied past a flailing defender to score under the crossbar.
Replacement halfback Dimitri Yachvili kicked a French penalty in the 55th minute and as was the case last week, France dominated possession and the penalty count over the closing stages.
But again they had no answer to the aggressive and coordinated New Zealand defence.
It culminated in France's baffling decision for Yachvili to kick a second penalty with 3min remaining.
Tireless All Blacks captain Richie McCaw ended the evening by lifting the Gallaher Cup for tests between the nations, having started it by leading the haka for the first time.
It extended their unbeaten record against France in tests at Paris to eight, dating back to 1973.
The All Blacks' can complete of clean sweep of their four-test European tour if they beat Wales at Cardiff on Sunday morning (NZT) next week.
- NZPA
