KEY POINTS:
All Blacks 23 France 11
PARIS - If New Zealand was ecstatic a week ago, that feeling should be more muted after a troubled second test win for the All Blacks against France.
Not that they looked in any danger of losing the Stade de France international
but they made hard work of this victory because of their deficiencies.
France brought all the energy and abrasion missing in Lyon but were still gun-shy on attack; their concern about losing possession to the All Black loose trio and exposing themselves to counter attack negating much ambition with the ball.
Their intent was to slow down the game and they did it to some effect with their powerful forward drives, scrabbling on the floor at the breakdown and folding in at scrums where referee Chris White had little idea.
The All Black response was patchy, although coach Graham Henry tried to explain that away by saying it was a tough, difficult test of enormous pressure - the sort of match that often happened at the highest level.
As a dress-rehearsal for a possible World Cup semifinal at the same arena, there was not the same surety about the All Blacks; they fluffed their lines too many times on the big stage.
All sorts of gags flowed after the test, but one with some resonance was that Hayley Westenra was the best-performing Kiwi on the night singing the national anthem.
However, the lineout was in sync again. Ali Williams largely in the first half, then Chris Jack and Jason Eaton in the second, dialled in superbly to Keven Mealamu's throws.
Had the scrum been allowed to function by the match officials, the All Blacks would have dealt to the French by more than their two tries to one margin. More than 35 scrums were awarded or reset, two-thirds of them with the All Blacks delivery as the French caved in, wheeled or dropped to disrupt the visitors' supremacy. The officials' vigilance was minimal even with repeated questions from All Black skipper Richie McCaw.
Too often, the final delivery from the back of the scrum or when a drive was slowed was sloppy, the protection for halfback Byron Kelleher was inconsistent and that flowed through the backline.
The way the French were able to crack the defence with their lineout drives will also be put in the dossier for more attention next year.
As a game to celebrate 100 years of test rugby between France and New Zealand, it was an anti-climax and many spectators could not get any match programmes because of a delivery hiccup.
Henry rated it a quality test match where both teams played well - but such quality would need to be specified. There were rare periods of sustained excellence from either side and the crowd was left in a mood of fitful appreciation.
"It was a scrappy win but we'll take it," was Daniel Carter's summary.
Victory would do in any World Cup play-off game too, and that had to be the All Black stance. They added to the consternation of the rest of the world by playing moderately and still putting away the second-best side.
"It was hard to get a flow on because, whether it was tacklers not rolling away or guys having a crack at the ball, it was quite hard to know what was going in," McCaw said.
"It was a different game and both teams put a heck of a lot of heat on there [at the tackled ball area] so I would have to have another look at what was going on there. It was a bit frustrating but our mistakes at times did not allow us to use quick ball."
After showing off a special new kit that looked as though it belonged more on the polo ground or croquet lawn, France created the first shock when Leon MacDonald misjudged a Damien Traille bomb and wing Cedric Heymans scooted over from the spill.
The All Black fullback's performance told a tale about the team's evening. He later grassed a pass when in the clear but then made the break on the edge of the ruck that led to the all-important try to Joe Rokocoko in the last move of the first half.
There was some gorgeous handling from Sitiveni Sivivatu, McCaw and Carter in the 60m move that left French defenders lying like skittles on the turf.
MacDonald later put in a stunning spot-tackle on Heymans to obliterate a likely French short-side raid and flicked back a chip kick from Carter which did not find the support for a try. Excellent and moderate all mixed up in one.
When the AC/DC song Highway to Hell blared as the teams returned to the field and Ma'a Nonu crossed for a simple try from a switch move, it seemed France were about to discover that anguish.
Instead France kicked two penalties, the All Blacks did not score again and the game bashed and crashed its way to the predicted conclusion.
There was time for both sides to use most of their substitutes and for Aurelien Rougerie to make a long run through a vacant All Black midfield before he was herded towards touch by the cover.
Wales will have taken little comfort from this game, they know they will be facing an All Black side annoyed they let their standards drop.
