The France team of 1994 were the last to beat the All Blacks at Eden Park, 31 years ago. In an exclusive interview with the Herald, their captain that day, Philippe Saint-André, reveals how the visitors nearly blew their one shot at victory.
With the clock ticking down at Eden Park on July 3, 1994, France’s hopes of sealing a historic series win against the All Blacks looked to be slipping away. Trailing 20-16 in the final minutes, they needed something extraordinary.
New Zealand were playing conservatively, content to control possession before Stephen Bachop kicked for the corners. France kept returning serve, but with three minutes left, captain Philippe Saint-André had had enough.
“I was mad and nuts – and I said, ‘Guys, I don’t care if we lose by 14 points, but the next opportunity, we need to counter-attack and try to win this game’,” Saint-André told the Herald.
On the very next play off a lineout, Bachop booted long once more and Saint-André gathered the ball just inside the French 22. What followed has become rugby folklore, 27 seconds of magic etched into the sport’s history.
Saint-André beat two defenders before being dragged down. From there, the ball flashed through French hands: Philippe Benetton stepping inside Jonah Lomu, then Émile Ntamack, Laurent Cabannes and Philippe Sella combining to release Guy Accoceberry. The halfback drew the cover and slipped a pass to Jean-Luc Sadourny, who dived over the line to score the “essai du bout du monde” – known on these shores as the “try from the end of the world”.
France still had to survive one last All Blacks surge, but when Richard Loe was held up and referee Derek Bevan blew fulltime, the visitors had secured a famous 23-20 victory. The result secured a 2-0 series triumph, following their 22-8 win in Christchurch the week before.
“It’s in the history books,” Saint-André said. ”Each time it’s a game between New Zealand and France, we see this try from the end of the world.
It remains one of the most celebrated moments in French rugby and started one of the sport’s most enduring symbols of dominance.
Since that day, the All Blacks have not lost a test at Eden Park – that’s 50 matches unbeaten, with 48 wins and two draws.
For Saint-André to be captain of the last team to beat New Zealand at their spiritual home is a distinction he holds dear.
“I am very proud to be the captain to beat New Zealand twice, but it was a long time ago,” he said.
“That year was one of the best moments for us, as players, as captain. Even if we were very disappointed a year later to lose the semifinal in South Africa at the World Cup.”
There was another piece of history too. After fulltime, Saint-André went to swap jerseys with Sir John Kirwan, but with the wing’s time playing for New Zealand coming to an end, he held on to it.
Instead, Saint-André exchanged jerseys with a teenage Lomu, playing only his second test.
That jersey still sits in his collection today.
“It’s in one bag in my cave. It has a lot of value – but more sentimental value for me,” Saint-André said.
“I had the luck to know Jonah afterwards. I did some hospitality with him and he was such a nice bloke, a great guy.
“He even finished his career in Marseille. For me, it’s more about the memories of an amazing player and a fantastic man.”
This weekend, the All Blacks’ record at Eden Park comes under threat again, with the Springboks returning to the ground for the first time in 12 years.
The Springboks have won their past four meetings against the All Blacks, but haven’t tasted victory in New Zealand since 2018.
The All Blacks are coming off arguably their worst loss of the Scott Robertson era, a defeat to Argentina in Buenos Aires, while the Boks bounced back from their own historic loss to beat the Wallabies.
Saint-André, who played 69 tests for France, 33 as captain, hopes the streak survives a little longer.
“All records are there to be beaten, but I will be happy if New Zealand carry on winning,” Saint-André said. “Then our record will stay in place for a few months, or a few years more.”
Saint-André returned to Eden Park as head coach of the French team in 2013, which lost 23-13. His last game in charge came at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, when they lost 62-13 to the All Blacks in the quarterfinals.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.