KEY POINTS:
Unwittingly, chiefly through a bizarre mixture of skulduggery and cunning, France may just have found a way for the world to play the All Blacks.
The combination of slowing the game down and preventing the flow that turbocharges the New Zealand game plus all manner of devious means
of doing that undoubtedly frustrated the All Blacks at the Stade France.
France were at last competitive, prepared to sacrifice their bodies in a manner that went a long way towards banishing the memory of their puny performance in the first test. They also found myriad ways to keep stopping the game, thereby denying the All Blacks much rhythm.
Other coaches will watch the videotape and look closely at how the French, as a consequence, managed to shackle the All Blacks for long periods.
They conceded only two tries and were a whole lot more streetwise than the previous week. So it appears there may be a way of reining in New Zealand's free-flowing approach.
That's the good news for the World Cup hopefuls who want to deny New Zealand the trophy. The bad news is, the All Blacks won this two-test mini series by 70-14.
Not quite cause to break open the Bollinger in the bars of the Champs-Elysees.
The fact is, New Zealand didn't play terribly well but still won by a clear margin. True, they had to defend more than they probably expected after last week's rout.
But they did well enough to suggest that no one in world rugby is even coming close to matching their inherent creativity, backline running angles and variety of play.
France had worked out that they had to stop New Zealand getting the ball wide.
Trying to drive it up the middle and suck in defenders was one method; drifting wider and marking tighter was another.
Little elements like tugging the shorts of the support runner also helped, which at least showed they do retain some street-cred ability.
But when it came to making the real dents in the defensive line, cutting angles that would have made a geometry teacher salivate and mixing it all up, New Zealand looked a class apart.
True, it didn't happen that often on the night but every team is excused some below-peak displays.
This was one of them by the All Blacks; not a poor one, by any means. Modest might be the word.
New Zealand would enhance their organisation and attacking options behind the scrum if Aaron Mauger were there.
The Mils Muliaina-Ma'a Nonu combination never looked quite on the money; Mauger's influence is substantial, on and off the ball.
But remember, this was another opportunity and another test to see how players adapted, how combinations worked.
It wasn't the definitive All Blacks side, and clearly some places remain up for grabs.
The French would do well to deal in caution.
They were improved from Lyon but that wouldn't have been difficult. Yet they still looked far slower, in thought and deed, compared to the New Zealanders.
Far greater snap and penetration will be required if Bernard Laporte's team is to close the gap significantly in the 10 months remaining before the World Cup.
And the truth is, even with an ordinary performance by their exalted standards, New Zealand still got home comfortably enough.
* Peter Bills is a rugby writer for Independent News & Media in London.
