* All Blacks 45, France 6
The lights did not go out on the Champs Elysees after the All Blacks humiliated France with an astonishing victory yesterday in Paris.
But the scale and quality of the New Zealand triumph dimmed the ardour of the most zealous French supporters, who booed
and jeered their side from the Stade de France.
This magnificent result, built on a relentless attitude from the pack which permeated the entire XV, made the after-midnight start to their test dinner at the stadium suddenly not seem too much of a chore.
It could have gone on all night for all the All Blacks cared. They had saved their best until last.
"I think this was better [than England at the start of the year]. We were playing away from home which I think has been a bit of an Achilles heel," coach Graham Henry agreed.
"We were playing against a pack I think were better than England and were the Six Nations champions, so we thought if we could do well in this game then we were making some progress.
"It is probably the best performance from the team for the year."
The All Blacks completed their goals on this trip, the selectors blooded some youngsters and, in search of other test talent, had conjured up wins against Italy, Wales and finally France in their three-test expedition.
This was a rich All Black victory, the largest ever in France and one which made a mockery of the Tricolors' status as Six Nations champions and their recent flogging of Australia.
If we wondered whether the best moment of the day was going to be across the Channel at Twickenham, where the Wallabies knocked off England, we were in for a greater treat in Paris.
What was supposed to be the Fortress in France became the Sandcastle at the Stade as the All Blacks dismantled their illustrious opponents. The only shock was that Joe Rokocoko did not score.
But he was part of a playing squad which scarcely missed a beat, a group which showed unremitting valour in defence as they still urged one another on passionately five minutes from the end not to let France cross their line.
If they were unbreakable in defence, the All Blacks were wondrous on attack. They showed a muscularity in the collisions, numbers to the ball and superb deft touches to leave the French floundering.
Not since the start of the year against England, or before that the World Cup quarter-final against the Springboks, had the All Blacks displayed such venom up front.
It was so brutally devastating that France lost both props to wounds and to their shame had to resort to Golden Oldie scrums not long after halftime.
That was the ultimate humiliation for a side who rate their scrum and were pumped to reverse the depression from losing last week to the Pumas. The scrum tactic looked suspicious and got the requisite grilling of referee Alain Rolland from Anton Oliver, Richie McCaw and captain Tana Umaga.
In the end it cost France further misery as the All Blacks wheeled on a few fresh athletes and added a further three tries to complete the rout.
This triumph was a personal victory for players such as Oliver, Tony Woodcock, Norm Maxwell, Jerry Collins, Rodney So'oialo and Byron Kelleher - players who had felt the selection blade and been given this chance to represent their pedigree.
They and all their colleagues delivered an emphatic riposte.
It was also a coup for the coaching triumvirate of Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith, who retuned their ideas after a disappointing end to the Tri-Nations in Johannesburg.
"It didn't just happen this week," Henry said. "It has been happening for the last five months, trying to work through to producing something special, and you just have to take your hat off to the young fellas who did the job.
"We have put a lot of new things in place and they worked well today so we are delighted and I am delighted for the young guys who have done that hard work."
If the All Black changing room was euphoric after the game, the team bus was rocking when it finally made its way back down the famous Champs Elysees to their hotel in the early hours of the morning.
Henry pinpointed the side's attitude all week as a key to the result: "It was everything and they wanted to express themselves today.
"There have been some people who have been questioning the All Blacks ... They just wanted to stand up and make a statement."
The standard was set by the tight five, where Woodcock played particularly well, repaying his selection tick from scrum doctor Mike Cron.
"He was a young prop playing against probably the most experienced front row in the world and the best scrum in the world, we thought," said Henry.
"So the tight five played exceptionally well and set the foundation for the rest of them."
Reactions from Stade de France
I have never seen a team so powerful in the physical game.
- France coach Bernard Laporte
There is them and then there is the rest of the world. We just had a feeling of hopelessness against them. They are without doubt the best team in the world right now.- France captain Fabien Pelous
It was like playing against extraterrestrials. We have 2 1/2 years to close the gap on them before the World Cup.- Pelous again
When the scrums were depowered it went like a game of touch rugby.
- All Black prop Carl Hayman
We were playing against a pack I think were better than England and were the Six Nations champions. It is probably the best performance from the team for the year. - All Black coach Graham Henry
All Black front row Carl Hayman (left) and Tony Woodcock prepare to pack down during yesterday's magnificent victory at the State de France. Picture / Fotopress
* All Blacks 45, France 6
The lights did not go out on the Champs Elysees after the All Blacks humiliated France with an astonishing victory yesterday in Paris.
But the scale and quality of the New Zealand triumph dimmed the ardour of the most zealous French supporters, who booed
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