All Blacks sneak home against France in controversial thriller

Maybe this French team isn’t so weak after all, the All Blacks having to dig far deeper than they would have liked to get across the line in a fascinating and occasionally controversial Test in Dunedin tonight.

In the end they got there 31-27 after leading 21-13 at halftime.

The controversy came as three times the All Blacks crossed for tries during the match and three times they were disallowed on the advice of the television match official Damon Murphy, who earned his money, if nothing else.

He had to look hard for reasons to rule out at least two of them, with Jordie Barrett, Billy Proctor and Will Jordan all denied – much to the frustration of the crowd and no doubt a fair few television viewers.

As it was, Jordan scored two tries to take his tally in Tests to an extraordinary 40 in 42 Tests.

He was a standout – an attacking threat throughout, and the All Blacks badly needed him because despite making the majority of the play and having the lion’s share of possession and territory, they just couldn’t shake the visitors and some bad reads on defence kept the French in the game.

All this despite the French left wing Gabin Villiere spending 10 minutes in the sinbin for an intentional knock on in the second half.

Beauden Barrett’s penalty after 74 minutes gave the All Blacks a little more breathing room but the French had a last attack to put a cat among the proverbial pigeons only to cough it up. Cue a sigh of relief from Scott Robertson and company.

There is no doubt that Reece’s withdrawal with less than a minute on the clock due to a head injury hurt the All Blacks’ continuity game.

They had wanted to play fast and eventually did with occasionally devastating results, but early they were clunky and a little uncertain – not uncommon for them in a first Test of the year.

Their inaccuracies would have frustrated the coaches, though, especially their mistakes under the high ball.

Damian McKenzie, on for Reece, went to fullback, moving Jordan to the right wing and the newcomer did not have a happy time initially when attempting to defuse the high ball but soon found his feet, literally and metaphorically, and he ended up being one of his team’s most dangerous weapons.

The home side’s initial uncertainty had an odd effect on the crowd, who were so quiet one could hear the players shouting to each other in the middle of the pitch.

When they eventually did find their voice it was a false alarm – Cam Roigard’s dummy and run from 40m out finding Jordie Barrett for a try ruled out by referee Nic Berry after advice from his TMO Murphy, who had to look extremely hard to find an earlier knock-on by prop Fletcher Newell.

If that was an anti-climax, it was nothing on what happened next – new centre Billy Proctor skinned on the outside as France launched a strike which finished with Mickael Guillard scoring a converted try which pushed the visitors’ lead to 10-0.

They were probably worthy of it too, but it flicked a switch for the All Blacks, who struck straight back via Jordan, who went over thanks to a Beauden Barrett assist. Brother Scott’s earlier charged down of an attempted French clearance which began the chain of events cannot be ignored either.

Tupou Vaa’i, wearing the number six jersey, was in next following a mazy run from McKenzie which took him close to the tryline, and Jordan turned provider just before halftime when sending Jordie Barrett over in the right corner for a try again well converted by older brother Beauden.

With the All Blacks’ scrum gaining ascendency, the tall lineout operating well and the All Blacks ramping up the intensity, the French were just hanging on.

At one point, after a quick lineout kept the ball in play for longer than they may have liked, tighthead prop Rabah Slimani went down with an apparent shoulder injury, only to quickly recover when ref Berry made an inquiry as to his health.

Any hopes from the home side that they would ease away in the second half were dashed from the kick-off, dropped by Rieko Ioane when the French through left wing Villiere who was over far too easily.

Both teams swapped tries - Jordan in again after a Roigard break and Cameron Woki over for France after another defensive lapse.

Then came Proctor’s disappointment – over the line but adjudged to have dropped the ball. And there was still time for Jordan’s third try to be ruled out for an apparent obstruction.

Overall it was a scratchy, unconvincing performance from the All Blacks, who looked extremely good in parts, but couldn’t put it together for long enough.

They do have one star in the making though – lock Fabian Holland, who had a Test debut to be proud of.

All Blacks 31 (Will Jordan 2, Tupou Vaa’i, Jordie Barrett tries; Beauden Barrett 4 cons, pen)

France 27 (Mickael Guillard, Gabin Villiere, Cameron Woki tries; Nolann Le Garrec 3 cons, pen; Joris Segonds pen)

Halftime: 21-13