CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND – New Zealand withstood a fierce and sustained challenge from a depleted France to claim a narrow 34-32 victory in Christchurch on Saturday (4 July), opening the inaugural Nations Championship in thoroughly compelling fashion.

Cam Roigard and Will Jordan each crossed the whitewash twice as the All Blacks clung on through a finish of considerable anxiety.

It was the first occasion upon which Dave Rennie had taken charge of the All Blacks in a Test match, and his introduction to the role was anything but serene.

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Fast pace

France, for all that they had elected to field a side entirely bereft of players from their two most decorated clubs, Toulouse and Montpellier, gave the new head coach much cause for concern from the very first whistle.

Fabien Galthié had clearly instructed his side to set an unrelenting early pace, and they did so with both precision and élan. The rewards came almost immediately.

France’s record try scorer, Damian Penaud, required only two minutes to extend his remarkable tally to 41, cantering over the line with an ease that must have set New Zealand nerves jangling.

The discomfort of those opening exchanges was further compounded when full-back Max Spring was struck high by Ruben Love, an offence that earned the fly-half a yellow card and left the hosts to defend a man short in the most inauspicious of circumstances.

Reduced to 14 men, New Zealand nonetheless steadied themselves and found a response in the eighth minute. Wing Will Jordan touched down after captain Ardie Savea won a timely turnover in an advantageous position – a moment of individual brilliance that provided some welcome respite.

It proved, however, a relatively isolated success at the breakdown, as France continued to secure quick ball with considerable efficiency and repelled any attempts at All Blacks disruption with commendable composure, repeatedly leaving their hosts scrambling in defence.

Once Love had served his suspension and returned to the field, New Zealand’s attacking intent was renewed. He and Damian McKenzie began to probe the French defensive line with increasing purpose, and in the 21 minute Peter Lakai crossed for a try following a sharp McKenzie break and an astute inside pass from Caleb Clarke.

A brace of penalties from Maxime Lucu nudged France back in front, before Roigard darted shrewdly from the back of a ruck to give New Zealand a 19-13 advantage at the break.

Until the end

France emerged from the break with the same urgency that had characterised their opening exchanges. Antoine Hastoy scored in the 47th minute, the move culminating in a quite extraordinary basketball-style pass from Théo Attissogbe that cleared three defenders and set him clear.

Roigard replied almost immediately with his second try, yet France were not to be subdued, and Attissogbe added another score for his side – this following the disallowance of a Fabien Brau-Boirie effort for a knock-on.

Jordan’s second try of the evening elevated him to joint second place in the all-time All Blacks try-scoring charts with 47 Test touchdowns, and for the first time on the evening New Zealand found themselves with what appeared to be a measure of breathing space at 34-25 with nine minutes remaining.

France, however, refused to capitulate. Matthieu Jalibert burrowed over the line with two minutes left on the clock, and the Christchurch faithful endured a thoroughly uncomfortable conclusion.

It fell to New Zealand’s forwards to preserve the victory, retaining possession from the restart with sufficient resolve to run down the clock and secure a win that, while somewhat ragged in places, augured rather well for Rennie’s tenure at the helm.

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