France-New Zealand: brilliant and united, the XV of France triumphs over the All Blacks – Franceinfo

They were monstrous, to overthrow a monster. Twelve years since he hadn’t beaten the All Blacks, twenty-one since it hadn’t happened at home. The XV of France achieved a historic performance, Saturday, November 20, by winning (40-25) against New Zealand.

To close its autumn tour, the XV of France erased a good part of the mistakes that had parasitized the sluggish victories against Argentina and Georgia. A final in apotheosis against the triple world champions which bodes well for the future.

It took three short minutes to warm up the icy atmosphere of the Stade de France. The first caps, the first scarves had fallen to adapt to the atmosphere which had become too hot to remain so warmly dressed. On the first touch of the match, sector captain Cameron Woki, still imperial in the air, allowed his teammates to circle him for a carried ball. Peato Mauvaka, the explosive pillar of the Blues, author of a double, extricated himself to plant the first try (7-0, 3rd).

What to launch tireless blue waves. Advice from their elders, authors of previous exploits against the Blacks, Antoine Dupont’s teammates made a perfect recitation. Take the score quickly, win the duels to push them back – the quartet Baille, Atonio, Danty, Fickou were particularly prominent in the exercise –, to be present in the aerial duels, everything to prevent the New Zealand machine from finding its rhythm.

Even if the latter was able to take advantage of the slightest penalty to stay in the match and the slightest delay in defense – two tries from Ioane (51st) and Saeva (59th) – the All Blacks, under pressure from the Blues, in particular defensive, gave up some unusual forwards. The third center line, Ardie Savea, was even forced to sacrifice himself to avoid another try. He came out on a yellow card in the 63rd.

The former back of the France team, Xavier Garbajosa, had mentioned the French madness, the one that wins the big games, the one which, unpredictable, is perhaps the worst enemy of a team so well established, accustomed to dominate the game as New Zealand. The Blacks surely did not expect this interior delivery from center Jonathan Danty on his winger Damian Penaud who led the Blues a few inches from the in-goal. Nor to this recovery “from the end of the world” from Romain Ntamack who escaped two opponents in his goal to go up the field to the opposite line, well helped by Jaminet, Dupont and Woki (62nd). And then there was the marvel of interception of Damian Penaud who spun on the test (68th) to come to nail New Zealanders who were recovering the hair of the beast.

Established at the back, Melvyn Jaminet confirmed that he was more than the man of a tour. Brilliant in Australia, the back of Usap, less in sight like the rest of his team during the first two test matches, has probably asserted himself as the future holder in power in this position. Solid in the air, he is above all the author of a 100% kicking (20 pts, 8/8), as valuable as it is crucial to win in big matches. And to win a feat to add to the pantheon of French prowess against the scarecrow of world rugby.