New Zealand completed their unbeaten tour of Europe with a superb display to beat France in Marseille on Saturday. France opened the scoring with an early penalty by Julien Dupuy but Sitiveni Sivivatu’s try helped the All Blacks into an early 7-3 lead. Julien Dupuy then edged France 9-7 ahead but Mils Muliania’s spectacular try and a Jerome Kaino score helped the visitors into a 22-12 half-time lead. Cory Jane scored a solo effort after the break and Conrad Smith also crossed as the visitors confirmed their status as the world’s number one-ranked team.
The victory means New Zealand will head back to the southern hemisphere, after a final outing against the Barbarians at Twickenham, with four Test wins out of four in Europe, having beaten Wales, England and Italy in the lead-up to the Test against France. Both teams came with an attacking intentand this made for an open and exciting game which supplied a feast of tries for the Blacks, but none for France. This meant the Kiwis can return home without conceeding to any of the northern hemisphere sides.
Final score in Marseille:
France 12-39 New Zealand
h2>Scorers
France
Pens: Dupuy 3 Drop-goals: Trinh-Duc
New Zealand
Tries: Sivivatu, Muliaina, Kaino, Jane, Smith Cons: Carter 4 Pens: Carter 2
Teams
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France: Traille; Clerc, Marty, Jauzion, Medard; Trinh-Duc, Dupuy; Barcella, Servat, Marconnet, Chabal, Millo-Chluski, Dusautoir, Ouedraogo, Bonnaire.
Replacements: David for Jauzion (63), Parra for Dupuy (59), Szarzewski for Servat (47), Mas for Marconnet (51), Nallet for Chabal (52), Puricelli for Ouedraogo (63), Heymans (for Clerc 77).
New Zealand: Muliaina; Jane, C Smith, Nonu, Sivivatu; Carter, Cowan; Woodcock, Hore, Tialata, Thorn, Donnelly, Kaino, McCaw, Read.
Replacements: McAlister for Nonu (71), Donald for Carter (77), Ellis for Cowan (75), Flynn for Hore (74), Boric for Tialata (65), Franks for Thorn (65).
Not Used: Latimer.
Att: 60,000
Ref: Alan Rolland (Ireland).