All Blacks Edge France in Christchurch Thriller to Open 2026

All Blacks

3 hours agoBy: Lynn McConnell

New competition, changed tactics, and a barnstorming opening game saw the All Blacks claim the first win of the Nations Championship, 34-32 over France in Christchurch on Saturday.

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Optimism was the buzzword before the Test for the All Blacks, and wing Will Jordan’s ability to be in the right place at the right time and score two tries highlighted that intent. That moved him, to second All Blacks all-time try scorer with 47 tries. Halfback Cam Roigard also scored two in a performance that required more of his passing ability than his kicking to meet the demands of the game plan.

France also put the ball through their hands much more than in recent seasons and were superbly led by halfback Maxime Lucu, whose combination with first five-eighths Matthieu Jalibert was outstanding while loose forwards Oscar Jegou and Marko Gazzotti were constantly testing the effectiveness of the home defences.

Both sides looked to move the ball as often as possible, making for an attractive game that required defensive sharpness from both sides. Chasing the game, as the All Blacks steadily built in the final quarter, France looked to more kicking and almost did enough to secure a win.

The All Blacks did suffer from some first-Test blues, especially in the first half, but the evidence was clear that this was a revitalised performance that required patience at times and saw ball skills secure the win.

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France strike early

France made an emphatic start, taking a quick lineout from a clearance by Roigard. Switching the ball wide, and then moving back, they created room for wing Damian Penaud to score 78 seconds after the start. But exacerbating the shock for the All Blacks was a yellow card for first five-eighths Ruben Love for his high tackle on France fullback Max Spring earlier in the movement.

New Zealand responded by working through its phase play, and taking advantage of two penalties to set five-metre lineouts. While they lost the second, France was penalised when captain and No8 Ardie Savea secured a turnover, took a tap penalty and ran to the line for the ball to be moved across field where a long pass from second five-eighths Jordie Barrett found wing Will Jordan who scored his 46th Test try, in the eighth minute.

Probing at every opportunity, the All Blacks fulfilled the pre-Test desire to play with the optimism to play from deep in their half. From a scrum inside their 22m area, they launched a thrilling breakout. An initial injection was provided by fullback Damian McKenzie, and once Roigard set up the ruck, the ball was moved quickly with centre Quinn Tupaea’s fast hands allowing flanker Peter Lakai and Caleb Clarke to break down the left flank with Clarke returning the ball for Lakai to run in the try in the 20th minute.

New Zealand looked to run the ball throughout the second quarter, though their lack of combination was evident when several promising situations foundered on forced passes not going to hand. But the pressure built on France, and just after prop Ethan de Groot was denied a try in the 38th minute, a penalty resulted in a lineout close to the line.

From the resulting maul, hooker Codie Taylor launched himself towards the goalposts. He was tackled, but Barrett was on hand to secure the ball, and when it dropped back Roigard raced into a wide gap to take the All Blacks to a 19-13 lead at the break.

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Roigard secures key lead at break

Jalibert’s class on a blindside play set up a 46th-minute try for replacement Antoine Hastoy, who was on hand to take an inside pass from wing Theo Attissogbe. But, in keeping with the play on the night, the All Blacks responded immediately, charging onto blindside plays where Barrett was twice prominent in set-up plays with Tupaea again making the right choice to link with Barrett, who put Roigard in for his second three minutes later.

For a moment, after 54 minutes, it appeared a high kick would produce a try for centre Fabien Brau-Boirie, but the TMO ruled a knock-on had occurred with the ball rebounding forward into Love’s head. From the ruck, the ball squirted out, and Brau-Boirie picked it up to race in for a try that was denied on replay.

However, five minutes later, they used the high ball again to get field position, but the All Blacks again conceded the ball, and the French moved it wide to Attissogbe, who ran in a try to get within one of New Zealand.

Bench makes impact for New Zealand

Calling on its bench, New Zealand made use of a French scrum infringement outside the All Blacks 22m area. Roigard put the ball well downfield to get a chance to build. France went to the high kick again, but New Zealand fielded it. The intensity of Love and replacement Billy Proctor in securing a counter-ruck turnover freed the ball to the backline. Another replacement, Wallace Sititi, was in the line and got the ball to flanker Luke Jacobson on the sideline. He found Jordan inside him to score and give the All Blacks a 70th-minute points buffer.

But after some powerful driving play from the French forwards in the All Blacks' 22, that man Jalibert ran an effective angle to crash over near the posts to give France a late chance with two minutes to play. However, the All Blacks secured the ball and ran the clock down to secure the win.