France 30-29 New Zealand: Les Bleus grind out thrilling victory over All Blacks in Autumn Nations Collection – Eurosport

France accomplished a rousing second-half comeback to safe a 3rd straight win over New Zealand with a breathless 30-29 Autumn Nations Collection victory on the Stade de France.

Tries from Peter Lakai (9′) and Cam Roigard (27′) helped the guests earn a deserved 17-10 lead on the break with debutant Romain Buros (32′) going over for France.

Nevertheless it was the French who turned the screw early within the second interval earlier than a passionate 82,000 sell-out crowd, with excellent scores from Paul Boudehent (44′) and Louis Bielle-Biarrey (51′) incomes Les Bleus an important 24-17 lead.

It was a bonus they’d not relinquish, with Thomas Ramos and Damian McKenzie buying and selling penalties till the tip of a frantic Check battle. The All Blacks suffered the primary defeat of their European tour by the narrowest of margins after wins towards England and Eire.

France return to the Stade de France to face Argentina on Friday night, with Scott Robertson’s All Blacks pressured to choose themselves up after this agonising loss earlier than visiting Turin to tackle Italy on Saturday.

France look to have gotten that slim 29-28 quarter-final defeat to South Africa within the World Cup in Paris a 12 months in the past out of their system with arguably their greatest efficiency since that loss.

After toiling on the line-out and scrum within the first half, Fabien Galthie’s recovered strongly and had been most likely price their victory over a buoyant All Blacks facet, who had been contemporary from late victories over England and Eire.

France suffered their solely defeat of final 12 months’s Six Nations to Eire, however may have severe ambitions of enhancing up their second-place end behind Andy Farrell’s males this season.

One other pulsating powerhouse efficiency from the All Blacks flanker, who struggled to include his disappointment on the finish after arising quick whereas additionally praising the house staff.

“We’re extraordinarily dissatisfied,” he advised TNT Sports activities. “We put ourselves proper in there to win the sport, however we made foolish errors and turned the ball over and a high quality facet will punish you, which they did. Fairly gutted.

“In fact, it’s important to credit score them. We felt like we had been in management and we had been fairly correct within the first half. Within the second half we simply allow them to into the sport. They utilized strain on us and we couldn’t deal with it. Though I’m extraordinarily dissatisfied, I’m additionally proud.”

27′ TRY! FRANCE 3-14 NEW ZEALAND So scientific from New Zealand as Cam Roigard cashes in from a unfastened piece of play on the scrum to steal the ball from Alldritt and switch to race over. Appeared like a France break on playing cards, however all of a sudden All Blacks are two scores clear with Beauden Barrett including the 2.

44′ TRY! FRANCE 17-17 NEW ZEALAND And this recreation is all of a sudden all degree early within the second half. Severe momentum shift in issues. A key line-out win 5 yards out and the maul sees Boudehent rating the attempt earlier than Ramos floats over the conversion. Recreation on certainly.

52′ TRY! FRANCE 24-17 NEW ZEALAND Effectively, the temper of this match is totally reworked as France all of a sudden storm forward on this contest. Vaa’i’s offload is nowhere and Bordeaux winger Bielle-Biarrey speeds onto the Ramos kick to present the house facet the lead earlier than Ramos converts. French crowd loving this!

73′ FRANCE HAVE A PENALTY! A excessive problem going towards New Zealand this time. Ofa Tu’ungafasi is the person within the dock and shakes his head. Over goes the three from Ramos to extend the result in 4.

75′ THIS MATCH IS HEADING FOR A CLOSE FINALE This time McKenzie drills over the penalty simply inside the house half after France had been penalised for foul play. French lead 30-29.

France: Buros 7, Villiere 7, Fickou 7, Moefana 7, Bielle-Biarrey 8, Ramos 7, Dupont 7, Gros 7, Mauvaka 7, Tatafu 7, Flament 7, Meafou 7, Boudehent 6, Roumat 6, Alldritt 6

New Zealand: Jordan 7, Reece 7, Ioane 7, J Barrett 7, Clarke 6, B Barrett 7, Roigard 7, Williams 7, Taylor 7, Lomax 7, S Barrett 7, Vaa’i 7, Finau 7, Savea 7, Sititi 7

France equalled their greatest profitable sequence of all time towards the All Blacks by profitable a 3rd straight Check match. They final managed the feat in 1994/95.