All Blacks v France recap: Hamilton fightback sees New Zealand sweep test series
Relive the action from the final test of the series between the All Blacks and France in Hamilton.
Christopher Reive
Here are the evening's point scorers:
All Blacks 29 (Will Jordan, Anton Lienert-Brown, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Brodie McAlister tries; Damian McKenzie 3 cons, pen)
France 19 (Nolann Le Garrec try; Le Garrec con, 3 pens, Antoine Hastoy drop goal)
That will do it for tonight's blog. I'll leave you with the match report from Liam Napier in Hamilton. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and thanks for tuning in.
Christopher Reive
Scott Robertson, speaking to Sky Sport: "Those guys are going to be better for the experience...playing from behind for the majority of the test match and found out a lot about ourselves so they'll be better for that.
"They played 14 in the front and a really shallow fullback, and we didn't really expose it enough until the end. Noah [Hotham] came on and he's a plucky little halfback. He made some great little kicks, and even Will Jordan's try put us away. We could have probably tactically been better."
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The All Blacks have a few weeks off now before the beginning of the Rugby Championship.
Their next test will be on August 17 away to Argentina.
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Massive shift from the All Blacks locks tonight. Both Fabian Holland and Patrick Tuipulotu went 80 minutes and got through plenty of work. They took the second and third most carries, behind Ardie Savea, and both made double-digit tackles.
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Christopher Reive
Entertaining test, that one. France were terrific in the first half and deserved to take the lead into the break.
The All Blacks settled into their work in the second half though; Jordie Barrett making a huge impact off the bench and a couple of rookies getting their first test tries.
Fulltime
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The All Blacks have beaten France 29-19 and swept the series.
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The hosts are working forward slowly, but no need for anything special now.
Inside the final minute.
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They kick to touch an attack again inside French territory.
Hotham wears a good shot.
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Another scrum penalty for the hosts. The front row has been great tonight - both the starters and the reserves.
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Double knock on in contesting the restart - the first by France.
The All Blacks get the scrum feed inside their own half.
Conversion McKenzie
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The lead moves to 29-19 with a few minutes to play.
TRY Brodie McAlister
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Jordie Barrett breaks the line with a strong fend. He finds McAlister in support about 10m out. The hooker has work to do, but he commits to his slide about 5m out and slides over for his first test try.
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Drop out goes to McKenzie at halfway. Papali'i with a strong carry.
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Savea is held up. That's four now tonight. Great goal line defence.
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Strong carry from Barrett gets the hosts back inside the 22m. It takes a great legs tackle to bring him down.
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France defend well and drive the All Blacks back toward the 22
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7 minutes left to play. All Blacks lead by 3
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The All Blacks again find themselves plugging away about 10m fom the French line.
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Great kick from Hotham after the French restart.
Attissogbe can only kick it into touch inside his own 22.
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RUBEN LOVE LINES UP A DROP GOAL
But he misses to the right.
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The ball comes loose and France kick down to halfway.
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All Blacks bring the lineout down and Love takes them further into French territory.
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Tavatavanawai comes on for Lienert-Brown. Barrett moves from second-five to centre.
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Great clearance from Le Garrec, who finds touch just inside his own half.
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Hotham with a clever little kick, but Attissogbe does well and France can clear their line.
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Held up is the call. France will clear their line with a goal line drop out.
That's now three All Blacks who have been held up over the line.
Possible All Blacks try
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Dalton Papali'i carries strong and goes close. It looks to be held up, but they're going to check. My editor is convinced he got this down. We shall see.
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Hotham is out there now too
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Holland wins the throw uncontested. McAlister carries and goes to ground 5m out.
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They'll go for the corner again and McKenzie finds the line about 5m out.
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Penalty All Blacks from the scrum. Good shove.
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Papali'i comes on for Finau.
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Ratima with a little dart, and France knock on trying to get over the ball.
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Another shaky throw but McAlister gets it back. The All Blacks got on the attack inside the French half.
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France put the ball into touch around halfway after the All Blacks kick it after the scrum.
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Christopher Reive
France pinch the All Blacks lineout, but it's messy and Hastoy kicks into a teammate who was in front of him.
Accidental offside and an All Blacks scrum.
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McAlister with a poor throw at the lineout and France get it back, but Savea swoops over the breakdown.
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Huge defence from Jordie Barrett, who drags Émilien Gailleton over the sideline as the French back looked set to score.
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Ratima kicks clear after the restart. France take over on halfway and have an advantage.
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All Blacks lead 22-19 with about 20 minutes to play.
Conversion no good
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For the first time tonight, the All Blacks are ahead.
TRY Du'Plessis Kirifi
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Kirifi is rewarded for hustle there. McKenzie puts a kick in behind the defence and Reece rips it away from Barre. Kirifi is there to scoop up the loose ball for his first test try.
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They go quickly from the set piece
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Love kicks in behind the line, but it didn't look like Lienert-Brown was on the same page.
They had advantage though and have kicked to touch. They'll get a lineout about 10m out.
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The hosts win a contestable kick and are back on the attack.
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France win the lineout just beyond their 22 and kick deep into All Blacks territory.
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Penalty to France so they can kick clear and relieve the pressure from their line.
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55 minutes gone.
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A couple of good charges from Jordan and Tuipulotu, but the latter loses it about 3m from the line.
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The lineout drive is stopped and McAlister peels away.
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Jordie Barrett comes on for Quinn Tupaea.
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Penalty All Blacks. Gabin Villière pulled up for playing the halfback.
McKenzie kicks to touch and the All Blacks will set up their attack inside the French 22.
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Not a lot on offer here as the French stand their ground well.
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McKenzie kicks to touch and the All Blacks get to work about 30m out.
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All Blacks put a kick in, and Du'Plessis Kirifi gets over the ball at the ensuing breakdown to earn the penalty.
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McAlister's first throw in test rugby is successful, but the ball goes to ground as the All Blacks look to go wide.
France stab it in behind the line and the hosts have to scramble back.
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McKenzie finds touch about 35m from the French line.
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France lineout inside All Blacks territory. They bring it down and edge closer to the All Blacks' 22.
Savea gets over the ball and it's a penalty to the hosts.
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Ruben Love does well to take in a kick under pressure. The All Black s look to work down the blindside, but Finau is forced into touch.
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Brodie McAlister enters for his debut. Fletcher Newell comes on too. That's the full front row rotated now.
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Le Garrec misses for the first time tonight. McKenzie forces it and it's be a 22m drop out.
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France kick to touch and win the lineout, before putting a kick up into All Blacks territory.
McKenzie takes it, but Gabin Villière is there immediately and gets over the ball. Penalty to France.
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And the French win a scrum penalty; it's called against Bower.
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France defend well and Holland is kept up in the tackle.
France are able to keep him there as a maul is called and they'll get a scrum 5m from their own line.
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All Blacks working after the lineout here and putting pressure on. They're just 5m out.
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George Bower enters the game for Ethan de Groot.
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McKenzie stabs a kick in behind the French defence from the breakdown, and there's a good chase from Reece and Jordan.
France do enough to remain in possession, but can only scramble it into touch inside their own 22.
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Free kick to the All Blacks at the scrum. Savea taps and goes, making good ground as the All Blacks go over halfway.
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Love puts a long kick in. France bring it back up over halfway but it's knocked on after a contestable kick goes up. Gabin Villière again looking to knock it back.
All Blacks scrum just beyond their 22.
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Estoy has another drop goal attempt but just sprays it. I rate the intent.
We're underway again
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France kick-off and Gabin Villière slaps it back. The visitors get possession and can attack straight away.
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Christopher Reive
France deservedly go into the break with the lead. Halfback Nolann Le Garrec has probably been the standout player in the first half, while fullback Leo Barre has had some good moments too - though he did miss the first-up tackle on Lienert-Brown in the build-up to that late try.
For the All Blacks, Ethan de Groot has been very busy, as has Will Jordan.
Conversion McKenzie
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That'll be halftime too. The All Blacks trail 19-17.
TRY Anton Lienert-Brown
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He takes a good carry there and maybe it's local knowledge, maybe it's luck, but he slides over for the try.
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De Groot with another carry. He's been very busy tonight.
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All Blacks 5m out now.
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Jordan slings a long pass out to Reece, who goes well inside the French 22.
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Loves making good ground with ball in hand again.
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They're having a go, with some strong carries.
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Hastoy sends it downfield as the hooter sounds to end the half. Last chance in the opening 40 for the hosts now.
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It will be a goal line drop out with no clear evidence to overturn the decision.
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Ethan de Groot tries to force his way over from close range. It looks held up but we're going upstairs to check it.
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The lineout drive breaks up pretty quickly and Savea goes off the back. He's stopped short.
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Penalty to the All Blacks for a defender not rolling away. They'll go to the corner and try to close the gap.
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France are defending well and challenging the All Blacks' breakdown.
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The All Blacks are back in possession after the restart, working it up towards the French 22 again.
There have been plenty of changes made to the sides who contested last weekend’s test in Wellington as the series comes to an end in Hamilton tonight.
For the All Blacks, there are 10 personnel changes in the starting XV, with just Ethan de Groot, Patrick Tuipulotu, Fabian Holland, Ardie Savea and Will Jordan returning for tonight’s test.
Jordan was initially named on the bench, however a hamstring injury to Rieko Ioane has seen the versatile back called in to start on the right wing.
On the bench, two other new faces join the squad, with Brodie McAlister set for his test debut as cover at hooker and halfback Noah Hotham also named.
For the French, there are eight personnel changes in the run-on XV, while Joshua Brennan moves to blindside flanker after starting at lock last weekend.
All Blacks v France line-ups
All Blacks: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Ardie Savea (captain), 8. Luke Jacobson, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Sevu Reece, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Ruben Love.
Bench: 16. Brodie McAlister, 17. George Bower, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Dalton Papali’i, 20. Du Plessis Kirifi, 21. Noah Hotham, 22. Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23. Jordie Barrett.
France: 1. Baptiste Erdocio, 2. Pierre Bourgait, 3. Rabah Slimani, 4. Hugo Auradou, 5. Matthias Halagahu, 6. Alexandre Fischer, 7. Joshua Brennan, 8. Mickaël Guillard, 9. Nolann Le Garrec, 10. Atoine Hastoy, 11. Gabin Villière, 12. Gaël Fickou (captain), 13. Nicolas Depoortère, 14 Théo Attissogbé, 15. Léo Barré.
Bench: 16. Gaëtan Barlot, 17. Paul Mallez, 18. Demba Bamba, 19. Romain Taofifénua, 20. Killian Tixeront, 21. Pierre Bochaton, 22. Thibault Daubagna, 23. Émilien Gailleton.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.