adminPARIS -New Zealand held off a spirited France to continue their 100 percent record this year with a 26-19 victory at the Stade de France on Saturday. Charles Piutau scored one try and set up Kieran Read for a second while Brice Dulin went over for the hosts.Dan Carter kicked 14 points for the All Blacks with Morgan Parra matching him for the hosts.
France were knocking on the door in the final minutes with a series of scrums five yards out but couldn’t force their way over to potentially snatch a draw.
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen admitted it had been a real battle.
The rain abated before kick off but a wet week in the French capital meant conditions were far from ideal for free-flowing, attacking rugby.
New Zealand almost got off to a dream start as Ma’a Nonu broke the gainline.
The ball was recycled to the right and wing Cory Jane looked to have touched down in the corner just as he was bundled into touch.
It went to the video review which showed he’d got the ball down before his foot touched out of bounds, but at the last second he’d dropped the ball and the try was disallowed.
France were a changed outfit from recent abject performances and showed great willingness to run at the All Blacks.
Meanwhile, South Africa maintained their winning dominance over Wales on Saturday with a brutal 24-15 (half-time 17-12) victory based on a suffocating blanket defence and an unerring knack of doing the basics well.
The Springboks scored three tries through captain Jean de Villiers, Bismarck du Plessis and Fourie du Preez, flyhalf Morné Steyn bagging two conversions and a penalty, and Patrick Lambie also hitting a conversion.
Wales had just five Leigh Halfpenny penalties to their credit, meaning that under coach Warren Gatland, they have now lost 21 of their 22 Test matches against southern hemisphere giants New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, the exception a 21-18 win over Australia in 2008.
Their sole victory over South Africa, in 27 internationals stretching back 107 years, came back in 1999.
The match at the Millennium Stadium was one of attrition, notably in the first-half when a series of high-impact collisions saw Wales forced into three replacements and South Africa one.
But for all of Wales’ endeavour, they could not breach a Springbok line led superbly by lock Eben Etzebeth and hooker Du Plessis, the pair also instrumental in their side’s effective driving maul and disruptive lineout play.-Sport24.
Online Reporter