Will Jordan scored two tries to secure a tense 500th Test victory for New Zealand, who desperately held off an energetic France side fielding eight debutants in the dying minutes to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
“Test footy,” explained Robertson about how a France squad that had been derided in New Zealand as a “B-team” almost caused a monumental upset.
“Any French team that’s on tour that’s written off… it’s going to put up a scrap and fight for everything,” he said. “(France) didn’t go away. It was a hell of a Test match.” Of the 42 players France brought on tour to New Zealand, 20 were uncapped.
The inexperience had some former players suggesting France would face a drubbing in Dunedin, and that they had disrespected the game by not bringing a stronger squad. But right from the start, France were sharp and took the game to the All Blacks.
New Zealand plans were upset in the first minute when wing Sevu Reece was dazed in a tackle and helped from the field with a head injury. It forced a reshuffle that clearly rattled the All Blacks as playmaker Damian McKenzie came off the bench to play fullback and No.15 Jordan moved to the right wing. The young French side took the lead from a penalty goal in the seventh minute and extended it to 10 points soon after when No.8 Mickael Guillard crossed next to the posts.
The home side’s response was swift. Jordan scored his first of the night on the end of a pinpoint Beauden Barrett cut-out pass. Tupou Vai’i gave New Zealand the lead for the first time moments later, crashing under the posts. When Jordie Barrett scored a try just before half-time, diving like a slip fielder to catch a Jordan pass on the right wing before finding his feet and plopping over, it seemed like the hosts might run away with the game.
But France, who had slotted another penalty, would not lie down and hit back almost immediately from the second-half kickoff.
Rieko Ioane, playing on the wing for the first time in four years, bobbled the restart, allowing France good territory and Gabin Villiere scored. All Blacks captain Scott Barrett gathered his team for an emergency pep talk having seen the lead cut to a whisker at 21-20.
“I think it was words of reassurance, really, that we were creating opportunities,” Barrett said.
“I think in those moments you can easily slip away and potentially get frustrated.
“It’s certainly a mental trap that we could fall into, but I was pleased with the way the boys hung in there, and I guess the French sort of hung in there as well.” Jordan scored his second of the match — his 40th Test try — to restore an eight-point advantage but again France wouldn’t give in.
Replacement Jacobus Van Tonder broke the All Blacks line and fell just short of the posts, allowing Cameron Woki to cross off the back.
France were reduced to 14 after try-scorer Villiere was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-down, but New Zealand could not capitalise on their numerical advantage. Billy Proctor and Jordan had tries disallowed for a knock-on and obstruction respectively, as the television match official drew loud boos from the capacity crowd.
A Beauden Barrett penalty extended the lead to 31-27 with six minutes remaining but France immediately gained territory as they searched for the winning try with the clock ticking down. A knock-on with 90 seconds remaining allowed the All Blacks to regain precious possession and they hung on to secure a hard-fought victory.