KEY POINTS:
Like many spectators, All Black hooker Anton Oliver struggled to stay enthusiastic during the 42-11 victory at Eden Park.
Oliver was a mentor for the day for new All Black prop John Schwalger, but as they sat in the grandstand he found his interest flagging as mistakes, scrum
resets and penalties littered the side's first hit-out against an under-prepared France.
"I think the scoreline flattered us in the end," Oliver said. "I think we dominated territory, played at the right end of the field but it was quite frustrating, as a partial sort of spectator, how both teams dropped the ball.
"It became a stop-start affair and I must admit that watching the scrums being reset over and over again - and I am supposed to like it - is really mundane and a danger for the game.
"It is probably something league has got over us in that it has far more of a continual feel about it."
The new scrum engagement commands had reduced the hit the All Blacks could produce but Oliver did not know whether the mass of resets was an aberration.
He could not tell what went on in some scrums, problems happened so quickly and the referee was somehow supposed to understand what was going on.
"He gets under pressure because he can feel the game is not moving and he has a perimeter of laws that he has to rule the game by and he can't go outside those."
But he thought Stu Dickinson had done " all right".
The French defence impressed Oliver. They fanned well across the field, they did not overcommit in rucks and mauls and their one-on-one tackling was solid.
"Their defence was really, really good, it was organised, it was structured. They know the All Blacks like to play with width and they countered that and managed to put pressure on. It was not bad for a team which met each other on the plane."
The senior All Black hooker sympathised with the French preparation, which he said was the worst he had encountered for an international. They were severely restricted in their selections and game plans in a buildup the All Blacks would never contemplate.
"Once they have got over all the stuff from this first test and say the All Blacks aren't whatever we thought they would be, I think they'll be good."
The game was the start of Oliver's final test year, a special time and one he spent tutoring Schwalger in some All Black traditions and practices.
"It was second nature for me but it was his first time. It was warming to see how much pride he took accepting his first test tie and it keeps reminding you of the special nature of what we do," said Oliver.
"I would like to think that given my own ups and downs I have never taken the jersey or the environment for granted."
