Rugby: Sobering reminder of French potential

By WYNNE GRAY

LILLE - It took an injury-time penalty for the French Barbarians to beat the New Zealand Commemorative XV 23-21 at Lens yesterday, but the wonder was that the visitors managed to hold on that long.

After a solid first spell produced a slender 14-10 lead, New Zealand were blown away in the second half.

Only their defence, some favourable refereeing and French mistakes left the result in doubt until the last minute.

These were two sides who had never played a game, though New Zealand had the benefit of two weeks' preparation while the Barbarians met the night before to introduce themselves, have a meal and discuss some ideas.

Initially, New Zealand had some ball and showed the value of some training-ground moves to make inroads.

Tries came to Scott McLeod and Caleb Ralph, but the team also conceded one just short of the interval.

As the French got into the game and their pack began to retain the ball, they started to overpower the visitors.

"They were able to put a lot of pressure on the ball in the tackle and we were not able to get any fast ball," New Zealand coach Robbie Deans said.

"They were very physical at the breakdown. They didn't allow us to get going.

"We spilled too much ball and we were the authors of our own destiny in many ways."

If France needed a fillip, some inspiration to drive their national side into some controlled frenzy against the All Blacks this weekend after their motley work against the Wallabies, then the Barbarians delivered the message.

They smashed their way forward, using either side of rucks and mauls to get over the advantage line, while their backs regularly used inside switches to reconnect with their impressive loose forwards.

A rejigged scrum damaged New Zealand once Keven Mealamu and Chris Jack replaced Slade McFarland and Royce Willis.

There was also some lineout uncertainty as the French defence drove their opposites back.

New Zealand defended grimly and it took France 20 minutes to hit the lead when lock Sergei Sergueev was driven over from a rolling maul.

A Diego Dominguez conversion and penalty left New Zealand needing a converted try.

"There was a 20-minute period where the thing that concerned me was their heads dropped a wee bit and we were not in the game," Deans said.

"They did well to claw their way back into it."

Only a handful of times were New Zealand able to get out of their own territory.

From one raid off a tap penalty Rua Tipoki lost the ball with the line in his sights, but immediately afterwards, with fulltime only minutes away, he appeared to have redeemed his error.

Most of the 33,300 crowd - who finally made it into the Stade Bollaert after a motorway crash delayed many - and even Tipoki knew he had burgled the try. Referee David McHugh and his linesmen did not see him start off well in front of a kick from which he chased and scored.

"I pointed for the kick and set off, but ended up in no-man's land, about two metres in front of the kick, I suppose," Tipoki said.

The try and Ben Blair conversion gave New Zealand what appeared an improbable victory.

The Barbarians had botched at least three tries and they should also have earned a penalty try for an early tackle. Then replacement five-eighths David Aucagne missed a late drop goal.

But Aucagne's despair turned to glee when New Zealand prop Dave Hewett was penalised at a ruck and the five-eighths stroked home the 36m kick from a slight angle.

With defeat came injury problems. Tony Brown will struggle after his shoulder popped in and out several times during the rugged contest, and Orene Ai'i also damaged his shoulder.

This was the day when an inexperienced New Zealand side discovered how powerful French rugby can be.

The Sunday spinoff in Paris is now even more intriguing.

French Barbarians 23 (Filipo Toala, Sergei Sergueev tries; Diego Dominguez 2 pen, 2 con; David Aucagne pen) New Zealand A 21 (Scott McLeod, Caleb Ralph, Rua Tipoki tries; Ben Blair 3 con).