The substitute French team ran them very close and scored a raft of tries. I think it’s fair to say the AB defense was pretty porous….with Jalibert ripping them apart several times. Jordan looked less dangerous back on the wing and the centers still don’t look like the answer. McKenzie looked like McKenzie.
To be frank they looked worse than the Razor teams with the defensive weaknesses in those teams highlighted by Wellington, still very much in evidence. One commentator said something like that, but was quickly contradicted. It was the rebirth of NZ rugby with myths and fireworks before the game
Where I saw some progress was in the ruck intensity, French fetchers were simply blown off the ball time and again. But this was disappointing overall. No new ideas, and except for young Love who made 2 fine breaks, no new talent of note. Is this Oupa coaching team really going to turn around NZ rugby?