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LAST UPDATE | 16 Nov 2024
FLY-HALF THOMAS Ramos kicked 15 points to help France beat New Zealand 30-29 in a thrilling encounter in Paris on Saturday.
Romain Buros, Paul Boudehent and Louis Bielle-Biarrey were the hosts’ try-scorers as they claimed a third-straight win over the All Blacks.
Peter Lakai and Cam Roigard crossed for New Zealand before Damian McKenzie’s contributions with the boot set-up a nervy last half an hour.
France head coach Fabien Galthie recalled experienced centre Gael Fickou to the starting lineup in one of four changes from last Saturday’s easy win over Japan.
New Zealand boss Scott Robertson welcomed back fly-half Beauden Barrett and hooker Codie Taylor after the influential pair missed last week’s win over Ireland with injuries.
Before the game New Zealand captain Scott Barrett said his side lost the scrum battle with the French in their World Cup defeat 13 months ago.
On Saturday, the set-piece proved crucial in the opening score as the visitors were penalised and Les Bleus led 3-0 after seven minutes thanks to a Ramos shot at goal.
Robertson’s outfit reacted almost immediately to make it 7-3 as Lakai, a second-minute replacement, crashed over for his maiden Test try and Beauden Barrett slotted the extras after nine minutes.
The All Blacks had the upper hand after the opening quarter, profiting from a poor France lineout.
Their dominance paid off even further after half an hour as scrum-half Roigard celebrated his 24th birthday by intercepting a pass destined for opposite number Antoine Dupont after a scrum to stroll over.
With seven minutes of the first-half to play, France cut the score to 14-10 as full-back Buros crossed on his Test debut.
By the interval, New Zealand led 17-10 as Beauden Barrett added a penalty to his earlier two conversions with the visitors in control.
After the break, the tight one-pass play paid off for the hosts as they trundled up the field before flanker Boudehent found a way over from a rolling maul.
Ramos kicked the conversion to bring the sides level at 17-17.
Galthie had picked an extra forward on the bench by dropping fly-half Matthieu Jalibert from the matchday squad and after 47 minutes brought on four of them at once.
Three minutes later, it bore fruit, as France led for the first time in the game.
Winger Bielle-Biarrey dotted down after a Ramos grubber kick and with the Toulouse playmaker’s extras they were 24-17 up.
Despite the try, the game was far from over and with 17 minutes to go McKenzie kicked two penalties either side of a Ramos effort to make it 27-23.
McKenzie added a third penalty for 27-26 with 13 minutes to go and a tense final 10 minutes was set-up as Ramos and McKenzie once again traded shots at goal.
The All Blacks were camped in their own territory but their attack was held up and referee Nika Amashukeli blew the full-time whistle to send the majority of the 80,000-capacity crowd delirious.
Written by AFP and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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There’s tragedy in life like the death of a child .Things never get back to the way they were. RIP to all those who died. Unimaginable heartache for their families …
Thank you for changing the headline. Those four deaths are equally tragic and all four were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s unfair to think the family of the little girl is hurting more than the families of the three men. RIP to all of them.
Hi Theresa, it wasn’t intended for the three men to be ‘treated like they didn’t matter’. They were mentioned in the excerpt just below the original headline.
I know they were aoife but every death is tragic and should be treated equally. You mentioned them but didn’t feel their death was as tragic.
Hi Theresa, it’s incorrect to say I didn’t feel their death was as tragic. They were not in the headline but were in the subheading right under the headline, and also in the first line of the piece.
I understand your concern of course, and did change the headline, but it’s not fair to make an assumption about what I do or do not feel about these men’s deaths.
Why weren’t they in the headline? Can you explain your reason to give them a little mention?
relax Theresa, she has already clarified.
Sounds reminiscent of the incident in Scotland….
Four people died here so I don’t get the focus on one person. Your headline is off side.
Have you got kids Theresa because losing a 4 year old is cruel hence the headline focusing on the loss of the kids life who was really just beginning life, think before you comment would be my advice to you
Those three men might have children who are now without a father. Grief is not just for parents. I personally find the story one sided and the three men just added like they didn’t matter. It’s just how I see it.
Give it a rest will ya. There’s always one person who can manage to be offended by everything
Why are arguing about whose death is more tragic? Have a bit of compassion and think before you type.
RIP to the four people here, I hope and pray the grandmother recovers. My thoughts are with the families left behind :(
Horrific,I remember something similar happening on the long mile road many years ago when a container fell off a lorry.
How desperately sad for the families of the bereaved.
Theresa untwist your knickers
What were the ages of the men?
have your say