“We made stupid mistakes”
Captain and third row of the All Blacks, Ardie Savea did not mince his words after the match against the France team. Interviewed by RugbyPass, he shared his bitterness: “We put ourselves in a position to win this game, but we made stupid mistakes and lost balls. Against a team of the quality of France, that is unforgiving, and they took advantage of it. I'm really disappointed. »
A lucid observation, which reflects the frustration of a team accustomed to dominating but which saw its ambitions collapse against the incisive Blues.
A first half under control
However, everything started well for Scott Robertson's men. The All Blacks took the lead in the first half thanks to controlled possession and clinical execution. Savea summarizes: “We felt like we were in control of the game, being pretty precise in keeping the ball, dominating possession, getting penalties and scoring. » But the illusion of control quickly dissipated after the break.
The awakening of the Blues in the second half
Led by a Dupont/Ramos hinge in place and under the impetus of determined forwards, the Tricolores turned the tide in a Stade de France in turmoil. The pressure exerted by the XV of France undermined the All Blacks. “In the second half, they exerted a lot of pressure, and we were unable to respond,” Savea admits. The New Zealanders ended up giving in to the blue intensity.
A lesson to learn for the All Blacks
Despite the bitterness of this defeat, Savea was keen to praise the performance of his opponents: “It’s a credit to the French team, it’s a quality team. We will have to look in the mirror to understand where we might have put the nail in the coffin. » A praise which underlines the level of investment deployed by the Blues in this duel.
Despite the disappointment, the New Zealand third row remains proud of his teammates : “Although I am extremely disappointed, I am also very proud of the guys. We still have one game left next week. » A resilience that characterizes the All Black spirit, determined to move forward. They will face Italy this weekend and will be keen to end the tour and the year in style.
This defeat of the Kiwis against France is a new episode in a historic rivalry. It confirms the good form of the Blues against this opponent, and their desire to shine on the international scene until the ultimate objective in 2027. For French supporters, this match will remain a classic, hailed by the world press as the one of the best performances of the French XV against New Zealand.
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