New Zealand defeat France 34-32 in thrilling Nations Championship opener
Will Jordan scored twice as New Zealand defeated France 34-32 to win a captivating nine-try thriller in the inaugural Nations Championship opener in Christchurch.
The prolific wing struck in the seventh and 71st minutes to secure a triumphant start to Dave Rennie’s tenure as head coach.
His crucial brace also moves the dynamic attacker within just two scores of Doug Howlett’s all-time record of 49 tries for the national side.
Roigard shines in attacking spectacle
Cam Roigard delivered an outstanding performance at scrum-half, crossing the whitewash twice for the southern hemisphere giants.
Back-row forward Peter Lakai was also on target during a high-octane encounter that showcased relentless attacking intent from both tier-one nations.
The reigning Six Nations champions ultimately fell agonisingly short of a rare victory on New Zealand soil despite a spirited and clinical fightback.
Depleted France denied by disallowed try
Damian Penaud, Antoine Hastoy, Theo Attissogbe and Matthieu Jalibert all scored for the visitors to keep the scoreboard pressure firmly applied.
However, the European heavyweights were notably missing the tactical influence of absent star names Antoine Dupont and Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
The touring side thought they had seized the momentum in the second half when Fabien Brau-Boirie touched down, but the effort was ruled out for a prior knock-on by Max Spring.
Next fixtures in the tournament
This newly launched competition continues next weekend as the global rugby calendar enters its second round of pivotal fixtures.
The All Blacks will remain on home soil to host Italy, while a bruised French squad must travel across the Tasman Sea to face Australia.