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France 24
19-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
All Blacks survive France challenge to win third Test 29-19
The All Blacks took the lead for the first time with only 20 minutes remaining in Hamilton as the under-strength tourists faded in their last game of a long season, eventually conceding four tries to one. "Stoked with that," said All Blacks captain Ardie Savea, who conceded that his team had been in a battle. "The French turned up tonight. Proud of the boys as well in sticking it out in that first half and then the second half we brought it home." France's bigger forward pack and greater physical commitment helped them dominate the first half. The visitors led 10-0 early and then 19-10 on the stroke of half-time as a New Zealand side featuring 10 starting changes were forced into mistakes. "Around our breakdown and our ball carries they were getting success around that. As a leader, I was guilty of that too," admitted Savea. The hosts played with greater energy and largely dominated the second half, creating tries for forwards Du'Plessis Kirifi and Brodie McAlister, who were both making their first Test starts. "We sharpened that up in the second half and were able to build phases and build pressure. We converted it into points," added Savea. The victory sealed the series 3-0 against a touring team who were under-strength after coach Fabian Galthie chose to leave most of his first-choice players at home. "I'm really proud of the boys, the effort we put in today," said France lock Joshua Brennan. "It's a shame we lost but we played against a great All Black team and I'm just proud of the performance." France were highly competitive in the first Test which they lost 31-27 in Dunedin and in Hamilton, but they were well beaten 41-17 in the second Test in Wellington. 'We've evolved' "These last two weeks, the way we've evolved our rugby as well, I'm really proud," added Brennan. New Zealand have swept all five three-match series between the sides, also winning 3-0 in 1961, 1968, 2013 and 2018. France scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec crossed early for the first of his 16 points, darting down the blind side from a lineout drive. His conversion and a penalty goal put the visitors 10 points clear before All Blacks wing Will Jordan struck against the run of play, chasing down a clever kick from scrum-half Cortez Ratima to score his 42nd try in 44 Tests. France scored in threes for the remainder of the half, through two more Le Garrec penalties and a drop-goal by fly-half Antoine Hastoy. New Zealand closed to 19-17 when centre Anton Lienert-Brown slid across nearly three minutes after the half-time hooter had sounded, finishing a long phase of pressure. Le Garrec missed a penalty and Hastoy a drop-goal attempt during a tense, scoreless third quarter of the match. The home side edged ahead 22-19 when France failed to control a Damian McKenzie cross-kick and flanker Kirifi crossed for his first Test try. Kirifi had been promoted to the starting side just before kick-off when Luke Jacobson was ruled out with injury. Hooker McAlister had a moment to savour on debut off the bench when he supported a break by Jordie Barrett and ran 15 metres to score the final try to seal the match in the dying minutes. © 2025 AFP
Irish Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Teams learn not to poke the Kerry bear
As Armagh learnt to their cost on Sunday, a Kerry team with a point to prove is a dangerous beast. There had, writes Conor McManus, been indications that they were none too pleased with how they were being viewed going in to the game – so they went ahead and produced a performance as good as any by the county in recent years . All this after there had been nothing 'in the past 12 months to suggest that second half was coming'. The moral of the story? Don't rile them. Kerry march on, but the Dubs are out, so too Dessie Farrell after he announced that he was stepping down following their defeat by Tyrone. Seán Moran looks back on his reign, during which he faced no end of challenges, not least the slowing of the county's 'talent conveyor belt'. Two-pointers, you might assume, are deciding the bulk of 2025's provincial and All-Ireland championship games. Not so. 'From 61 games so far,' says Ciarán Kirk, ' only three would have ended in a different result if there was no two-point arc.' Still, they would well prove to be 'the difference maker' in the semi-finals and final. In rugby, it's a whole 23 years since Trevor Brennan began his Toulouse adventure, his son Joshua a baby when the family moved to France. Now? Gerry Thornley tells us that Joshua, who has increased in size quite a bit since then, is edging ever closer to a first French cap thanks to his form with, yes, Toulouse. READ MORE In his Whistleblower column, Owen Doyle turns his ire on crooked line out throws , a fair few of which he spotted in the Lions' games against Western Force last weekend. Just like his issue with how scrums are being officiated, the failure of referees to apply a basic law to lineouts is, quite frankly, wrecking his head. And Robert Kitson has the latest news from the Lions tour, ' the arranged marriage between Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell ' set for its first outing against Queensland Reds tomorrow. In tennis, Muireann Duffy brings us the story of James McCabe, the 21-year-old Australian son of a Walkinstown man and Filipino woman who will make his Wimbledon debut today after coming through the qualifiers. And in golf, Philip Reid reflects on Pádraig Harrington's second US Senior Open win in four years, and he also looks at Anna Foster's seamless move in to the professional ranks this season, the 23-year-old Dubliner currently warming up for this week's Irish Open at Carton House. TV Watch : It's day two at a steamy hot Wimbledon, BBC1 and BBC2 bringing coverage through the day. And at 8pm this evening, Real Madrid play Juventus in the last sixteen of the Club World Cup which shows, quite literally, no sign of ending (DAZN).
