All Blacks vs France takes: Rieko very rusty, France's MVP the TMO

The All Blacks survived a valiant showing from France to hold onto a 31-27 win in the first Test of the Lipovitan-D July Series in Dunedin.

A world class showing from Beauden Barrett proved pivotal, while a host of newbies got the taste of Test match rugby for the first time.

Here’s four hot takes from the first All Blacks-France Test.

Rusty Rieko

The move back to the left wing for Rieko Ioane did not prove to be a winner in Dunedin. The 28-year-old looked like a player who hadn’t played on the wing all year, which surprise, surprise, is exactly the case. The Blues centre looked less explosive and at times, lethargic out wide.

Jesse Kriel sings the praises of speeding duo

Jesse Kriel sings the praises of speeding duo

He left a dinky Beauden chip kick out to the winger in space to bounce when it was completely catchable on the full. The ball bounced over the sideline just outside the All Blacks’ 22. There were half breaks and one decent break early in the midfield where he failed to link up wide with a long pass.

All in all, it seemed like Leroy Carter or Caleb Clarke would have had more impact and based on that one game, it looks like Ioane is not a genuine left wing option anymore.

Player Carries

1

Ardie Savea

18

2

Damian McKenzie

17

3

Will Jordan

15

Vintage Beauden in top form

Beauden Barrett running the All Blacks’ attack was prime BB looking like his best ever self. Often a dominant running No.10, Barrett’s touches in attack on the All Blacks’ sweep plays were world class. He had a hand in no less than three of the All Blacks’ tries, directly assisting on two of them. The quick pop pass under pressure to Jordan exploding into the gap was exceptional. Will Jordan’s would-be third try that was scratched off also featured Barrett, who was deemed to have benefitted from obstruction.

What’s noticeable on ground is just how hard Barrett works to orchestrate the strike plays during phase play. In combination with McKenzie, the pair track long metres to disguise there intentions. They swing play late and the pieces fall into place at the last moment to confuse the defence.

Often criticised for goal kicking mishaps, Barrett’s goal kicking was critical in a game decided by four points. He kicked 100 per cent with many tough conversions from the sidelines. Those mattered. The 34-year-old is in vintage touch and shows no signs of slowing down. He is vital to the All Blacks.

All Blacks bench unit deserve credit

The All Blacks bench unit which included two debutants in Ollie Norris and Du’Plessis Kirifi deserve plenty of credit for coming up big when it counted.

Lacking experience the fresh legs held strong on France’s chance to win the game, with reserve midfielder Quinn Tupaea dislodging the ball in the tackle to force the key turnover. From the scrum, the All Blacks new front row put the screws on France and won a relieving penalty. From the lineout, they saw the clock wind down to end the game.

That’s what you need from the finishers in Test rugby. Execution under pressure and to deliver the basics when it matters. Last year the bench lost control in the final quarter in a number of the losses.

France still overrated

Credit to France for making the game a contest but let’s stop short of heaping glory on France’s second and third stringers.

This was an experimental All Black side with four debutants, multiple players out of their core positions, and plenty of players with less than 10 caps on the field. A rookie lock played 80 minutes, and a lock played blindside flanker for 80 minutes. One winger hasn’t played there for six years and the other was forced off the field 60 seconds in.

Former England flyhalf Andy Goode called it the first choice All Blacks side. Goode must have been on hallucinogens if that’s what he thought he was watching. Perhaps its credit to the newcomers if he thought they played up the standard of the first string side.

The @AllBlacks should be thanking Fabien Galthie for taking the shags on tour! The first choice New Zealand team only just beat @FranceRugby 3rd string! 😂

— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) July 5, 2025

Either way, France tackled all night and barely offered much at the other end. They were starved of territory and possession in the second half.

You could see the class of France’s best, the likes of Gabin Villiere and Mickaël Guillard but the TMO was basically their MVP, parachuting in to overrule three tries.

That aided France massively, as the time spent attacking to earn those tries went to waste and it created dead clock in the game.

The overruling in the first half was a 14-point swing, with France scoring two phases from the scrum after Roigard’s break and assist for Jordie Barrett was called back after referee Nic Berry ruled the ball went backward from prop Fletcher Newell on the phase before.

If the All Blacks do put their first string team on the field, there will be a much larger margin in the second and third Tests and Goode can rest easy.