ABs, France all square in brief history in South

All Blacks first five Damian McKenzie scores one of his two tries against France in Dunedin in 2018. PHOTOS: ODT FILES

This will be just the third test between the All Blacks and France played in Dunedin. Hayden Meikle glances back at the other two clashes.

2009

France 27, All Blacks 22

The background: First test of the year in Dunedin, France the opposition, lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth about the tourists sending a depleted squad — all sounding a bit familiar? The All Blacks were tracking nicely as they rebuilt from the horrors of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and were riding a nine-gaming winning streak, having just completed a grand slam in the north. France had been beaten twice in the Six Nations and were forced to come to New Zealand minus several top players on club duty. They were expected to be cannon fodder, even if the All Blacks were missing Dan Carter and Richie McCaw. Mils Muliaina was captain from fullback.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry and captain Mils Muliaina share a light-hearted moment before the test against France in 2009.

The game: Merde! France tore up the script and really dominated this game at ye olde Carisbrook. They scored an early try through first five Francois Trinh-Duc from a Ma’a Nonu spill, and when rampaging No 8 Louis Picamoles set up a try to hooker William Servat, they were up 17-3. The All Blacks got back to level terms but another mistake allowed French fullback Maxime Medard to score a 70m intercept try. Warrior captain Thierry Dusautoir ensured the French held on for a famous win.

The ODT said: "The French were too strong at the breakdown, too efficient on attack and defence, and just too solid all round for a misfiring All Blacks outfit. The All Blacks were rusty. Lineouts apart, the All Black forward pack never dominated, and the scrum struggled to match a gallant French effort."

The aftermath: It was revealed Highlanders hero Adam Thomson, making a rare start at openside for the All Blacks, played much of the first test with a broken bone in his hand. He was scratched for six weeks. Tanerau Latimer replaced him for the second test, in Wellington. The All Blacks ground out a 14-10 win with lock Brad Thorn having one of his finest games. The All Blacks and France met again in Marseille in November 2009, and the result was one of the great All Blacks wins, 39-12.

Random All Black: Bryn Evans made his test debut off the bench but his second cap in Wellington a week later would be his last. He now works with the All Blacks as a lineout coach.

Bottles litter Carisbrook in front of the terraces after the test in 2009.

Random Frenchman: Halfback Julien Dupuy was on debut and would later cop a six-month ban for eye-gouging a player during a Heineken Cup game.

2018

All Blacks 49, France 14

The background: Unusually, the Dunedin test was the third and final in the series, World Rugby finally having brought in a formal June-July window involving a regular series of three-test tours by northern nations. The All Blacks had walloped the French 52-11 in the opening test at Eden Park, and wrapped up the series victory with a 26-13 triumph in the second in Wellington. This was the twilight time for a genuinely great All Black team that had won back-to-back World Cups. When they were good, they were still very, very good.

The game: The score suggests one-way traffic but it certainly was not that way in the first half. The All Blacks had to show a lot of patience as France, with nothing to lose, threw everything at them at Forsyth Barr Stadium. But when Damian McKenzie scored a try early in the second half, the floodgates opened, and the All Blacks scored 28 unanswered points. McKenzie finished with 24 points (two tries, seven conversions) and Rieko Ioane — on the wing — grabbed a hat-trick. Hometown hero and flanker Matt Todd also scored tries, while Scott Barrett announced himself as a world-class lock with a destructive display in the lineout and around the field. The Highlanders had five players in the starting XV and two more in the reserves.

French fullback Maxime Medard out-sprints All Blacks replacement Luke McAlister to score France’s winning try at Carisbrook in 2009.

The ODT said: "International rugby is not ‘getting on with it’. It is fast becoming a whinge fest. Coaches and players are going too far in pointing the finger at the referee."

The aftermath: Yes, the major focus after the Dunedin test was the refereeing. Irish whistleblower John Lacey copped some backlash — mostly from anonymous morons online, but still — for appearing to impede a French defender when McKenzie scored his first try. The whole series had featured issues around the officiating, prompting All Blacks coach Steve Hansen to urge World Rugby to clarify matters.

Random All Black: Jack Goodhue was seen as the next big thing but he never really kicked on to great things.

Random Frenchman: Camille Chat actually played quite a lot at hooker but he deserves a mention because earlier this year he parted ways with his club of 12 years, Racing 92, after turning up to training still a bit drunk from the night before.