All Black fans might have been disappointed at the test result but the alarm bells would have really started to ring after listening to French coach Marc Lievremont after the game.
"Not everything was perfect tonight," he said.
"We still have work to do.
"I am looking for consistency and don't want us to fall back to mediocrity in the next game. We must raise our level of expectations."
This tour is really a test run for the French team before it comes back to New Zealand for the World Cup in 2011.
France finished runner-up to the All Blacks when the first World Cup was held in New Zealand in 1987.
"It is too far away to make any predictions," Lievremont said.
"But I expect the French team to be stronger in two years."
Lievremont will not be letting the French team rest on its laurels as it prepares for the second test at Wellington.
"It will be another intense week in preparation for us. The players know the type of work that is expected as we prepare for the game."
Lievremont has a big decision to make on how to integrate the players who have joined the team after the French club finals before he names the team for the second test.
"We will think about what they can bring to the team and look at our strategy. Everything is possible."
The coach was pleased with how the French played in the first 30 minutes of the test when they led 17-3.
"We were patient and showed discipline and managed to score points early," Lievremont said.
"We scored two quick tries but you have to show that intensity for 80 minutes in international rugby.
"Our possession of the ball was very good and we played away from our own goal line for most of the game."
Lievremont felt some apprehension when the All Blacks came back into the game and levelled at 17-17.
"We became a bit over-confident and started to make mistakes," he said.
