Black picture gets brighter as France provide sterner test

FRANCE were anything but dispirited after losing the second of two autumn Tests against New Zealand on home soil, taking consolation from the improvement shown after the seven-try drubbing in the first game.

The result was never in doubt in Paris on Saturday, the All Blacks coasting to a 23-11 win, with France’s sole opportunist try coming from an uncharacteristic mistake from New Zealand full-back Leon McDonald.

Last week, France were humbled 47-3 by an All Blacks side whose combination of ferocious defence and dangerous counter-attacking skills knitted together to put a one-dimensional home side to the sword.