Last updated 23:03, June 23 2018
PHOTOSPORT
Ben Smith, who returned to his favoured position of fullback for the test against France in Dunedin, scored a try during the 49-14 victory.
Ben Smith, who returned to his favoured position of fullback for the test against France in Dunedin, scored a try during the 49-14 victory.
Steve Hansen certainly got a decent pay-out in Dunedin.
The All Blacks coach has watched his share of race horses succeed on the track over the years, but it was the way his young thoroughbreds in black stampeded France at Forsyth Barr Stadium that pleased him most on Saturday night.
There was an experimental look to the match-day 23 Hansen rolled out for the third and final test, but by the time they had sealed the 49-14 win he knew there were some winning tickets worth retaining.
All Blacks midfielder Sonny Bill Williams left the field in the second half with a shoulder injury.
Blindside flanker Shannon Frizell and centre Jack Goodhue made their test debuts, Damian McKenzie earned his first run-on start at first five-eighth and Jackson Hemopo and Richie Mo'unga were blooded off the bench.
McKenzie, who was rewarded with the No 10 jersey because Beauden Barrett was concussed in the second test in Wellington, overcame a jittery start to embrace the job as the technician that runs the backline.
Blindside flanker Shannon Frizell had an impressive debut for the All Blacks, returning from the blood bin to make a big contribution during the 49-14 win over France in Dunedin.
"Damian answered a lot of questions that a lot the fans and the media were raising," Hansen said. "He showed that he is a very, very capable footballer at 10 and can drive a team around the park."
McKenzie scored 24 points, scoring two tries and kicking seven from seven off the tee.
The playmaker's game management improved as the minutes ticked by. He threw an intercept pass and kicked the ball dead, the latter error led to the French being rewarded with a scrum deep in the All Blacks' half and the visitors scored soon after with a try to replacement halfback Baptiste Serin.
The fact the French lost starting No 9 and captain Morgan Parra with injury early in the game was a disruption. So, too, was the fact that McKenzie was rewarded with a controversial try when ref John Lacey clearly blocked the path of Serin as he attempted to defend off a scrum in the danger zone.
The All Blacks scrambling defence in the opening minutes was outstanding. At one point they had to hold on for more than 20 phases, before the French finally coughed-up the ball.
"We asked ourselves to do a lot of it (defend), and I think there are a couple of lessons there," Hansen said. "In six minutes there was one scrum, I think, and all the rest of the time we were defending.
"We got the ball, and then we kicked it and didn't kick it out, and had to defend again."
The best player on the field was lock Scott Barrett. The lock made 17 tackles, and with his engine running so hot it allowed Hansen to bring captain Sam Whitelock off with about 11 minutes remaining.
Barrett has arguably been the best of the three talented brothers from Taranaki in this series, and proves that even when All Blacks lose a world-class player such as Brodie Retallick they can continue to thrive.
"Probably his best game in the jersey, I think," Hansen said in reference to Barrett. "He has been working hard on not trying to over-think things and just get out there and do it. Tonight he did that really, really well. He got rewards for it."
In August the All Blacks meet the Wallabies in the first Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney. Hansen could have all his power hitters back for that game: Kieran Read, Liam Squire, Beauden Barrett and Retallick could all be available.
Nepo Laulala is another who Hansen has not been able to pick for this series because of injury.
There is still work to do. But to watch a team loaded with fresh faces and new combinations complete a 3-0 clean-sweep of the French would have been immensely satisfying.
"The day we think we have arrived we are finished," he said.