Analysis - While the highlight reels will be all about offloads, the All Blacks' 43-17 win was just as much about a masterful control of field position. Scott Robertson was certainly happy to highlight the kicking game in the post-match press conference, saying that his side had learned their lessons from last weekend's much tighter encounter in Dunedin.
"Yeah, we got a bit more of a balance," he said.
"We played our fullback in the middle of the field so we could put them in the corner, turn them around and put pressure on their set piece. The set piece went great again, that creates opportunities somewhere else when we turn them around and shut down their defensive shape."
Codie Taylor scores against France. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
It was noticeable early on that Beauden Barrett and Cam Roigard weren't content to simply hoof the ball skyward, although contestable kicking still played a big role. Robertson said that it wasn't just about going up and catching the ball either, with the sometimes messy situation after it bounced very much part of the plan.
"They (France) won everything in the first eight or so bounces of the ball last week," he said.
"So we were clear on our effort areas. We had to be better as a team and it showed, when the ball bounced we were on a few more than them and it made a massive difference."
Barrett, who also continued his good placekicking form with four conversions and a penalty, echoed his coach's sentiments.
"There's been a bit of chat around the high ball, but it's winning the scraps around it," he said.
Beauden Barrett. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
"Sometimes players don't actually go for the ball, they go for a tap back and create a mess, a bit of chaos. So we were working hard on that during the week. It's really important because we didn't win many of those battles last weekend."
Meanwhile, the message by stand in captain Ardie Savea before the game to "let the shackles off and be free" certainly inspired some attacking cohesion. Tupou Vaa'i finished off the best try of the night, with the lead-up work featuring four offloads in the tackle.
"We spoke during the week about wanting to front up," said Savea.
"I think the boys did really well tonight, we were ruthless in most parts of the game."
Jordie Barrett is tackled heavily against France. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
Robertson was pleased his side trusted themselves on attack, after several key chances went begging last weekend.
"It was good to see the referee making the calls and the flow of the game - keeping it fast…we were making sure we were trusting our skill set," he said.
It's fair to say this test played out the way many had presumed this series would, after French coach Fabien Galthié overhauled his side from Dunedin. However it is telling that his main kicking weapons - Nolann Le Garrec and Joris Segonds - retained their inside back positions but weren't allowed anywhere near the sort of territorial influence they had in the first test.
While the win clinched the Dave Gallaher Cup for the All Blacks, the final test in Hamilton next weekend is an interesting one. Galthié is now able to put together his best side to try and get one back.
"This is a series, we might have one two but the third is just as important to us."
Asked what he thought whether Galthié would be treating this as a major test match, Robertson had an even shorter answer:
"He will now."
