NZ edges France

Rokocoko grabs hat trick in 12 minutes for 31-23 win

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- Wing Joe Rokocoko, in the No. 11 jersey made famous by Jonah Lomu, scored three tries Saturday as the All Blacks beat France 31-23 in a rugby union test match at Christchurch.

Playing only his third test and barely out of his teens, the Fijiian-born Rokocoko bid for stardom when he grabbed a hat trick of tries within 12 minutes in the game's first half.

Rokocoko, 20, made his test debut against England two weeks ago as the left-wing replacement for Lomu, the Tongan three-quarter whose rugby career has been stalled, possibly ended by a serious kidney ailment.

He went tryless against England but scored two tries in New Zealand's 55-3 win over Wales last weekend and now has five tries from three All Blacks appearances.

Rokocoko's second try was one of the best the All Blacks have scored in recent years. He burst onto an inside pass from flyhalf Carlos Spencer after a lineout close to the All Blacks 22 and, with a superbly-timed and angled run, broke open the defense on a 65-meter run to the line.

The Auckland Blues wing scored his first try after 14 minutes after a brilliant midfield break by No. 8 Jerry Collins. The All Blacks quickly recycled possession and Spencer fed Rokocoko near the left-wing corner.

His second try, converted by Daniel Carter, gave the All Blacks a 14-3 lead after 20 minutes and he scored again six minutes later.

After robust forward play and continuous possession, the All Blacks used quick hands and extra men to give Rokocoko a narrow gap out wide.

"It felt good," Rokocoko said. "The opportunities were there and I just took them. In the first half we got good go-forward and I was lucky to get the ball in the end.

"France were very physical and they were up in our faces from the first whistle to the last. They were very passionate but we expected that and we got it."

The rest of the All Blacks' points came from Carter's boot. After converting two of Rokocoko's three tries, the Canterbury inside center kicked four penalties to provide the New Zealand's only scoring in the second half.

France, which had been labeled a team of unknowns, provided much sterner opposition than had been expected. Though they failed to contain Rokocoko, their defense was otherwise stout and combative.

Their forwards embarrassed the All Blacks in lineouts, winning a steady supply of ball from New Zealand throws, and gave the Kiwis stiff and sometimes shuddering opposition in scrums.

France also produced two fine tries from continuous possession in general play. They scored their first in the 36th minute through prop Sylvain Marconnet and their second, nine minutes from fulltime, when New Zealand had been reduced to 14 men by the sin-binning of their captain Reuben Thorne.

Thorne said his dismissal, for punching, was "one of those things."

"It was a bit silly really," he said. "France played well and we certainly didn't underestimate them. They threw everything at us but fortunately we held out."

Marconnet claimed his second try in tests, running on to a well-timed in-pass from flyhalf Frederic Michalak to dot down under the posts. Michalak converted.

The second try fell to center Yannick Jauzion who weaved through a gap in midfield as the All Blacks were regrouping from Thorne's dismissal.

Michalak also kicked a penalty and provided the first points of the match with a field goal. Damien Traille kicked a long-range penalty with four minutes remaining as France closed within five points of the All Blacks.

"We knew it was going to be a very difficult match," said French captain Fabien Galthie. "I think the All Blacks had to win because they were the better team.

"I think we did get better and better but it was a pity that we allowed three tries in such a short time."

With Traille's goal, New Zealand seemed in peril of their sixth test loss to France in 11 matches, including in the semifinals of the 1999 World Cup.

But Carter, who missed only one shot at goal, made the match safe with a penalty on the dot of fulltime.

Scores:

NEW ZEALAND 31 (Joe Rokocoko 3 tries; Daniel Carter 2 conversions, 4 penalties) def. FRANCE 23 (Sylvain Marconnet, Yannick Jauzion tries; Frederic Michalak conversion, penalty, fieldgoal; Damien Traille penalty; Gerald Merceron conversion).

Teams:

New Zealand - 15-Mils Muliaina; 14-Doug Howlett, 13-Tana Umaga, 12-Daniel Carter, 11-Joe Rokocoko; 10-Carlos Spencer, 9-Steve Devine (20-Byron Kelleher, 61); 8-Jerry Collins (19-Marty Holah, 75), 7-Richie McCaw, 6-Reuben Thorne (captain), 5-Ali Williams (18-Brad Thorn, 55), 4-Chris Jack, 3-Greg Somerville, 2-Anton Oliver (16-Keven Mealamu, 54), 1-Dave Hewett (17-Kees Meeuws, 65).

France - 15-Clement Poitrenaud; 14-Aurellen Rougerie, 13-Yannick Jauzion, 12-Damien Traille, 11-Vincent Clerc; 10-Frederic Michalak (21-Gerald Merceron, 65), 9-Fabien Galthie (captain); 8-Elvis Vermeulen (20-Christian Labat, 53), 7-Patrick Tabacco, 6-Imanol Harinordoquy (19-Sebastien Chabal, 40), 5-Jerome Thion, 4-Lionel Nallet (18-David Auradou, 49), 3-Nicholas Mas (17-Pieter de Villiers, 11), 2-Yannick Bru, 1-Sylvain Marconnet.

Referee: Andre Watson (South Africa)

 

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Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.