1 day later on Saturday, Me & Poppa went to Spriggens for the club rugby game between Pirates & Marist but Pirates won the game 39 - 30 (Although Marist were leading 20 - 8 at halftime before Pirates had even started the comeback trail) with Pirates captain Lasa Ulukuta getting the hat-trick by scoring 3 tries (I still know that I always have sushi & nut bar there), then several hours later when we arrived at Uncle Bryan's, we watched the All Blacks 1st test match of the year (With Kieran Read now taking over the Captaincy duties from the great Richie McCaw who is spending on his final month of his 6 month sabbatical + Englishman Wayne Barnes was the ref for that game) by taking on the Les Bleus of France (Although they had a Les Miserables season in the 6 Nations Championship) at Eden Park in a rematch of the 2011 Rugby World Cup final, but the match started (After both countries play their respective national anthems then the AB's always start the traditional Maori Haka before the game) when Wesley Fofana scored the 1st try of the game with Maxime Machenaud added the extras giving France the lead 7 - 0 until Cruden stepped to the mark by taking the penalty (But the score was now 7 - 3 at the time) then the moment of truth when little halfback Aaron Smith scored the AB's 1st try of 2013 (The All Blacks now lead 8 - 7 before Cruden landed a successful conversion which brings the score up to 10) before Machenaud added the 3 points (It was 10 apiece) after the AB's got penalised for being offside and charging down the French kick before another moment of truth when Sam Cane crossed over (Which brings the score to 15) thanks to the urgent assistance of Ma'a Nonu before Cruden able to convert the try which brings them back in the lead by 17 - 10 before halftime but after the 2nd half got underway, things got a bit awkward when New Zealand find themselves penalised for not able to release the French player before Camille Lopez (On test debut for Les Bleus) stepped right up to take the successful penalty shot (17 - 13, AB's lead) but several minutes later, Louis Picamoles got pinged as NZ award the penalty before Cruden able to land the 3 (All Blacks still have the lead 20 - 13) as well as Rene Ranger coming on from the bench immediately replacing Israel Dagg (With Ben Smith switching positions to fullback) before the All Blacks had their greatest attack plan by turning the ball over before Ma'a Nonu ran with the ball, passing it to Rene Ranger, running a few yards moments before Yoann Huget got wasted (BOOMFA!! Welcome back to the AB's party eh?) but Grant Nisbett thinks it was Fofana the try-scorer but wrong answer mon ami, it was Huget got smashed so rest in pieces dude by getting re-aRangered but France got pinged for ruck offence before Cruden nailed the big easy 3 pointer (23 - 13 the score) before Ben Afeaki gets his 1st All Black start, replacing Wyatt Crockett but the All Blacks start the year with a big bang theory by taking an victoire su'pair in the 1st rugby test over France with the final score of 23 points to 13 (I watched it again on Sunday in order to analyze my point of view status for the next game).
1 WEEK LATER
It was the similar situation at the club rugby where 3rd placed Pirates took on 4th placed Taihape as Pirates took the lead with that try scored by Clive Stowers then Pirates built on their clear lead at half time, accumulated despite playing a man down due to a yellow card in the opening stanza but captain Lasa Ulukuta scored a double, instead of a hat-trick from last week but skyrockets clear in the season's MVP points standings, ahead of Border's mercurial fullback Fraser Middleton.
NEK MINNIT (ACTUALLY, A FEW HOURS LATER)
And by the way, it also a similar situation when we decided to head back to Uncle Bryan's for the 2nd test between the same teams at a different venue (Which is AMI Stadium Addington, located in Christchurch)
Now then, the match began when 3 minutes later (This was the 500th test match ever for the New Zealand All Blacks in their 110th year back in 1903 when the 1st test match for the New Zealand rugby team was played under the All Black name as well as Kieran Read's 50th test game but only his 3rd game as captain), Julian Savea juggled over for the 1st try of the game (That score was 5 - 0) despite the Irish referee Alain Rolland made clear indication for both the knock on by Sam Cane and offside but the TMO said that there was no clear indication by telling Rolland to award the try and after that, Aaron Cruden had a successful conversion (Although Cruden had missed several kicks last week but he only missed one during the match) but several minutes later, from the counter, the All Blacks launch down field over 80 metres with Kieran Read swatted aside tacklers in a 50-metre run upfield + The French get penalised at the breakdown and Cruden extends the lead to 10 points before halftime so let's see how the match unfolds in the 2nd test where the All Blacks attempt to defend the Dave Gallaher Trophy crown:
40TH MINUTE: 2nd half start, Maxime Medard off the field replaced by Brice Dulin for France
48TH MINUTE: WOW! Excellent try from Ben Smith, Aaron Cruden measuring the successful conversion in the 49th minute after frustration resulted in a dropped goal attempt that was charged down. New Zealand surged with second five-eighth Ma'a Nonu leading the way before wing Julian Savea charged onto the ball at full speed to break the defence and feed Ben Smith for the try.
54TH MINUTE: Cruden takes successful penalty after France were caught penalized (20 - 0).
10 MINUTES LATER: France again being caught penalized so Cruden was able to take another penalty (23 - 0)
68TH MINUTE: What a moment, Jeremy Thrush on for his All Black debut replacing Sam Whitelock (Who thought he wasn't even playing due to a broken finger but decided to play despite receiving an injury during a Super Rugby game) but received internal bleeding to his big head after incorrectly entering a maul.
75TH MINUTE: Beauden Barrett on for try scorer Ben Smith.
NEK MINNIT: AND another perfect try scored none other than Barrett (28 - 0) after the French ended with the All Blacks running turnover ball from their own goal line. A long range pass from Cruden, almost impossibly, found replacement wing Rene Ranger, who bumped off a defender then linked with Conrad Smith, who kicked ahead and the ball bounced for Cruden; the fly-half flicked a backhander to replacement Beauden Barrett, who raced in for the try before Aaron Cruden able to land the extras to make it 30 - 0.
80TH MINUTE: End of 2nd half as the game is over, the All Blacks, have done it, beating France by 30 points but for the 1st time ever, the 30 - 0 scoreline that France had failed to score points against New Zealand, and yeah, the greatest game of all that I have ever seen in my life compared to the AB's victories against Ireland 60 - 0 & Australia 22 - 0 last year.
So that was the story about my 22nd birthday experience as well as the 2nd installment of the All Blacks stories series (The 1st one was Theory of a Wallaby Roadkill & now, Clash of the French Flair Titans).
P.S. (SPOILER ALERT GENTLEMEN!!! DON'T YOU WORRY!!) Hey, but wait, there is more, I haven't finished that 3rd & final part of the All Blacks Stories 2 about the All Blacks getting a clean sweep in the French tour test series:
BEFORE THE START OF THE MATCH: Both teams play their national anthems before the All Blacks unleash the Kapa O Pango haka to the French, and it's...KICK OFF!! And Remi Tales gets the match underway before Dan Carter's kick had been charged down and France firmly on attack deep in NZ 22 but excellent start from France chasing through a chip kick from Tales but...Called offside but Fritz and Fofana have been called because it was that wrong decision.
SUBSTITUTION: Yoann Huget off after contact in early France attack. Replaced by Mathieu Bastareaud, Meanwhile France have edged out New Zealand, To say the least, Huget will no longer have Rene Ranger nightmares but ex All Black turned rugby commentator Justin Marshall says that there is plenty of brutality early in this game but great half-break by Bastareaud, He is a monster of a player, slips nice pace to winger and France firmly on attack through phases before when Grant Nisbett had something to say like plenty of spirit in the French team.
8TH MINUTE: Right in the pocket of Florian Fritz with a drop goal success puts France into the early lead 3 - 0 but Huget's back on field, well sorry, The sub noted earlier was in fact a blood bin, so the man with the busted nose may still be Rearrangered, but super break from France through Marc Andreu, barnstorming defence from All Blacks defuses danger as well as Ben Smith lighting in chasing the clearing kick there, but thoughts France bombed the chances meanwhile stand-in skipper Kieran Read and Conrad Smith made huge tackles and now NZ on the hard attack in France 22 but uh-oh, something is wrong for Les Bleus, Yoann Maestri penalised for a lineout offence, chance for the All Blacks to level ledger.
15TH MINUTE: Hard angle for Dan Carter is no worry over the black dot, New Zealand draw level @ 3 - 3, but at the restart, Israel Dagg clears to NZ 10 metre line, France got the better of that game of forceback as France midfield looking good. Remi Tales makes good break but Ma'a Nonu makes the most desperate of ankle tap tackles but it's a penalty when Owen Franks got penalised by Nigel Owens on NZ tighthead before Jean-Marc Doussain drags the penalty shot attempt very badly. Great counter attack to NZ after France miss the touchline. Dagg and Ben Smith but Smith is electric meanwhile France should have chased kick harder but France get pinged for it before Dan Carter's penalty attempt fails from 38 metres right of posts but hits the right post (Score remains at 3 - 3), Are you kidding me like Stuart Hogg in disguise? Although the All Blacks penalised again in the scrum. France win the hit and Wyatt Crockett folds, so that is 3 scrums & 3 penalties before Doussain slices to left of uprights with a wobbly kick, Fofana knocks it on, Remi Tales very good for France, 4th scrum & penalty, this time went to Thomas Domingo but it's 2 - 2 in scrum penalties before Dan Carter clears to France 22, NZ win lineout and play phases east west on 22.
20 MINUTES LATER: WOW! Wonderful try to Ben SMITH!! (The score is now 8 points to 3) He was in the corner with a sliding dive thanks to both Carter & Dagg combine with lovely passes to put winger in space & Ben Smith wonderfully well to beat both French defenders Tales and Brice Dulin but Carter misses conversion by pushing the kick past left post from right touchline before NZ got pinged by awarding the penalty to France as Jean-Marc Doussain shot attempt successful from in front off the post (Score now: 8 to 6), and a Fantastic break from NZ through Ma'a Nonu but is it a try or no try for Conrad Smith? TMO, but awww no way! it is a no try. Conrad Smith loses the ball forward in the act of going over the line. Scrum five meters to France but Scrum again because there is no sign of a penalty, But a reset. Oh dear! And France kick the ball into touch on the siren as the All Blacks still lead 8 - 6 so let's see how the match unfolds from my point of view:
Second half under way from Dan Carter. Where does HT go?
Justin Marshall suggests in commentary that All Blacks are running better angles.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Tony Woodcock on for Wyatt Crockett. Tawera Kerr-Barlow on for Piri Weepu
PENALTY: Sam Cane pinged for high tackle.
PENALTY KICK: Jean-Marc Doussain successful - again off the post. New Zealand 8-9 France (45 minutes)
New Zealand now lead 11 - 9 after a penalty from Dan Carter.
PENALTY KICK: Woeful miss from Dan Carter. Pulled badly from the midlle of the field. Hit the ground first. New Zealand 11 - 9 France (45 minutes) Calls for Aaron Cruden?
PENALTY: France penalised for going off their feet in the ruck although Ranger, Dagg and Ben Smith combining well.
PENALTY KICK: Dan Carter from just over 22 on right flank New Zealand 14 - 9 France (49 minutes).
SUBSTITUTIONS: Maxime Machenaud on for Jean-Marc Doussain. Sebastien Vahaamahina on for Alexandre Flanquart.
SUBSTITUTION: Keven Mealamu on for the Naki man Andrew Hore.
ANOTHER SUBSTITUTION (HMM, NOT ANOTHER DISEMBOWELMENT): Mathieu Bastareaud on for Florian Fritz. He made an impact as blood-bin replacement earlier for Yoann Huget.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Dimitri Szarzewski, Eddy Ben Arous, Luc Ducalcon on for Thomas Domingo, Benjamin Kayser, Nicolas Mas. It is a new front row to and fro.
New Zealand make gains on right flanks, Rene Ranger again. A massive loss he is going to be, Ranger looking dangerous every damn time he runs with a ball in hand but Bastareaud might be the mother of all the biggest centres they have ever seen.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Steven Luatua on All Black debut, replacing Victor Vito while Camille Lopez on for Remi Tales.
PENALTY: Uh-oh! What have we got there, a referee has pulled the game up to check alleged an headbutt by saying whether there is Yellow or more, and it is a YELLOW CARD!!!: Maestri was the culprit as France is down to 14 men.
PENALTY KICK: Daniel Carter lands the subsequent points. New Zealand 17 - 9 (72 minutes) Just hoping for debutant Charles Piutau now as he comes on replacing Ranger (He is off to France playing for Montpellier) & fellow newcomer Matt Todd, on for Sam Cane but France is responding to a change of players as South African born Antonie Claassen, replaced by Bernard le Roux (Also from SA), as New Zeland hard on attack through phases on France 22.
SUBSTITUTION: Oh what a night for Beauden Barrett as he comes on for Ma'a Nonu, biggest cheer of the night for a Local boy, Huh?
TRY TIME ALL BLACKS!! (22 - 9): Slick move set through the backs all the way to Ben Smith as he Kicks ahead and Barrett grabs ball and slides over, Beauden Barrett has some icing on the pain cake night in front of home crowd as Dan Carter converts (BALLS OF STEEL, BABY! You are the best).
AND IT IS (WAIT FOR IT, STOP)...FULL TIME! (AB'S WIN, 24 - 9): The All Blacks take victory and the test series clean sweep after the siren had sounded but failed to reach expectations that seemed likely early (Compared to the 2nd test), but New Zealand happy to have swept France, but that's a wrap ladies & gentleman, good to have our company, goodbye from us (Oh wait? Nek minnit, The British & Irish Lions have drawn 1st blood against the Wallabies by 2 points in the 3 match Lions Tour test series at Brisbane (The final score was 23 - 21 which featured former league & Aussie rules player Israel Folau on debut for the Walllabies scoring 2 tries as well as recieving the man of the match award) after Kurtley Beale attempted to steal the victory but he missed the kick after slipping over during the last kick of the match (OH MAN! OMG!! Now that Beale has indeed got the BALLS OF FAIL! LOL) + some casualties from Australia as Wallaby newcomer Christian Leali'fano got knocked out as well as Berrick Barnes & Pat McCabe (Although McCabe is out of the season due to an injury that he cannot play until next year) have succumbed to their injuries being struck but Australia have to regroup to level the test series in Melbourne).
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