Nobody in their right mind truly believed that France in their current state could summon up a performance to beat the All Blacks. This was the stuff of romance and there is nothing romantic about French rugby these days. But to see them humiliated like this was embarrassing.
With more than half an hour remaining, we were merely in the business of keeping count: nine tries tries in all and a couple of points shy of a record drubbing for a fixture that used to provide some riveting contests.
The least we expected from France was some anger, following their defeat by Ireland at the same stadium six days previously. But anger and frustration will only get you so far against a team as clinical and effective as these All Blacks. And as hungry. For all the crispness of their handling and precision of their running lines, their performance was marked by a ravenous appetite.
The Kiwis will supposedly take some pleasure from exorcising the ghosts of 2007. Steve Hansen and his coaching team will derive more pleasure from the finishing power of Julian Savea, who scored his fourth Test hat-trick and his second at this World Cup.
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If Hansen has any reservations, it will be that this non-contest provided poor preparation for a semi-final against South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.
Louis Picamoles offered resistance but the nature of that resistance — the defiance of one strong man — was the perfect metaphor for Philippe Saint-Andre’s reign of error.
Jerome Kaino made a statement with a shuddering hit on Yoann Maestri in the very first minute, and from there, New Zealand were irresistable
France did receive some comfort from Scott Spedding’s long-range penalty, which cancelled Carter’s earlier three-pointer. But the celebrations of the French supporters were cut short as Freddy Michalak made a nightmarish exit from World Cup rugby – first, he looked in horror as Brodie Retallick blocked his clearance and galloped away to score, then he went off with an injury.
Morgan Parra kicked a second penalty for France and briefly, New Zealand lost the run of themselves. To have any chance, France needed to capitalise on this looseness. Instead, Guilhem Guirado’s blockdown on Dan Carter backfired. Or rather, the Blacks counter-attacked with devastating precision.
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What initially cracked the French line was a beautiful combination by Nonu and Conrad Smith, playing their 60th match together. However, Milner-Skudder still had it all to do when he received Nonu’s pass. An electric step off his right foot and a sudden gear change left Brice Dulin flapping.
Five minutes later, Savea had a more straightforward run-in on the other wing — a try that was all to do with Carter’s genius. Imagine fending 17-stone Pascal Pape with your right hand while flicking a pass out the back with your left.
Briefly, Picamoles inspired the French with a surge out of defence and three phases later, the number eight showed his ox-like strength to carry three All Blacks over the try-line. The source of the score? A dropped pass by Bernard Le Roux and a fortunate bounce for the number eight.
Within three minutes, they had been put back in their box, this time by a combination of industry, skill and brute force. Ben Smith provided the hard work, chasing a Carter bomb and winning it from Picamoles near halfway. As the ball was spread left, Savea did well to accelerate onto Retallick’s pass and then did an uncanny Jonah Lomu impersonation to blast his way through attempted tackles by Noa Nakaitaci, Spedding and Raba Slimani.
That was four tries to one and France were facing complete and utter humiliation. Not surprisingly, they re-emerged for the second-half looking angry. Then they lost Picamoles to the sin-bin for brushing his fist against Richie McCaw’s jaw while the All Black lay on the floor.
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Having weathered a brief squall, New Zealand went back to work, sending Ben Smith down the right with some beautifully crisp passing by their forwards which ended with Beauden Barrett putting Kaino away.
Inevitably, France had another one of those periods in possession but when it all fell apart, Savea was sent on his way to complete his hat-trick with ease.
From there, it was merely a matter of recording the details. Tawera Kerr-Barlow came off the bench to score a couple of tries, Kieran Read jogged in for another.
Few countries can live with New Zealand on this form. France used to be one of them. How depressing that they have sunk so low.
Star man: Dan Carter
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New Zealand: Ben Smith (Kerr Barlow 65min); Milner-Skudder (Barrett h-t), C Smith (Williams 52min), Nonu, Savea; Carter, A Smith; Crockett (Moody 28min), Coles, Franks (Faumuina 51min), Retallick, Whitelock, Kaino (Vito 65min), McCaw, Read
France: Spedding; Nakaitaci, Dumoulin, Fofana, Dulin; Michalak (Tales 11min), Parra; Arous, Guirado (Szarzeeski 56min), Slimani, Pape (Nyanga 48min), Maestri, Dusautoir, Le Roux, Picamoles