Rookie France playmaker Joris Segonds has opened up on the experience of taking on the All Blacks on Les Bleus\u2019 recent tour of New Zealand and said the step up to Test rugby was not so hard.<\/p>\n
The All Blacks sealed a 3-0 series triumph after notching victories in Dunedin, Wellington and Hamilton and Segonds was handed his Test debut in the first game before also wearing the number 10 jersey in the next encounter.<\/p>\n
The 28-year-old gave a good account of himself in the series and going head-to-head with two-time World Rugby Player of the Year Beauden Barrett in the first two matches was a definite highlight for the Bayonne star.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s evident that Beauden Barrett is class, and now that I\u2019ve faced him, I\u2019m even more convinced,\u201d Segonds<\/a> told Midi Olympique. \u201cPlaying at this level at 34 and after a 12-year Test career is something.<\/p>\n \u2018He\u2019ll have a nice place at my home\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI made a point of swapping my jersey with his after the first Test. I\u2019m going to frame it; he\u2019ll have a nice place at my home.\u201d<\/p>\n France<\/a> head coach Fabien Galthie received plenty of criticism after he left several of France\u2019s first choice players at home with most of them plying their trade with Top 14 finalists Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles.<\/p>\n Although Les Bleus failed to win a Test, facing the All Blacks<\/a> in New Zealand was a terrific experience for Segonds.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving played against the All Blacks multiplied the pleasure tenfold of playing my first Test matches,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first Test in Dunedin left us all with a taste of unfinished business, especially finishing within four points of the No.2-ranked side in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a test of character for all of us, and we rose to it.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite facing the men in black with an understrength Les Bleus team, Segonds revealed that the challenge of taking on the All Blacks boosted the resolve of France\u2019s players and they came close to causing an upset before eventually suffering a 31-27 loss.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore the first Test, most of the selected players had only been working together for two weeks. I joined them after the [Top 14] semi-final,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n