The Black Ferns showed clear intent to play expansive running rugby from the kickoff, spinning the ball out wide quickly but seeing the ball hit the deck and give France excellent field position with a scrum inside their attacking 22.
The Black Ferns lost only one test match in 2026. Photo / Photosport
The hosts had to jump in to assemble into their defensive structure quickly as France hurled bodies at the tryline, but disciplined play saw the Black Ferns repel these efforts and eventually hold the ball up, relieving the pressure.
Long passes out wide weren’t cutting it for the Black Ferns, particularly with so many handling errors, forcing New Zealand into making short but quick passes in the midfield.
They appeared to transfer into a basketball team with pop passes connecting deep in the French half and drawing defenders into the middle of the field, allowing Ruahei Demant to dink the ball out wide for Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a to ground the ball in the corner just after the 10th minute.
The quick pass formula worked again about seven minutes later, but the gaps opened up in midfield this time and allowed Braxton Sorensen McGee to burst through under the posts.
Her conversion brought her points tally for the season to 101, making her the Black Ferns record holder for most points in a season.
The Black Ferns would continue to find themselves in promising positions, but ill-discipline with their handling allowed France to stay in the game and march up the field.
Braxton Sorensen-McGee surpassed 100 points for the Black ferns this season by scoring against France. Photo / Photosport
France turned down multiple shots at goal to take lineouts and scrums in search of tries which were halted until the end of the half when Mailys Mailagi came through with a smart play to rip the ball off her own teammate as she was being held up over the line and ground for the visitors’ first points of the game and go into halftime down 12-7.
The break didn’t change either team’s play, with the All Blacks continuing to sabotage their own attacks through simple mistakes and France letting them off the hook by making their own errors.
A kick from France that went beyond the dead ball line sparked some life into the Black Ferns who were subsequently set up with a scrum on the halfway line.
New Zealand were finally able to let their backs loose who quickly advanced the team deep inside French territory.
A speculative pass from Chryss Viliko managed to reach Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a who grounded in the corner for her second try of the game and gave the Black Ferns a 10-point cushion.
New Zealand took advantage of their momentum to continue attacking aggressively down their right flank.
Waves of attack left France in disarray and conceding multiple offside penalties before Madi Robinson finally put them out of their misery and scored a try in front of a home town crowd.
Tuliau-Tua’a’s night wasn’t all roses as she was sent to the bin after a head collision just after the hour mark, which slowed the game down and allowed France to gain some momentum.
The Black Ferns secured a clean sweep against France in Christchurch. Photo / Photosport
However, falling to 14 players appeared to galvanise the Black Ferns who started to look for more contact in the midfield, using their power to force France backward.
Quick thinking from Amy du Plessis saw her fire a kick out wide to Demant about 10m out from the French tryline, where the No 10 calmly took the ball and handed it off to Mererangi Paul who skirted round the French defence and scored another try.
The forwards continued to ask questions of the France deep into the test match and Vici-Rose Green was able to benefit this time crossing again over on the Black Ferns’ right-hand side.
Black Ferns fans currently have just three matches to look forward to next year, but it will be worth the wait in the first Women’s British and Irish Lions tour.
Black Ferns 36 (Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a 2, Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Madi Robinson, Mererangi Paul, Vici-Rose Green tries; Braxton Sorensen-McGee 2, Hannah King cons)
France 7 (Mailys Mailagi try; Carla Arbez con)
HT: 12-7