Du'Plessis Kirifi scores the go-ahead try against France, on Saturday night. Photo: Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
France opened the scoring, with halfback Nolann Le Garrec diving over from close range, after a lineout drive near the All Blacks tryline.
They extended their lead to 10-0 with a penalty goal midway through the first half, but the All Blacks struck back almost immediately, with halfback Cortez Ratima kicking into space and wing Will Jordan winning the race to the ball to score next to the posts.
Du'Plessis Kirifi after scoring a try. Photo: Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
The try was converted, reducing France's lead to 10-7, but the tourists snapped a drop goal to make it a six-point game.
The All Blacks were the next to score with a penalty goal, but the visitors soon restored their advantage with a penalty of their own, before kicking another to go ahead 19-10.
The hosts would score a controversial try to midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown well after the halftime hooter to cut France's lead to 19-17 at the break.
There looked to have been a clear forward pass in the lead-up to the try, but the referee and touch judges missed it, much to the annoyance of French fans at FMG Stadium
The first points of the second half weren't scored until the 58th minute, when All Blacks flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi dotted down for a try, after Sevu Reece stripped a French player of the ball in the in-goal area.
The All Blacks led for the first time, with the unconverted try putting them ahead 22-19 with 20 minutes to go.
They extended their lead to 29-19 with a converted try to debutant and reserve hooker Brodie McAlister, and the score wouldn't change from there, as the hosts claimed a scrappy victory at Kirikiroa.
See how it unfolded:
Team lists
All Blacks: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (vc), 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Ardie Savea (c), 8. Luke Jacobson, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Rieko Ioane, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Ruben Love.
Bench: 16. Brodie McAlister, 17. George Bower, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Dalton Papali'i, 20. Du'Plessis Kirifi, 21. Noah Hotham, 22. Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23. Will Jordan
France: 1. Baptiste Erdocio, 2. Pierre Bourgarit, 3. Rabah Slimani, 4. Hugo Auradou, 5. Matthias Halagahu, 6. Alexandre Fischer, 7. Joshua Brennan, 8. Mickaël Guillard, 9. Nolann Le Garrec, 10. Antoine Hastoy, 11. Gabin Villière, 12. Gaël Fickou (c), 13. Nicolas Depoortère, 14. Théo Attissogbé, 15. Léo Barré
Bench: 16. Gaëtan Barlot, 17. Paul Mallez, 18. Demba Bamba, 19. Romain Taofifénua, 20. Killian Tixeront, 21. Pierre Bochaton, 22. Thibault Daubagna, 23. Émilien Gailleton
