[cbloom]

Forward passes are common, and on Michalak's run there the NZ defense was in tatters. Certainly refs are not perfect, but I still just can't figure out why the IRB is appointing someone with only 1 year international experience and 6 test matches to such an important game. I'm pretty sure the majority of refs would not have given a yellow card to McAlister, in bigger games they tend to let the players decide the match.

The stats for NZ are just sick; aside from total domination in the lineout and scrum, they had 72% possession, 36 tackles to France's 172, crazy. Crazy bad luck with the injuries to both Carter and Evans; you have to think they would've taken a drop goal sooner near the end when they were closer.