The Maori All Blacks have gone down to the French Barbarians 15-19 in a sometimes fractious game at Bordeaux.
Photo: Photosport
The game had a controversial end with the Maori All Blacks, down 8-19, awarded a penalty try for a high tackle on replacement hooker Liam Polwart.
From a lineout close to the French line, Polwart tore down the sideline from a move which saw replacement flanker Jordan Manihera run around the front to take the ball and feed the hooker.
Polwart was halted just short of the line by prop Antoine Tichet and after a lengthy consultation with the TMO referee Shuhei Kubo of Japan changed his mind from a simple penalty to a penalty try, and yellow card for Tichet, saying if Polwart hadn't been tackled high he would have scored the try.
That got the Maori back to 15-19 down and with the French losing their best prop with nine minutes remaining the opportunity was their but in spite of getting deep into French territory, the home defensive spirit was too strong.
Indiscipline that marred the Maori performance almost from the outset of the game continued to let them down and it was the French who finished well on top. They contained the running threat of the Maori backs and there were few opportunities to extend the French defence.
Light rain caused handling problems for both sides throughout the game, but the French coped best, especially in the first half when the Maori All Blacks didn't help themselves with too many missed tackles eight of them to one by the French Barbarians.
The Maori had a slight dominance of possession and position but turnovers were high for both sides and the French were best organised to take advantage.
Scorers: French Barbarians 19 ( Baptiste Chouzenoux, Adrien Pelissie tries; Thomas Ramos pen; Romain N'tamack 2 pen) Maori All Blacks 15 (Sean Wainui, try, penalty try, ; Jackson Garden-Bachop pen). HT: 8-3
