• Switch Edition
Follow
On This Day / News
Magne hails New Zealand as best in the world
PA Sport
June 9, 2007

France tour captain Olivier Magne described New Zealand as "the best team in the world" after they completed a comprehensive 61-10 win over his side in Wellington.

The All Blacks ran in nine tries as they secured a record victory over Les Bleus at the Westpac Stadium.

Magne told Sky Sports: ``We're very disappointed to lose by so many points today, but it is all preparation for the World Cup and I hope we will be on time for this competition.

``They're the best team in the world and it's always very hard against them. You know you can't give anything when you play at this level.

``It's a very impressive team we played tonight.''

Counterpart Richie McCaw was delighted by the performance, which he considered a step up from the 42-11 first Test win in Auckland seven days previously.

``That was a heck of a lot better,'' he said. ``We put the acid on ourselves this week and we had to take a step up.

``Our performance tonight, I'm very happy with it. Our defence showed the right attitude right from the start and we fed off their mistakes, got the ball when we needed to and put them under pressure.

``That's what got us going and we kept it up for 80 [minutes].''

Live Scores
Results
Fixtures
The Crooked Feed looks at the recent Twitter spat between Toulon's Delon Armitage and outspoken former England and Lions hooker Brian Moore

The best CVs in the rugby world?

Toulon's Heineken Cup final victory over Clermont Auvergne may have ended a long title drought for the Top 14 club but two of their players are no strangers to success

Worcester turn to Carl Hogg?