1979 France rugby union tour of Fiji and New Zealand

The 1979 France rugby union tour of Fiji New Zealand was a series of ten matches played in June and July 1979 by the France national rugby union team in Fiji, New Zealand and Tahiti. The team won seven matches and lost three, including defeats to provincial teams Waikato and Southland. They drew their two-match test series against New Zealand national rugby union team, losing the first test but winning the second. The victory in the second test was France's first away victory against New Zealand, gained at the eighth attempt.

Contents

Results

Scores and results list France's points tally first.
Date Opponent Location Result Score
Match 1 June 16 Fiji Buckhurst Park, Suva Won 13–4
Match 2 June 20 Marlborough Lansdowne Park, Blenheim Won 35–15
Match 3 June 23 Waikato Rugby Park, Hamilton Lost 15–18
Match 4 June 27 North Auckland Okara Park, Whangarei Won 16–3
Match 5 June 30 Wellington Athletic Park, Wellington Won 14–9
Match 6 July 3 Hawke's Bay McLean Park, Napier Won 31–13
Match 7 July 7 NEW ZEALAND Lancaster Park, Christchurch Lost 9–23
Match 8 July 10 Southland Rugby Park, Invercargill Lost 11–12
Match 9 July 14 NEW ZEALAND Eden Park, Auckland Won 24–19
Match 10 July 16 Tahiti [[]], Papeete Won 92–12

Test Matches

First Test

July 7, 1979
New Zealand  23 – 9  France Lancaster Park, Christchurch
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: John West (IFRU)
B. Wilson (11 – 3pg, 1c)
Wilson (4 - 1t)
Donaldson (4 - 1t)
Watts (4 - 1t)
(4 - 1t) Mesny
(3 - 1dg) Caussade
(2 - 1c) Aguirre

NEW ZEALAND: Bevan Wilson, Stu Wilson, Bruce Robertson, Lyn Jaffray, Murray Watts, Murray Taylor, Mark Donaldson, Brad Johnstone, Andy Dalton (c), Gary Knight, Frank Oliver (rep Wayne Graham), Andy Haden, Lester Rutledge, Gary Seear, Graham Mourie (c)

FRANCE: Jean-Michel Aguirre, Frédéric Costes, Didier Codorniou, Patrick Mesny, Jean-Luc Averous, Alain Caussade, Yves Laffarge, Robert Paparemborde, Philippe Dintrans, Christian Colomine, François Haget, Patrick Salas, Jean-Pierre Rives (c), Christian Beguerie, Jean-Luc Joinel.

Second Test

July 14, 1979
New Zealand  19 – 24  France Eden Park, Auckland
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: John West (IFRU)
B. Wilson (11 – 3pg, 1c)
S. Wilson (4 - 1t)
Mourie (4 - 1t)
(9 - 1t, 1c, 1dg) Caussade
(4 - 1t) Gallion
(4 - 1t) Averous
(4 - 1t) Codorniou
(3 - 1pg) Aguirre

NEW ZEALAND: Bevan Wilson, Stu Wilson, Bruce Robertson, Lyn Jaffray, Murray Watts, Murray Taylor, Mark Donaldson, Brad Johnstone, Andy Dalton (c), Gary Knight, Frank Oliver (rep Wayne Graham), Andy Haden, Lester Rutledge, Gary Seear, Graham Mourie (c)

FRANCE: Jean-Michel Aguirre, Frédéric Costes, Didier Codorniou, Patrick Mesny, Jean-Luc Averous, Alain Caussade, Jerome Gallion, Robert Paparemborde, Philippe Dintrans, Daniel Dubroca, François Haget, Alain Maleg, Jean-Pierre Rives (c), Christian Beguerie, Jean-Luc Joinel.

Touring party

Full Backs

Three-Quarters

Half-Backs

Forwards

References