Black Ferns lock Eloise Blackwell admits they didn't cope well under French pressure in the first half of the first rugby Test in Toulon this morning which they won 14-0.
Black Fern Eloise Blackwell. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The score was level at 0-0 at half time, but the New Zealanders scored two second half tries to lock Eloise Blackwell and wing Renee Wickliffe.
Kendra Cocksedge converted both tries.
In wet conditions both sides made numerous handling errors in the first half, while the New Zealanders struggled at scrum time and also had a player sin-binned.
However the Black Ferns managed to hold onto the ball in the second half, keeping it tight and dominating territory.
Blackwell said the plan to keep the ball in the forwards in the wet conditions eventually paid off.
"We had a lot of go forward, a lot of momentum when we kept it in the forwards and played our power game and it worked wonders for us and it really put them on the back foot and put them under the pump."
The second Test is in Grenoble next weekend.