The 1994 France rugby union tour of Canada and New Zealand was a series of matches played in June and July 1994 in Canada and New Zealand by France. After an unexpected loss to Canada, France became the first Northern Hemisphere nation to win a test match series in New Zealand.
France also became the fifth team after the 1937 Springboks, 1949 Wallabies, 1971 British Lions and 1986 Wallabies to win a test series in New Zealand.
The 22–8 victory on 26 June was the biggest win by France over New Zealand up to then. In the second test, on 3 July, New Zealand led 20–16 with three minutes of the match remaining. As they tried to run down the clock, Philippe Saint-André started a move in his own 22 which, 65 seconds later, ended with Jean-Luc Sadourny crossing the New Zealand line to score what became known as l'essai du bout du monde (the try from the end of the world), giving them a 23–20 victory.[1] It was the first time a side from a northern hemisphere nation had won a test series against the All Blacks.[2]
BacksSebastien ViarsJean-Luc SadournyEmile NtamackPhilippe Saint-AndreLaurent LeflamandWilliam TechoueyresPhilippe SellaPhilippe CarbonneauYann DelaigueThierry LacroixChristophe DeylaudBenoit BellotPierre MontlaurGuy AccoceberryAlain Macabiau
ForwardsSylvain DispagneLeon LoppyXavier BlondMarc CecillonAbdelatif BenazziJean-Francois TordoPhilippe BenettonOlivier BrouzetOlivier RoumatOlivier MerleChristian CalifanoLaurent BenezechLaurent SeigneLouis ArmaryJean-Michel Gonzalez
Stephen Jones, ed. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. Headline. ISBN 0-7472-7816-4.