The Highlanders have made it two wins from as many matches for Kiwi Super Rugby teams over French opposition after they beat an invitational Barbarians side on Friday.
They put a scrappy first half performance behind him to surge to a 29-10 win at Rugby Park in Invercargill.
Surprisingly, it was French Barbarians who started the stronger of the two sides, asserting their physical dominance before registering the first points of the game through the boot of first-five and captain, Jean Marc Doussain with a penalty.
That was as good as it got though for the French however, as the Highlanders took control of the encounter through powerful set-piece play.
Loose forward James Lentjes was the beneficiary of one of many successful rolling mauls, crashing over for his team's first try to take a narrow two-point lead into the break.
Young fullback Josh McKay went over shortly after halftime after linking up with Elliot Dixon down the left wing, before Lima Sopoaga dotted down after a set-piece move from the scrum.
Just a few minutes later, replacement prop Greg Pleasants-Tate would crash over from a drive in similar fashion to Lentjes' try.
Centre Rob Thompson would score his side's fourth of the second half, before the French Barbarians finally crossed for their only try of the game through winger Hugo Bonneval after one of many Damian Penaud line-breaks.
Newshub.
