Ma'a Nonu and Aaron Smith, who have both struggled for much of this year, were back near their best on Saturday night as the All Blacks won their first test of the year.
Nonu said it had not all gone to plan at the Highlanders this season but he wanted to play his best for his country.
''It has not been a great year, I would admit that. I have worked a lot harder this week in terms in being in this environment and I guess it is good to be in the All Blacks and you get all the help you need,'' Nonu said.
''Myself, Aaron [Smith], Ben Smith, Horey [Andrew Hore] and Tony Woodcock all want to put our hand forward and pretty much play as good as we can for this side. As far as this year goes, it has not been too flash and it is up for us to play to our best.''
Nonu showed plenty of thrust in midfield and was helped by Aaron Smith's rapid delivery, though at times the ball was slowed by a French side intent on disruption.
Aaron Smith said he was just pleased to be back in the environment of test rugby.
''I was very excited coming into this week, and just happy to be in the squad. Then getting named to start was a real opportunity to stamp my foot on the jersey again,'' he said.
''I was very happy how I went at times, though I still lacked control at times, too.
''The French are very unpredictable. One minute you have got them going back and then the ball is on the ground and you are 60m down the field.''
The halfback scored the first try of the season for the All Blacks, just after the half-hour mark, running on to ball from Highlanders team-mate Ben Smith, who had broken the French line of defence.
''I have played a lot of footy with them now and know to hang around them. I have seen Bender [Ben Smith] run that line a lot and he has finally looked inside and I got a bit of gravy there.
''I was very happy but I ran out of gas in that second time and had to look inside.''
He was heavily involved again just over five minutes later when Nonu broke through and passed to the halfback.
Smith ran to about 5m from the line before in passing to openside flanker Sam Cane, who went under the posts.
That gave the All Blacks a 17-10 lead at the break after the French had opened the scoring through a try to second five-eighth Wesley Fofana.
The second half rather ebbed and flowed and the French had their chances. They were hot on attack for a long period on the quarter-hour mark, and went very close before conceding a scrum penalty.
Then big No8 Louis Picamoles dropped the ball with the line open just after midway through the second half. If he had scored, the match would have been tied up.
Aaron Cruden sealed the game with a penalty with six minutes left.
Cruden was like most in the black jersey - good in patches but average in others in a game that never reached any heights.
Ben Smith was sound, as was skipper Kieran Read, while prop Wyatt Crockett improved as the game went on.
Picamoles, apart from his fumble, had a top game, and Fofana and his midfield partner, Florian Fritz, looked dangerous.
All Blacks v France
The scores
All Blacks 23
Aaron Smith, Sam Cane tries; Aaron Cruden 2 con, 3 pen.
France 13
Wesley Fofana try; Maxime Machenaud con, pen, Camille Lopez pen.
Halftime: All Blacks 17-10.
Crowd: 45,561.
