France captain Guilhem Guirado has compared the All Blacks to cold-blooded killers after Saturday's 24-19 loss in Paris.
Les Bleus enjoyed more than 60 per cent first-half possession and all the territory at Stade de France, but struggled to provide cut-through against a tough All Blacks pack.
The world champions, despite being moments away from their summer holidays, then took advantage by scoring three sucker-punch tries to one.
The defeat marks the European side's second in three autumn Tests on home soil, having lost 25-23 to the Wallabies last weekend.
Guirado, who plies his trade alongside Kiwi playmaker Dan Carter at Toulon, said his side were slowly rebuilding after last year's disastrous World Cup quarter-final exit.
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On that day the All Blacks, with an in-form Julian Savea running riot, coasted to a 62-13 victory over the French.
Former Toulouse manager Guy Noves has since risen to the top coaching job, bringing back the side's traditional running rugby style, and the side had responded by adapting quickly to his methods.
"We feel like we're getting there, we have sort of each found our position in the group but lost two matches in a row and we know we are fighters," the 30-year-old Guirado said.
"They're a very good team, they've shown it again tonight, they're cold-blooded killers but sometimes we dominated them."
Noves agreed, saying his outfit had been found out by a ruthless rugby outfit.
He hoped that the experience gained from Saturday's Test would arm his side for a genuine crack at the southern hemisphere next time.
"We admire them, and we hope that we are going to get even closer to them and next time we are going to give them even more of a headache," Noves said.
