The start of 2018 saw France tour New Zealand for the first time since 2013. Despite a number of uncapped players in the squad, and without captain Kieran Read, Hansen led his side to a 3–0 series win and retained the Dave Gallaher Trophy for the fifth consecutive time. The series started with a convincing 52–11 win in Auckland, followed by a 26–13 win in Wellington, even with France down a man for 70 minutes after a controversial red card to fullback Benjamin Fall. The series ended in Dunedin, where the All Blacks with a much changed side from the first tests, ran out 49–14 victors. During the 2018 Rugby Championship, Hansen led his side to a 6th Championship title, winning five games. The only loss was to South Africa in the fourth round, 34–36, which saw South Africa record their first win against New Zealand in New Zealand since their 32–29 win in 2009. New Zealand then had the third bledisloe test against Australia where they won 37–20. They started off the Northern tour with a 69–31 win over Japan, they then sneaked past England in a 16–15 win. A week later they went to Dublin to face Ireland in a match they lost 9–16, an historic first win at home over the All Blacks in their history. The last match of the year for the All Blacks was against Italy, which the All Blacks won convincingly 66–3.