The Nations Championship gets underway in Christchurch, with Dave Rennie beginning his All Blacks reign against a France side shorn of several front-line players but dangerous enough to test any team on the planet.
New Zealand v France (09:10 SAST)
New Zealand have not lost to France on home soil since 1994, winning all 10 matches since on their own turf. Their last three meetings were all All Blacks victories in last year’s series – 31-27 in Dunedin, 43-17 in Wellington and 29-19 in Hamilton.
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France’s most recent win over New Zealand came 30-29 in Paris in November 2024, a match that emphasised both sides’ quality and their capacity for extraordinary finishes.
New Zealand have selected a blend of experience and youth for this opener. Ruben Love starts at fly-half in his first All Blacks test, with Cam Roigard at nine and Ardie Savea, in his first match as full-year captain, leading the pack alongside Josh Lord and Sam Darry in the locks. Damian McKenzie covers the backfield with Will Jordan and Caleb Clarke on the wings.
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France arrive without Antoine Dupont, who has been withdrawn on injury and workload grounds, and without the players involved in the Top 14 final between Toulouse and Montpellier. But what remains is genuinely dangerous.
Matthieu Jalibert and Maxime Lucu form the half-back partnership, Damian Penaud and Yoram Moefana bring punch in the backs, and Marko Gazzotti starts at number eight. The Bordeaux-Begles spine gives France real continuity and creativity despite the absences.
However, their defensive record in the Six Nations – conceding 50 points at Murrayfield and 46 to England on the day they won the title – will give New Zealand’s attack significant encouragement.
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Pick: New Zealand (-3.5) @1.34
Secondary pick: Over 51.5 total points @1.45
Photo: REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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