New Zealand v France - Teams and Prediction
PREVIEW, ROUND ONE: The Dave Rennie era begins against an old foe as One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch get its Test debut when New Zealand host France in the Nations Championship opener on Saturday.
Heading into the match, New Zealand will be slightly confident given their record over the French.
In 67 Tests between the two countries, New Zealand leads 51-15, with one drawn. The sides last met in 2025 in a three-Test series in New Zealand, with the All Blacks completing a clean sweep, 31-27 in Dunedin, 43-17 in Wellington and 29-19 in Hamilton.
Tasked with maintaining that record is new head coach Rennie.
The 62-year-old replaced fired coach Scott Robertson little more than a year out from the 2027 Rugby World Cup, after a poor two years in charge of New Zealand.
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Heading into the match he has promised “optimism”, saying the side will play fast and smart.
One of his first moves as coach was to appoint Ardie Savea the new permanent captain, replacing Scott Barrett.
“Optimism is a mindset around how do you score from here? If the opposition spill a ball, or we get an advantage five metres from our line, we’re thinking, how do we score from here,” Rennie said.
“Optimism is also around your work ethic.
“So, if we’re optimistic, we’ll get people back and into position quickly so we can play. It doesn’t mean we’re not going to kick. We’ll still kick a lot, but we want to kick on our terms.”
He added: “We know we will be facing a formidable French side with a strong set-piece, kicking game and ability to keep the ball alive, so we will need to be physical, accurate and alert.
“We’ve worked hard and connected well over the past nine days. That clarity will give us the opportunity to express ourselves.”
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France have taken a weakened side into the clash – featuring 11 Bordeaux players but missing anyone from French champions Toulouse and fellow finalists Montpellier.
“This is an opportunity for us to challenge as many of the best French rugby players as possible,” Galthie said.
“We’re arriving with a team that isn’t just the French national team, but the best French team at the moment. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the players. They all have something to achieve, points to score, one year before the World Cup. This competition will add a spectacular dimension to world rugby. There is a strong desire among the players to be part of it; this format makes them want to get on the bus.
“New Zealand are the second-best team in the world, behind South Africa, chasing first place, the only one that interests them. They have a new coach and they haven’t played for eight months…we’re in for a treat.”
Players to watch:
For New Zealand: All eyes will be on Ruben Love after his surprise selection at flyhalf. The 25-year-old has just five Test caps to his name but gets the nod in the No.10 jersey after a stellar Super Rugby campaign with the Hurricanes. How he handles the pressure against France will be one of the biggest storylines of the match. Jordie Barrett will once again be a key figure at inside centre. His powerful carries, game management and long-range boot make him a constant threat and an invaluable second playmaker. Up front, Luke Jacobson’s inclusion is another surprise. The Chiefs loose forward starts alongside Blues flanker Peter Lakai, while captain Ardie Savea shifts to No. 8 in a reshuffled back row.
For France: Despite leaving several star players at home, Fabien Galthié still has plenty of quality at his disposal. Record try-scorer Damian Penaud returns on the wing and remains one of the most dangerous finishers in world rugby. Strong under the high ball and lethal in broken play, he’ll relish the opportunity to test the All Blacks’ defence. Captain Maxime Lucu starts at scrumhalf and, while he often flies under the radar, he is an accomplished No. 9. His game management, accurate kicking and ability to control the tempo will be crucial if France are to stay in the contest. At fullback, 25-year-old Max Spring earns just his second Test cap. He will face the country of his father Sean’s birth, following in the footsteps of his brother Tom, who did the same during France’s 2025 tour of New Zealand.
Prediction:
@Rugby365: New Zealand by 5 points
Teams:
New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (Captain), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6 Peter Lakai, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Billy Proctor, 23 Fehi Fineanganofo.
France: 15 Max Spring, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Fabien Brau-Boirie, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Theo Attissogbe, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Maxime Lucu (captain), 8 Marko Gazzotti, 7 Oscar Jegou, 6 Pierre Bochaton, 5 Tom Staniforth, 4 Hugo Auradou, 3 Demba Bamba, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 1 Jefferson Poirot.
Replacements: 16 Barnabe Massa, 17 Reda Wardi, 18 Regis Montagne, 19 Mickael Guillard, 20 Killian Tixeront, 21 Nolann Le Garrec, 22 Antoine Hastoy, 23 Nicolas Depoortere
Date: Saturday, July 4
Venue: One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch
Kick-off: 19.10 (09.10 CEST; 07.10 GMT)
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley (England), Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
