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NZ Herald
2 hours ago
- NZ Herald
All Blacks vs France: Where the first test will be won
The accuracy and speed demanded by test rugby are a significant step up from the Super scene, which usually requires a period of adjustment. How that quartet channel nerves bubbling within will determine their ability to seize the biggest occasion of their careers. All Blacks debutants Fabian Holland, Christian Lio-Willie, Ollie Norris and Du'Plessis Kirifi. Photo / Photosport Last year, in Scott Robertson's first test as head coach, the All Blacks escaped with a knife-edge one-point victory against England in Dunedin. While the venue is the same, on many fronts this year is different. From the extended management to incumbent players, a vastly greater shared understanding and cohesion is carried through from Robertson's shaky year one to the start of year two. The mood emanating from the All Blacks camp this week is much calmer compared to this time last year. And, of course, there's the significantly weaker opposition… French done before the start line? Averaging 14 test caps per player, and with much of their elite talent left at home following their Top 14 domestic final, there's every reason to suggest France are a puncher's chance at best against the All Blacks. Fabien Galthié has named eight rookies in his 23-man squad for this first test – five in the starting team. They include Bayonne first five-eighths Joris Segonds, loose forward Alexandre Fischer, lock Tyler Duguid, wing Tom Spring and prop Giorgi Beria. South African-born Jacobus van Tonder, Paul Mallez and Regis Montagne will debut off the bench too. Midfielder Gaël Fickou will captain France in Dunedin. Photo / Photosport Gaël Fickou, the classy 94-test veteran, captains the French from the midfield. Toulon wing Gabin Villiere, starting tighthead prop Rabah Slimani (57 caps) and towering lock Romain Taofifenua, who will emerge from the bench, boost overall experience, but there is no escaping the green, developmental French B side. Racing 92 halfback Nolann le Garrec is one to watch in a French backline typically stacked with attacking strike. But after one warm-up match against a heavily depleted English side – due to their extensive British and Irish Lions contingent in Australia – this green team could well be exposed. Tall timber Missing first-choice props Tamaiti Williams and Tyrel Lomax is a blow for the All Blacks. While they won't lack scrummaging power, Ethan de Groot and Fletcher Newell do not boast the same mobility or deft ball skills. The All Blacks should, though, dominate the air. With three locks – Holland, captain Scott Barrett and Tupou Vaa'i, there are no excuses for the All Blacks to not cleanly claim their restarts and lineouts. They should be able to target the French throws, too. Vaa'i, starting his first test at blindside flanker since the opening 2023 World Cup defeat to France in Paris, has trained on the side of the scrum for the past 10 days. Tupou Vaa'i in action against Argentina last year. Photo / Photosport With five loose forwards in their 33-man squad, the All Blacks were always light in this department, with Vaa'i and Barrett designated blindside cover. Few, if anyone, envisioned the All Blacks throwing Vaa'i straight into the No 6 jersey, though. It's unfair to compare anyone with Springboks enforcer Pieter-Steph du Toit, but that is clearly the prototype the All Blacks are seeking with their blindside – a big man capable of commanding the air and imposing a physical imprint around the field. Last year, Vaa'i proved he is evolving into a world-class lock. This weekend, he's asked to broaden his brief to project a modern, mobile, bruising blindside flanker. Injecting impact Finishing what they start sits at the forefront of the All Blacks' improvements this year. The composition of their bench, while inexperienced this week, points to their desire for notable impact. Come the second half, if the French remain in the contest, they will be wary of the power and pace the All Blacks unleash from their ever-evolving bench. Damian McKenzie has a point to prove with Beauden Barrett preferred as starting playmaker. As fatigue sets in, McKenzie will be at his lethal, game-breaking best. When the All Blacks want to lift the tempo further in the closing quarter, Cortez Ratima's speed to the base will be injected. Quinn Tupaea, ahead of his first test in four years, promises to bring the midfield punch he displayed for the Chiefs all season. Quinn Tupaea makes a break against the USA. Photo / Photosport Kirifi's turnover prowess should provide opportunities to pounce on the counterattack against a disjointed defence. He will be itching for his long-awaited debut and must, therefore, harness the same controlled decision-making that typified his leadership with the Hurricanes. Chiefs hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho, returning for his first test since the World Cup final, rookie prop Ollie Norris, Pasilio Tosi and Samipeni Finau round out the quartet of mobile, powerful forwards aiming to add a blend of power and offloading the French may struggle to contain. Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast. For live commentary of this weekend's All Blacks v France test, go to GOLD SPORT or iHeartRadio.
Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Test fever rises as fans show love for All Blacks
A Dunedin rugby fan is hanging out for an All Blacks win tonight, because "who doesn't love to beat the French?" Rugby fans were out in force at the Wall Street Mall yesterday, waiting in a long line to get a signature from All Blacks Ethan de Groot, Noah Hotham, George Bower, Patrick Tuipulotu and Billy Proctor. Roman, 6, and Ardie, 9, along with their mother Kiri Manuel, were chuffed to get posters and a stuffed bear signed. Roman and Ardie were most excited for a win, and "to see the All Blacks beat the French", Ms Manuel said. "Who doesn't love to beat the French?" Dunedin artist Koryu Aoshima draws a chalk mural of a rooster and a kiwi battling at the Dunedin Railway Station yesterday to celebrate tonight's All Blacks v France test at Forsyth Barr Stadium. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON At the Dunedin Railway Station, artist Koryu Aoshima was commissioned to do a chalk mural for people arriving by train from Mosgiel. He was drawing a kiwi and a rooster to represent the two teams playing.
RNZ News
5 hours ago
- RNZ News
All Blacks v France: what you need to know about tonight's test season opener
All Blacks v France Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 5 July Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Live blog updates on RNZ After a long and intriguing Super Rugby Pacific season, we've finally arrived at the first test of the year. Scott Robertson's All Blacks take on an unknown quantity in France in front of a full house under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium, with the head coach making some interesting selections for this one. France come in after winning this year's Six Nations tournament. However, their last game was back in March and while it was a comfortable win over Scotland, Fabien Galthié's side is much changed since then. Scott Robertson. Photo: Alan Lee / All Blacks: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Tupou Vaa'i, 7. Ardie Savea, 8, Christian Lio-Willie, 9. Cameron Roigard, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Rieko Ioane, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Billy Proctor, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Will Jordan Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Ollie Norris, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Samipeni Finau, 20. Du'Plessis Kirifi, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Quinn Tupaea, 23. Damian McKenzie France: 1. Giorgi Beria, 2. Gaetan Garlot, 3. Rabah Slimani, 4. Hugo Auradou, 5. Tyler Duguid, 6. Alexandre Fischer, 7. Killian Tixeront, 8. Mickael Guillard, 9. Nolann Le Garrec, 10. Joris Segonds, 11. Gabin Villiere, 12. Gaël Fickou (c), 13. Emilien Gailleton, 14. Tom Spring, 15. Theo Attissogbe Bench: 16. Pierre Bourgarit, 17. Paul Mallez, 18. Regis Montagne, 19. Romain Taofifenua, 20. Cameron Woki, 21. Jacobus van Tonder, 22. Baptiste Jauneau, 23. Antoine Hastoy Fabian Holland. Photo: Joe Toth/ActionPress A lot to unpack here, with Robertson surprisingly making some big moves for this selection. Fabian Holland goes straight into the starting second row on debut, while Christian Lio-Willie will be right behind him in the scrum for his first test too. Beauden Barrett gets the starting 10 jersey, while Billy Proctor is rewarded for an excellent Hurricanes season with a start at centre. That moves Rieko Ioane back out to the wing, a position he hasn't started in since 2021. On the bench Ollie Norris and Du'Plessis Kirifi will debut at prop and loose forward, while Quinn Tupaea will complete his long road back to the All Blacks when he is injected into the game. Theo Attissogbe for the France XV. Photo:One third of the French starting team are playing their first test match: Giorgi Beria, Tyler Duguid, Alexandre Fischer, Joris Segonds and Tom Spring. If Spring doesn't sound like a typical French name, it's because his father is New Zealander Sean Spring, who moved to France to play rugby in the 1990s. Veteran Gaël Fickou's 94 caps make up about half of the total experience in the side, while Cameron Woki and Rabah Slimani are the others who have played the All Blacks before. Maxime Medard celebrates victory over the All Blacks, Carisbrook, Dunedin, 2009. Photo: Simon Watts/Photosport France have won the last three tests between the two sides, which equals their best streak achieved in 1994-95. The All Blacks' largest victory over France was notably in a World Cup elimination match. Not only was the 62-13 win a record between the two countries, it was also the All Blacks' highest score at the 2015 tournament - quite a feat considering they also played Georgia and Uruguay in pool play. France's last win in New Zealand was in Dunedin, at the old Carisbrook ground in 2009. "We expect everything from them. Nothing has changed since the end-of-year tour to the Six Nations; the style they play remains the same. They're a very good territory team; they put pressure on you, keep you in your back fence as much as possible, and force errors. They're highly disciplined." - All Black coach Scott Robertson. "Finding players for the summer tours is a challenge we've been facing for six years. I said to all the players, 'The challenge seems impossible to achieve, are you in?' and everyone who's there said yes." - France coach Fabien Galthié. France 30 - 29 All Blacks A heartbreaking loss to France ruined what was looking like a really successful run for the All Blacks on last year's northern tour. They held what should've been a match winning lead, then took a few wrong options at the business end to see the game slip through their fingers in what might be a pivotal moment in the team's World Cup cycle in terms of lessons learnt. However, due to the almost complete rotation of the French side, this game has almost zero bearing on what will happen tonight. The All Blacks will win comfortably. At least they had better, because otherwise it's going to be a tough time next week if they don't. Their intention, according to the coaching staff, is to play as fast as possible - so hopefully the officials play their part in that happening. France's best chance is to simply kick the ball into All Black territory and try and keep them there, but the amount of inexperience out there should mean they will give away plenty of ball and penalties. It will be interesting to see how much of a license Rieko Ioane has, given that he was an out and out finisher, but the role of All Black wingers lately has been to get involved in carrying close to the ruck area.
