All Blacks v France first test Dunedin: Line-ups, kickoff times, how to watch – all you need to know
All Blacks won - 48
France won - 15
Draws - 1
All Blacks points scored - 1663
France points scored - 898
All Blacks v France - What happened last time?
The last time the two sides met was during last year's Northern Tour, with France edging out a 30-29 victory.
It was a performance that offered so much promise but deteriorated to a deflating defeat in Paris for the All Blacks.
Returning to the scene of the 2023 World Cup final loss, the All Blacks carried momentum and confidence from victories over England and Ireland to summon a supremely dominant first half and leave France there for the taking.
The All Blacks weren't helped by several perplexing decisions from Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli – and one baffling TMO decision for a neck roll from replacement prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi – but so, too, were they their own worst enemies with multiple errors proving costly.
Following wins in 2023 and in 2021, France have recorded three victories in succession over the All Blacks.
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All Blacks v France line-ups
All Blacks side:
TBC
France side:
TBC
All Blacks v France form guide (last five tests)
All Blacks: W, L, W, W, W
France: W, W, W, L, W
The All Blacks have won six of their last seven with the only defeat against the French in Paris. France are the reigning Six Nations champions with their one loss coming against England at Twickenham.
All Blacks v France referee
Nic Berry of Australia is in charge of the first test at Dunedin.
All Blacks v France TAB odds
All Blacks: $1.07 Draw: $31 Italy: $7.50
All Blacks v France - how to follow the action
For live commentary of All Blacks v France, join Elliott Smith on Newstalk ZB, Gold Sport and iHeartRadio.
Plus James McOnie & Mike Lane of The Alternative Commentary Collective will be providing commentary on their iHeartRadio stream.
You can watch the game on Sky Sport 1 and it will be livestreaming on Sky Sport Now.
You can also find live updates at nzherald.co.nz.
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Otago Daily Times
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RNZ News
2 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. 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Otago Daily Times
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Scott Robertson unintentionally gave All Blacks fans the perfect analogy to consider ahead of a test in Dunedin that could have wildly different outcomes. Robertson was asked this week how his team would approach tonight's clash with France, the first of three, at Forsyth Barr Stadium. The second-year All Blacks coach furrowed his brow and trained his intense eyes on the questioner before summing up the situation. "You just want to start well, and I think that's important as a group. "There's always going to be a storyline, depending on what happens after the first or second game, so we want to write the story early and get into it." And what will that story be? Will it be the newish-looking All Blacks letting rip in the first test of the season and scoring some cracking tries under the roof? Will it be an echo of the past few tests in Dunedin and feature a rather underwhelming performance by the men in black that ends with a squeaky win? Or, merde, will it be some sort of Stephen King horror tale, that of a written-off bunch of plucky Frenchmen shocking the mighty All Blacks with an upset from the ends of the earth? This first chapter of Scott Robertson: Book Two rests so much on the great unknown of what to expect from a French team shorn of most of their leading players thanks to workload concerns. The facts do not lie — this is a vastly under-strength visiting team, and the All Blacks will start as almost unbackable favourites — but Robertson, as he must, is wary of what world rugby's most unpredictable nation will deliver. "They've got a blend of experience and also the youth. And it can be dangerous when expectations are off a little bit. "They can turn up, and we give full respect to whoever is put in front of us on Saturday." French rugby had a "clear DNA", Robertson said. "We learned that last year, and nothing's really changed. "They're a very good territory team, they put pressure on you, they keep you on your back fence as much as they possibly can, and they force errors. "They can also get the ball away and they're quick and they've got speed and youth." The All Blacks can never take any test or series lightly. That is the reality of being expected to win, all the time and every time, and a convincing performance is especially important given the All Blacks were underwhelming at times in Robertson's first year. Nevertheless, a July series against a depleted French team is the ideal opportunity to blood some newcomers, to build depth and to answer some lingering questions surrounding certain positions. Popular Highlanders lock Fabian Holland and Otago No 8 Christian Lio-Willie are the fresh faces in the starting XV, and forwards Ollie Norris and Du'Plessis Kirifi will look to impress Robertson from the bench. "They're all hungry, so that's a great thing. "They're excited, you know. "They're into their homework, they've connected with the group. You have to pull them off the computers a little bit because they're pretty keen to do all the right stuff." The best thing about being on debut is that you get the closest thing to a free pass in terms of your performance. There is not quite the same latitude extended to some relative veterans in various positions. Much interest will focus on how Rieko Ioane performs in his return to wing from centre, and on whether a seasoned Beauden Barrett is starting a long final phase of his All Blacks career as the best option at No 10, and on how Tupou Vaa'i enjoys a run at blindside flank. Significantly — and this appears to have gone almost entirely unnoticed — there will be some acid on props Ethan de Groot and Fletcher Newell to step up in the absence of first-choice bookends Tamaiti Williams and Tyrel Lomax. Not many French teams, after all, lack fire in the front row. Neither Robertson nor the All Blacks need the first chapter of the season to be a difficult scene-setter. They would love a start that hooks us immediately, a gutsy middle with plenty of action, and a triumphant finish before moving on to part two in Wellington.
