All Blacks lose injured prop Williams for France series
Williams sustained a torn meniscus during the recent Super Rugby final, where his team Canterbury Crusaders beat Waikato Chiefs.
"Scans have revealed the tear," New Zealand Rugby said. "Assessment by a surgeon this morning has confirmed surgery will be required."
George Bower has been brought into the squad to replace him.
New Zealand face France in Dunedin, Wellington and Hamilton, with the first Test on July 5.
© 2025 AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
42 minutes ago
- LeMonde
All Blacks vs. France reunion dampened by French rugby stars's absence
The match-up is enough to thrill any rugby fan. On Saturday, July 5, the All Blacks are hosting the French men's rugby team in Dunedin, New Zealand, for the first of three highly anticipated test matches (at 9:05 am Paris time). The New Zealanders, who have suffered three consecutive defeats to France – including the opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France (27-13) – have every reason to seek revenge. Yet, as the teams prepare to meet again, a mix of disappointment and resignation has prevailed among fans of the silver fern squad. As it does every summer, the Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR, the French Rugby Federation) has chosen to rest its so-called "premium" players – its star athletes – after a grueling season, fielding a largely overhauled squad for the summer tour. Facing a line-up widely described as a "B team" or even as "experimental," the All Blacks know that any potential victory will be seen as less impressive given the absence of key French players like Antoine Dupont, Damian Penaud, Thomas Ramos and Grégory Alldritt. And in New Zealand, frustration has grown over this devalued fixture – a situation fully acknowledged by the French staff. "For the past five or six years, France has operated this way," explained Abdelatif Benazzi, vice president of the FFR in charge of international affairs. "We field the players in the best form, period. This is by no means a lack of respect toward our opponents." Structural crisis The French decision is linked to an overloaded schedule for Top 14 international players. Yet it has caused tension because these matches hold significance in New Zealand, where each test match is considered a national event that is vital for the financial stability of local rugby; in other words, this decision concerns far more than sports alone. Although New Zealand remains a global benchmark in rugby development and performance, it has faced a structural crisis. Despite record revenues, New Zealand Rugby (NZR), the national federation, posted a net loss of €10 million in 2024. These results "again [demonstrate] that the high fixed-cost structure we live within is not sustainable," acknowledged Mark Robinson, director general of NZR, speaking to public broadcaster RNZ. In this context, the All Blacks' international tours and their global image are essential financial levers. The arrival of the prestigious French team had been expected to boost ticket sales, television rights, merchandising and commercial partnerships, but that has become challenging with the absence of France's star players. New Zealand's press has made its outrage clear. "NZR officials are livid about it, as it devalues a mega series, and their ability to market it," journalist Will Kelleher said on X. NZR has been forced to scale back its ambitions: Say farewell to Auckland's iconic Eden Park and its 50,000 seats. The matches against France's "B team" will take place at smaller venues, such as Dunedin's 30,000-seat stadium, on Saturday. New Zealand officials had even considered moving one of the games to the United States – a rapidly growing market where the All Blacks have been conducting increased commercial operations – but the FFR opposed the idea, "for the players' health," confirmed Benazzi. "Unfortunately, we can't do any better," French head coach Fabien Galthié said at a press conference Thursday, adding that he "understood" the New Zealand criticism – especially as France is the "only nation" to rest its key players during the summer tour, he pointed out. This decision is the result of negotiations with France's National Rugby League over the release of internationals; meanwhile, the international federation, World Rugby, is remaining on the sidelines. The organization considers that these matches, which fall outside its direct area of authority, do not require its intervention. 'Protecting the players' Beyond the tensions it has provoked, this controversy has highlighted the divide between the two rugby models. In the southern hemisphere, national federations maintain control over the entire system − from clubs to national teams − with a clear priority: fielding the best players for the national team at every major event. This strategy often comes at the expense of clubs, in stark contrast to the power of the Top 14, which is widely regarded as the world's strongest league. In Europe, where seasons stretch for nearly 10 months, domestic competitions take precedence, and players benefit from collective agreements that strictly regulate their time on the field. "We don't have an all-powerful federation. We have an autonomous professional league and a federation responsible for internationals," said Benazzi. "Our first responsibility is to protect the players" – by ensuring that they do not play more than 25 matches per season (or 2,000 minutes of game time), a limit set for those traveling to New Zealand. One year after their tour was overshadowed by off-field controversies in South America – including racist remarks from Melvyn Jaminet and rape allegations against Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou – France will face, on Saturday, one of the greatest challenges in world rugby: taking on the All Blacks on their home turf. The hope is that this symbolic showdown will not turn into a missed opportunity.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Scott Barrett says All Blacks not 'disrespected' by France
Speaking at the end of a team training at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, Barrett said his team would not take lightly a French team lacking experience. "We're certainly not reading into anything, that it's a weakened French side," Barrett told reporters. "Any French side you have to give the utmost respect, and we've certainly prepared like that. "We haven't had much success in recent years against the French so we're looking to turn that around." The French squad contains 20 uncapped players total, out of 42 tourists. Many of the best French players were left at home, owing to injury or the long European season. "I don't think it's disrespectful," Barrett said of the team French coach Fabien Galthie had selected. "Fabien and their management will select a team that's appropriate to play us tomorrow night, and with debutants and a mix of experience on the bench I'm sure they'll be firing everything at us." All Blacks coach Scott Robertson echoed those sentiments Thursday, saying France had enviable depth. "This is when they're probably at their most dangerous when they're underestimated," Robertson said. "It's quite nice that you guys tell the story that they're depleted and all that, then they get their backs up and we get a ferocious French team." The All Blacks will be able to lean on the experience of three Barrett brothers on Saturday night -- captain Scott, fly-half Beauden, and inside centre Jordie have more than 280-caps combined for New Zealand. But add in uncapped flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi, and you have four players who worked the Barrett family farm. "Du'Plessis was good friends with Jordie at school and he came out to the farm," Scott Barrett said. "We were doing home kill one day and he mucked in and helped out... so it's great to see him get his opportunity tomorrow night. "I actually said personally to Du'Plessis that he's certainly ready for Test match rugby. "He plays a physical game, combative, loves the breakdown, so he's going to be a real asset to this team going forward." And speaking of his brother Jordie, who has just returned from a sabbatical playing for Leinster, Scott Barrett said he has added to his skill set during his time away. "It's been a great experience for him. He's brought a few things back which is great for this group and I'm sure he'll be looking to put a great performance in." © 2025 AFP
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
All Black wing Ioane warns 'dangerous' France are no B-team
France sent a squad with 20 uncapped players to New Zealand for the three-Test series which begins on Saturday in Dunedin. New Zealand named four uncapped players in their matchday 23 Thursday, including Dutch-born lock Fabian Holland and No.8 Christian Lio-Willie in the starting line-up. Ioane, who has been moved to the wing by head coach Scott Robertson for the first time in four years, said he was not viewing France as a B-team. "If I was that team travelling over here, I would have that chip on my shoulder, you know," Ioane told AFP. "Everyone's calling them a B-team, but they aren't. "The energy they bring and the intensity that they train at will be at a level that some of their players that are at home would bring during a Test week. "So if anything, they're more of a dangerous beast than we're going to be used to, and we've got to expect everything." Former All Blacks have been vocal in their criticism of the weakened French squad. Former scrum-half Justin Marshall told Sky Sport that the squad was "total BS" and France were sending only a development team. New Zealand media have highlighted that 11 of the 20 new caps do not have Wikipedia pages. "I know there's been a lot of talk about it, but I'm not sure that the players would feel that way," Ioane said. "We know that there's going to be a huge challenge no matter who is out there." Ioane said the All Blacks were focused on their own game, and would not be distracted by who they play against. He said he has had enough to think about playing on the wing for the All Blacks for the first time since 2021. "Yeah, look, it's been getting the rust off the first couple of days," Ioane admitted. "Was pretty good that we had that camp up in Auckland. I'm going to be comfortable by the time game day rolls around. "My connection with Billy (Proctor), Will (Jordan), Sevu (Reece), everyone around me is growing." At the end of the year, Ioane will move abroad for a six-month sabbatical with Irish side Leinster. It comes after Jordie Barrett completed a sabbatical at the club, praising the physicality of the game in the northern hemisphere. Ioane famously shushed Irish fans after New Zealand's quarter-final victory at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He also ended up in a war of words with Ireland's Johnny Sexton. "There's a multitude of reasons for what I do," Ioane said of the move. "The most important is it's going to be a fresh experience."
