All Blacks v France: Les Bleus snub week-long stay in Hamilton before series finale, opt for Auckland
A French spokesman confirmed to the Herald that following the second test of the three-match series, Les Bleus will relocate from

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

1News
4 hours ago
- 1News
Trans-Tasman rugby foes turn friends to tackle touring Lions
NSW Waratahs playmaker Tane Edmed says he's like a "kid in a candy shop" as he soaks up the opportunity to play and learn from some of New Zealand's best, including former All Blacks coach Ian Foster. An AUNZ Invitational XV squad will tackle the might of the British and Irish Lions in Adelaide on Saturday night — the first time the trans-Tasman selection have gathered since 1989. Edmed is one of 18 Australians in the squad, with several out to push their case for a call-up for the Wallabies in the three-match series against the Lions starting in Brisbane on July 19. That includes Test forwards Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Matt Philip and Seru Uru. With Wallaby coach in-waiting Les Kiss at the helm, the squad has 12 Kiwis including Crusaders captain David Havili, former All Blacks enforcer Shannon Frizell and Test backrower Hoskins Sotutu. ADVERTISEMENT One-Test Edmed hasn't been in the selection picture so far this year but after being a part of the Waratahs outfit which sent a scare through the Lions in Saturday's 21-10 defeat, is excited to gain another opportunity against the tourists. "Getting the chance to come here, meet boys from New Zealand, meet new coaches, new systems - it was really exciting," Edmed said on Tuesday. "And then the chance to play the Lions again, and not many people get to do that, so yeah, really special. "I'm a kid in the candy store at the moment with Fozzy [Foster] and Les [Kiss] and all the coaches, just trying to soak up as much as I can. A lot of people like [Crusaders captain] Dave Havili ... just trying to hang on every word and just learn as much as I can in this week." Assistant coach Foster, who finished up with the All Blacks in 2023, said preparation would be more about building bonds between players than working on an intricate game plan. Ian Foster speaks to media after an AUNZ Invitational XV squad training. (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT "Getting to know each other is the main thing, we're not going to go heavy on organisation as we can only do so much in a short time period," Foster said. "It's the guys just wanting to play for the guy next to them and generating a little bit of that sort of Anzac feel about it. "We're putting aside the rivalries and saying 'let's do something together' and it's not a festival game for us - it's one that we want to express ourselves, but it's a real opportunity to play a pretty special team against the Lions and, who knows, achieve something nice."


NZ Herald
9 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Renaissance Tours wine expert Bridig Kennedy explains the benefit of a wine tour
Wine educator, French Wine Scholar and expert tour leader at Renaissance Tours, Brigid Kennedy chats to Herald Travel about living in France, the one quality wine experts have and a popular wine-tasting myth. What first sparked your love for French wine? My love for French wine began unexpectedly –


Otago Daily Times
11 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
All Blacks aim to give TMO a night off
By Jamie Wall of RNZ All Blacks assistant coach Scott Hansen says the team has come up with a simple approach to stop the frustratingly constant interjections of the Television Match Official - give him nothing to do. Three All Black tries were denied by the TMO in their 31-27 win over France in Dunedin on Saturday. And while all were fair calls, the disruption it caused for players and spectators has seen plenty of consternation vented on social media. "We have to improve, the All Blacks have to improve," Hansen said at the team's training base at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport in Trentham, Upper Hutt, today. "Let's take away that error at the breakdown. Let's take away the ability for him (the TMO) to feel he needs to come in. So our challenge is to give the TMO an enjoyable evening for a cup of tea. (If) we're really clinical and we're executing well, he can enjoy his evening." Two of the All Black tries were scrubbed out for handling errors and the other for an obstruction, with culprit Pasilio Tosi agreeing that "we've got to be squeaky clean in the area". "You know, they're always watching… like my one and I ran into the to the French player, you know, I need to be mindful of, not getting in the way, you know, obviously it looked like that. I did a little push there, but at the at the end of the day… he's going to make a decision. I just need to be better in the area." While the attitude to simply aim for perfection is commendable, two teams playing flawless test rugby for 80 minutes is unlikely. The main frustration with the viewing public is how often the TMO interjects themselves into games, especially after a Super Rugby Pacific competition that saw their roles limited to only the most necessary assistance to the on-field referees. Meanwhile, Hansen said while the All Blacks were unhappy about the amount of points conceded in the first test, they held a great deal of respect for an "outstanding" French defensive effort in Dunedin. "The care in the group, (they're) highly respected around the care that they have. You look at them in the Six Nations, their coaching, the philosophy around defence, the way they recover. "They do defend a wee bit differently than New Zealand teams and what we've seen in Super (Rugby Pacific)… the challenge for us is to be better in how we attack it." The other challenge will be to figure out just what a likely much-changed French team will bring. Coach Fabien Galthié has brought down 37 players for the three-test series and if he is going to use all of them, he will have to roll out a new side for the test at Sky Stadium in Wellington. However, Hansen said the All Blacks will be wary either way. "They're young, they're excited and I've talked around them having no fear. So whether or not they took confidence out of that or not, that's for them to decide. "What we saw was an excited, inexperienced French team that were proud to play for the country. But what we've also been through, and the excitement of the series, is we get to play them again." All Blacks v France Kick-off: 7.05pm Saturday, July 12 Sky Stadium, Wellington