Horse racing: North Island jockeys ride in New Caledonia after racing hiatus
North Island jockeys Lynsey Satherley and Kate Hercock gained a fresh perspective on race riding over King's Birthday weekend, attending a meeting in New Caledonia.
Satherley had previously ridden in the French archipelago, but over the past two years, civil unrest and damage to infrastructure has
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1News
3 hours ago
- 1News
'Express yourself' - All Blacks skipper Barrett backs new boys to shine
All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett says he has full confidence the four Test debutants named to play France in Dunedin tomorrow will replay the faith show in them by the selectors. Lock Fabian Holland and No.8 Christian Lio-Willie will start against France, with prop Ollie Norris and loose forward D'Plessis Kirifi potentially making their debuts off the reserves bench. And of them all, Barrett, not known for overly praising his teammates, reserved the highest of compliments for Kirifi, the 28-year-old Hurricanes player who has had to bide his time. When pressed today after the captain's run under the roof on a drizzly day in the deep south about why he believed the team would be fully aligned despite the several new faces, Barrett replied: 'Du'Plessis and Fabian – both of those boys were in and around the group for the majority of the northern tour last season. 'I actually said to Du'Plessis that he's certainly ready for Test match rugby. He plays a physical game, combative, loves the breakdown. He's going to be a real asset to this team.' ADVERTISEMENT That qualifies as gushing for the circumspect Barrett, who will pack down alongside Holland in the second row, with another lock, Tupou Vaa'i, named at blindside flanker in what is easily the biggest selection surprise. Ardie Savea, left, trains with Du'Plessis Kirifi at the captain's run in Dunedin. (Source: Photosport) 'We're right in behind those boys and they have proud families in behind them,' Barrett said. 'As always it's about them going out there and expressing themselves in the jersey – trusting themselves and their instincts. 'Tupou has had another great Super Rugby season and is getting more and more experienced at Test match level. It's a great asset to us if he can play lock or six.' The All Blacks have lost three Tests in a row to France – their last defeat coming in November in Paris – and Barrett said winning a certain trophy back was high on the agenda in the midst of plenty of commentary about an inexperienced French team. France have included five players on debut in the starting XV, with three more on the reserves bench. 'We're certainly not reading anything into this being a 'weakened' French side… you have to give them the utmost respect and we've certainly given them that. The Dave Gallaher Trophy is on the line. We haven't had much success in recent years against the French so we're looking to turn that around.'
NZ Herald
4 hours ago
- NZ Herald
All Blacks v France: Captain Scott Barrett expecting strong fight from understrength French outfit
Scott Barrett says the All Blacks aren't reading anything into suggestions of a weakened French outfit as the New Zealand side look to break a three-game losing streak against Les Bleus. It comes after France coach Fabien Galthie last night named his side tasked with facing the All Blacks in
NZ Herald
9 hours ago
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All Blacks vs France: Both sides testing new talent in Dunedin clash
Didn't work. They lost to England first up, drew with France and put 43 points on Wales. However the team was dumped out of the World Cup when Australia sprang that 22-10 semifinal surprise in Sydney and Mitchell himself dumped soon after. You fancy the French – now bearing the chokers label after their own 2023 semifinal sadness in the World Cup they were supposed to win – would do better playing their top team, or close to it, against other top teams but… this is France. The All Blacks selectors, meanwhile, have also gone more than a little experimental – doing what was suggested in this column a couple of months ago: shift Rieko Ioane back to the wing to accommodate Billy Proctor at centre. They have also used the opportunity to blood new talent. A couple of months before the Ioane column, I also suggested the selectors use the series against the French that way – particularly at lock, No 7, No 8, halfback, first five-eighths and the midfield. They have made changes in four of those six areas and coach Scott Robertson has gone on record saying his whole 33-man squad will get game time. However, even though this French team is largely a mystery to Kiwis, it is clear the French will continue the forwards-heavy assault that has proven successful. The selection of six forwards on the bench and only two backs makes that clear. Their top team used that same formula when overrunning Ireland in the Six Nations this year – only then the bench was a 7-1 forwards/backs split. Down 27-15, the French made mass substitutions early in the second half, their own 'bomb squad' firing off 27 unanswered points and a clear win. What did it for them was the cohesion of their forwards – big, powerful and quick – attacking close in and wider with much of the skill and cleverness of backs. Who needs backs? The All Blacks, over the years, invented forwards who can run like backs and still heavily populate that particular market. So they know what is coming at them – young, hungry, untried giants with a point to prove, backed up by some gritty veterans on the bench. The two locks, Tyler Duguid and Hugo Auradou are both 2m tall with Duguid 124kg of hard graft and Auradou the more mobile and aggressive. Plus they have a normal lock, Mickael Guillard, at No 8 (1.97m and 122kg). They and 10 others in the French team were in the France XV that beat an England XV by the same method two weeks ago – swamping the opposition with six bench forwards in the final quarter to take a 26-24 win after being down 19-12 at halftime. That is at least partly why lock Tupou Vaa'i is playing blindside flanker, to counter their size and mobility as well as to fit Fabian Holland at lock, to see if he can foot it (and to bolster the lineout). Ardie Savea is moved to 7 which gives Christian Lio-Willie a chance to continue his good form for the Crusaders at No 8, even if that was forced by injury to Wallace Sititi. All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea. Photo / Photosport The All Blacks may have an edge at scrum time but the breakdown will be vital – come in, Savea, Lio-Willie and Duplessis Kirifi among others. French flanker Alexandre Fischer is a good ball grubber and blindside Killian Tixeront a good ball player, by all accounts. They also boast a Kiwi winger, Tom Spring, who has Māori lineage from a father who played in France and stayed there, according to the L'Equipe newspaper. He will go head-to-head with Ioane. Sevu Reece has been retained largely for his experience, you feel, and because Caleb Clarke, in poor form so far this season, has seen his left wing position filled by Ioane for the moment. While Ioane's shift is the big news, you can't help but feel there is much ground to cover and people to try before the wing spots are nailed down for the 2027 World Cup. Reece was shown up for pace the last time he played France and there is no guarantee Ioane will fire on the wing. It's not hard to see Emoni Narawa – presently only injury cover – getting a run, though Robertson seems not to be convinced about him yet. There is also plenty of time for contending wings like Caleb Tangitau, Leroy Carter, Kini Naholo, Chay Fihaki and Kyren Taumoefolau to make a mark. Paul Lewis writes about rugby, cricket, league, football, yachting, golf, the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. For live commentary of this weekend's All Blacks v France test, go to GOLD SPORT or iHeartRadio.
