All Blacks v France: Prop Jefferson Poirot to end test retirement with start for France in Christchurch

All Blacks v France, Saturday, 7.05pm

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French loosehead prop Jefferson Poirot is out of international retirement and straight back into a starting role against the All Blacks in Christchurch for Saturday night’s Nations Championship opener.

The 33-year-old stepped away from test rugby in 2020 at 27 with 36 caps, saying he did not feel he could give his all to the national set-up and wanted to focus on other areas of his life, including spending time with family and winning titles with his club.

He has remained a member of a strong Bordeaux outfit and makes his return to test level against the All Blacks after starting 21 of his 27 appearances for his club side this year. He also started in the No 1 jersey for France A in a 35-19 win against England A last month.

It will be a familiar combination in the front row for Poirot, with Bordeaux hooker Maxime Lamothe earning the start, while Racing 92’s Demba Bamba will be at tighthead.

The French, who arrived in New Zealand late on Wednesday night, are without several top talents for the test, including halfback Antonie Dupont, who has been ruled out of the Nations Championship tests against New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

After featuring in the Top 14 final, Auguste Cadot, Kalvin Gourgues, Peato Mauvaka, Emmanuel Meafou, Lenni Nouchi, Romain Ntamack, Alexandre Roumat, Florian Verhaeghie and Paul Graou will join the team for next week’s test against the Wallabies. Graou was called into the squad in place of Dupont.

Bordeaux halfback Maxime Lucu will captain the side against the All Blacks on Saturday night – one of eight Bordeaux players in the matchday squad.

The nation’s leading try-scorer Damian Penaud is back on the right wing after being left out of the Six Nations squad, and fellow winger Theo Attissogbe, who was among the best players on the pitch when the All Blacks claimed a 31-27 win over Les Bleus in Dunedin last year, starts on the left.

France squad to play All Blacks in Christchurch

France: 1. Jefferson Poirot 2. Maxime Lamothe 3. Demba Bamba 4. Hugo Auradou 5. Tom Staniforth 6. Pierre Bochaton 7. Oscar Jegou 8. Marko Gazzotti 9. Maxime Lucu (c) 10. Matthieu Jalibert 11. Theo Attissogbe 12. Yoram Moefana 13. Fabien Brau-Boirie 14. Damian Penaud 15. Max Spring.

Bench: 16. Barnabe Massa 17. Reda Wardi 18. Regis Montagne 19. Mickael Guillard 20. Killian Tixeront 21. Nolann Le Garrec 22. Antoine Hastoy 23. Nicolas Depoortere

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.