All Blacks have to hit the ground running against France and classy halfback Nolann Le Garrec
Sunday, 29 June 2025
ANALYSIS: Don’t mistake a lack of knowledge among the New Zealand rugby public about the French squad heading to face the All Blacks for a lack of quality among the players it contains.
France will be understrength, and broadly inexperienced, but they still have a starting XV among that 37-man squad that ticks three big boxes.
Have they beaten the All Blacks? Have they performed strong or even standout roles during the Six Nations this year? Have they won in the southern hemisphere before, either in Australia in 2021 or Argentina in 2024?
A backline of Nolann Le Garrec, Antoine Hastoy, Gabin Villiere, Gael Fickou, Émilien Gailleton, Théo Attissogbe and Léo Barré answers yes to all three questions, and the All Blacks will have to be on guard to avoid a repeat of the ambush the French staged in Dunedin in 2009, when won 27-22 at Carisbrook.
Le Garrec, in particular, has announced himself as a star of both the present and future, with the 23-year-old rated so highly that it has not been uncommon for France to finish tests with Le Garrec at No 9 and superstar Antoine Dupont pushed out to first-five.
The All Blacks may therefore be inclined to take a measured approach to involving their new names, although an ankle injury to Wallace Sititi has very much opened the door for a Christian Lio-Willie debut at No 8.
Elsewhere, the key selection questions appear to be at loosehead and in the midfield, with Tamaiti Williams battling through a knee injury in the later stages of Super Rugby Pacific.
The scrum will be where it all starts on Saturday. The Sunday Star-Times understands the All Blacks coaches were frustrated by the lack of reward they got at scrum time when Williams appeared to have French tighthead Georges-Henri Colombe in strife during the 30-29 loss last November - and unconvinced by the match officials subsequent explanation as to why more penalties didn’t flow.
Colombe is in the French touring squad, so the All Blacks will be keen to do him over again if Williams is fit, or that task will be handed to Ethan de Groot.
In the midfield, a decision will have to be made on the readiness of Jordie Barrett at No 12 after his season with a Leinster - but if the co vice-captain is good to go the All Blacks could well keep his combination going with Rieko Ioane.
A Barrett-Billy Proctor combination will surely be seen at some point in July, renewing their Hurricanes partnership, but perhaps the Wellington test is the best fit with Quinn Tupaea getting his crack at No 12 in the third test in Hamilton.
A back row of Samipeni Finau, Ardie Savea and Lio-Willie seems like the obvious one for Dunedin, especially as the All Blacks have spelt out their desire for the No 6 to be a strong lineout presence.
The presence of Te Kemaka Howden at a recent All Blacks camp in Tauranga confirms this plan, with the Highlanders No 6 one of the best jumpers in New Zealand.
In the rest of the pack, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Scott Barrett and Tupou Vaa’i pick themselves, while Cameron Roigard and Beauden Barrett should drive the attack at No 9-No 10 in front of a back three of Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan and Sevu Reece.
The five players that France may or may add to their squad after the Top 14 final this weekend is a complete red herring.
The team that will face the All Blacks in Dunedin on Saturday has been preparing together for weeks, and enjoyed a confidence-boosting win against England at Twickenham last weekend.
The All Blacks coaches will recognise the danger, and temper their appetite for risk accordingly.
Possible All Blacks XV: Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Cameron Roigard; Christian Lio-Willie, Ardie Savea, Samipeni Finau, Tupou Vaa’i, Scott Barrett, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams.