New Zealand vs. France - prediction, team news, lineups

New Zealand invited France to the One NZ Stadium connected Saturday greeting for their opening Nations Championship fixture.

The All Blacks convincingly dispatched Wales 52-26 astatine the Principality Stadium successful their erstwhile outing, portion Les Bleus edged retired England 48-46 successful the last circular of this year's Six Nations campaign.

Match preview

Since their agonisingly constrictive decision against South Africa successful the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, New Zealand person shown wherefore they stay 1 of the champion planetary sides successful the sport.

Following a Rugby Championship run successful which they were 8 points shy of apical spot aft six matches, the All Blacks were overmuch improved successful the 2025 variation of the tournament, doing the treble implicit Australia and overcoming the Springboks astatine Eden Park arsenic they were beaten by the second lone connected people quality successful the last standings.

It is not lone against Southern Hemisphere absorption that New Zealand person flourished either, beating France successful 3 successive fixtures past summertime earlier winning distant astatine Ireland, Scotland and Wales to circular disconnected their 2025 schedule.

However, with galore of Les Bleus’ large hitters not featuring past year, Dave Rennie’s men undoubtedly look a antithetic situation this clip astir successful what is acceptable up to beryllium a existent trial of the hosts’ World Cup contender credentials.

Having not mislaid against France connected location ungraded since 1994, winning the 10 matches since, the All Blacks volition surely beryllium assured that they tin bash truthful and enactment themselves arsenic favourites to necktie South Africa connected 4 World Cup titles.

Over the erstwhile year, France person established themselves arsenic the 1 of the Northern Hemisphere's champion sides and are presently sat 4th successful the World Rugby rankings.

Les Bleus whitethorn way Ireland successful third, but person got the amended of Andy Farrell’s men successful each of the erstwhile 2 Six Nations campaigns connected their mode to winning successive crowns for the archetypal clip since 2007.

Having claimed triumph against New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Argentina since their 2023 Rugby World Cup exit, Fabien Galthie’s broadside person besides shown that they are susceptible of beating immoderate squad connected the satellite and volition surely beryllium wanting to showcase that much during the inaugural Nations Championships.

However, aft losing their erstwhile 3 matches against this weekend’s opposition, France volition person to beryllium connected apical of their crippled if they are to topple New Zealand and assertion their archetypal triumph connected All Blacks ungraded since their historical 23-20 triumph astatine Eden Park successful 1994.

New Zealand form:

France form:

Team News

Ruben Love volition marque his archetypal commencement for the All Blacks astatine fly-half connected Saturday, partnering Cam Roigard astatine 9 and feeding some Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea successful the centres. 

As expected the hosts person deployed Damian McKenzie astatine full-back, with Fehi Fineanganofo perchance grabbing his debut disconnected the bench, portion Will Jordan and Caleb Clarke commencement connected either wing.

New Zealand person besides sprinkled young locks Josh Lord and Sam Darry into a battalion that includes the likes of Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor and Ardie Savea.

Galthie has fixed Tom Staniforth the accidental to drawback his France debut connected the second-row, with Jefferson Poirot and Demba Bamba bringing acquisition to a youthful visitors pack.

Les Bleus volition besides commencement with Max Spring, Damian Penaud and Theo Attissogbe bringing firepower from the backmost three, portion Yoram Moefana and 20-year-old Fabien Brau-Boirie power the midfield.

With prima antheral Antoine Dupont presently sidelined with a calf problem, Maxime Lucu volition spouse Matthieu Jalibert arsenic half-backs for the French.

New Zealand starting lineup:

15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard; 1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Fletcher Newell, 4 Josh Lord, 5 Sam Darry, 6 Peter Lakai, 7 Luke Jacobson, 8 Ardie Savea 

Replacements:

16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Billy Proctor, 23 Fehi Fineanganofo

France starting lineup:

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

Replacements:

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

We say: New Zealand 26-24 France

Amongst each of this weekend's Nations Championship fixtures, it is apt that the clash successful Christchurch could beryllium the astir intimately contested of the lot.

With the sides having identical caller records, it is pugnacious to telephone which mode the pendulum whitethorn swing, but we are somewhat edging the All Blacks to snatch triumph and assertion their 11th consecutive triumph against France connected location soil.