Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Veterans return for All Blacks as team to play France named

Ardie Savea of New Zealand reacts during the Autumn Nations Series 2024 match between England and New Zealand All Blacks at Allianz Stadium on November 2, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)

The All Blacks have named their team to face France with veterans Codie Taylor and Beauden Barrett returning after missing the Ireland Test under return to play protocols.

ADVERTISEMENT

Both veterans resume their starting roles at hooker and first five-eighth, with Asafo Aumua and Damian McKenzie moving to the bench.

Robertson has also opted for a back row re-shuffle with regular openside Sam Cane injured. Ardie Savea will start in the No 7 jersey for the first time this year, with Wallace Sititi moving to No 8 and Samipeni Finau getting a start at blindside. Hurricanes flanker Peter Lakai has been named as the loose forward reserve.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

In another switch, halfback Cam Roigard will wear the No 9 jersey for the first time this year to partner Barrett in the halves with Cortez Ratima moving to the finishing role on the reserves.

Sevu Reece comes back into the side to replace Mark Tele’a who has been ruled out with a hand injury.

“It has been special to be here in Paris during Armistice Day,” Robertson said.

“We have honoured those commemorations as a team and also acknowledged the significance of the Dave Gallaher Trophy, named after one of our greatest All Black Captains who led the ‘Originals’ in the first ever Test match against France, and lost his life 11 years later in World War I.

“This is a trophy we would love to hold, and the players are prepared to take their opportunity in Paris this Saturday night.”

ADVERTISEMENT
Fixture
Internationals
France
30 - 29
Full-time
New Zealand
All Stats and Data

All Blacks team to face France:

1. Tamaiti Williams
2. Codie Taylor
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Scott Barrett (c)
5. Tupou Vaa’i
6. Samipeni Finau
7. Ardie Savea
8. Wallace Sititi
9. Cam Roigard
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Caleb Clarke
12. Jordie Barrett
13. Rieko Ioane
14. Sevu Reece
15. Will Jordan

Reserves

16. Asafo Aumua
17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi
18. Pasilio Tosi
19. Patrick Tuipulotu
20. Peter Lakai
21. Cortez Ratima
22. Anton Lienert-Brown
23. Damian McKenzie

Watch the exclusive reveal-all episode of Walk the Talk with Ardie Savea as he chats to Jim Hamilton about the RWC 2023 experience, life in Japan, playing for the All Blacks and what the future holds. Watch now for free on RugbyPass TV

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

34 Comments
D
DrinkAwayTheConcussion 24 days ago

I am dying to see Samipeni deliver the goods. Let’s go bruv.

d
d 25 days ago

I've been a DMac doubter, but I thought he played well for the full game against Ireland, supposedly our toughest opponent yet.


So if BB is first choice, what does he bring? He didn't seem very accurate against England; or was their pressure better than Ireland?


and Reece now seems to be too error prone, so why not keep DMac at 10 and let him kick those penalties, slip BB back to FB where he is a proven reliable defender, and put WJ on the wing instead of Reece?

T
Toaster 25 days ago

I think DMac will come in at 10 and the other two shift as you say

B
BM 25 days ago

He'll bring the best understanding of French m.o. for over half the game d & then hand over to D Mac to finish ....called teamwork!🤩 and Sevu might even surprise you! ...or Razor might make your last moves instead of removing BB's experience of France before final whistle!😎

B
BA 25 days ago

Reckon Lakai will be like a duck to water he kinda just plays like he has been there before at every step in his career

K
KB 25 days ago

At last no Mackenzie who is not a first five.

J
JW 25 days ago

It's a bit of a mess but LETS GOOO!!!

B
Bruiser 26 days ago

This is our strongest team of the year. Its taken to the Euro tour but we have a impactful bench that can bring the game home

M
MM 25 days ago

Its a strong team but with Talea injured and unavailable its not our strongest team. Sevu Reece has been highly ineffective this season.

J
JW 25 days ago

Paddy would need to be starting. EDG would also need to be selected under the same premise as the rest of the players.

H
Head high tackle 26 days ago

I think last weeks team was stronger except for Taylor. Bench was also stronger combo wise. How DeGroot has gone from best at WC last year, to not in side without even playing this tour, is astounding and Savea hasnt played 7 regularly since Cane became Captain in 2020.

B
Bull Shark 26 days ago

Thats the best NZ team right there (barring injuries).


Dmac off the bench makes sense. BB to kick the ball around a bit to (hopefully) tire out those big French forwards.


But we also know the French just lurv a good kick fest. So it could be boring for a bit. Interspersed with some ridiculous tries from either side.


Dupont, who starts this game provisionally rated 9/10 by the Rugbypass people, is going to need attention.


My heart says NZ but my bum says France. Hopefully I’m wrong. And/or it’s tight.


The game. Not my bum. My bum is tight.

T
Toaster 25 days ago

Thanks for the clarification 😂

G
GL 26 days ago

Hope BB can handle the rush defense

T
Tk 26 days ago

Ratima didn't have a great game Vs Ireland, Roigard deserves the start, but I'm really glad Ratima stays in the 23 rather than going for TJ.

B
BA 25 days ago

Strong team … respect the dude but looking forward reckon we can get some more impact from that midfield bench cover ALB has been given many chances has been solid but you know in 2 years I can see Joey Nanu in that SBW role

D
DrinkAwayTheConcussion 26 days ago

I find Cortez a bit quiet chat wise; TJ and Nuggy were very vocal, knew how to draw attention to players killing our ball and that sort of thing.

It’s just experience.

T
Tim 26 days ago

In Ratima's defence he didn't get much protection from his forwards. Also the Irish forwards spent a considerable amount of time on the NZ side of the ruck. Fair play if you get away with it. By the time Roigard was on the pitch the ref was wise to the Irish cynical play.

L
LRB 26 days ago

Good looking powerful team who are very capable of beating the French. If they 'click' it should be very entertaining.

B
Bull Shark 26 days ago

I think this will be the most talked about game of the year.

S
SadersMan 26 days ago

Great selections.


Still no de Groot but that's what happens when you give a sucker a break.


And good luck to Finau, the #6 is his for the taking if he can show power, physicality & a solid tackle technique that keeps him card free. Being a tall, big, guy, who hits hard, he needs to be careful.


Hopefully, this is the game where the ABs get that complete performance that we all know is within reach.

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 31 minutes ago
'It doesn’t make sense for New Zealand to deny itself access to world-class players'

There are a couple of inadequacies in this articles points as well.


First

Robertson, in what he has said publicly, is building his argument for change as a means to close the gap that is increasing between the All Blacks and South Africa.

Based on recent performances, the All Blacks are better than the Springboks.


Second

Both games saw the All Blacks lead coming into the last 30 minutes, only for the momentum to shift dramatically once the two sides emptied their respective benches.

The failings of the second half were game plan related, they happened regardless of whether the bench had yet (play got worse very early in the half, even in the first half) been used or not.


And third

Robertson’s view is that because the Boks don’t lose access to their experienced players when they head offshore, it gives them an advantage

Didn't Razor have the most experienced team all year?


Also

“Sam Cane and Ardie Savea with Wallace Siti, what a balance that is.

This is part of Razor's problem. That's a terrible balance. You instead want something like Sam Cane, Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Sititi. Or Ardie Savea, Sititi, Scott Barrett. Dalton Papaili'i, Savea, Finau. That is balance, not two old struggling to keep up players and an absolute rookie.

It has changed. Not many go north, more go to Japan, so how do we get the balance right to ensure that players who have given loyalty, longevity and who are still playing well

Experience is a priceless commodity in international rugby and New Zealand has a system where it throws away players precisely when they are at their most valuable.

You mean how do we take advantage of this new environment, because nothing has effectively changed has it. It's simply Japan now instead of Europe. What's it going to be like in the future, how is the new American league going to change things?


Mo'unga is the only real valid reason for debating change, but what's far more important is the wide discussion happening that's taking the whole game into account. The current modem throws players away because they decided to go with a 5 team model rather than a 12 or 14 team model. Players have to be asked to leave at the point were we know they aren't going to be All Blacks, when they are playing their best rugby, reached their peak. In order to reset, and see if the next guy coming through can improve on the 'peak' of the last guy. Of course it's going to take years before they even reach the departing players standards, let alone see if they can pass them.


What if there can be a change that enables New Zealand to have a model were players like Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, Bundee Aki, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ethan Roots, Warner Dearns are All Blacks that make their experienced and youth developemnt the envy of the World. That is the discussion that really needs to be had, not how easy it is to allow Mo'unga to play again. That's how the All Blacks end up winning 3 World Cups in a row.

27 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Will overseas selection make the difference for British and Irish Lions? Will overseas selection make the difference for British and Irish Lions?
Search