Love gets nod at 10 as All Blacks bank on Hurricanes chemistry vs France
Ruben Love starts at fly-half for New Zealand’s opener, while France counters with Damian Penaud’s recall in Christchurch—a clash of club firepower and international pedigree.
Ruben Love starts at fly-half for New Zealand’s opener, while France counters with Damian Penaud’s recall in Christchurch—a clash of club firepower and international pedigree.
Ruben Love will make his All Blacks debut at fly-half when New Zealand face France in Christchurch on Saturday, with coach Dave Rennie betting on the Hurricanes’ club cohesion to blunt Les Bleus’ attack. 10, inheriting the playmaking reins for the Nations Championship opener as the All Blacks seek a statement win in front of a home crowd. France responded by recalling record try-scorer Damian Penaud to the starting XV, pairing him with Bordeaux-Begles playmaker Matthieu Jalibert in the backline for the first time since 2022.
The move underscores France’s intent to exploit New Zealand’s defensive vulnerabilities, with Penaud’s try-scoring threat and Jalibert’s tactical kicking set to test the inexperienced All Blacks backline. Bordeaux-Begles, the French club with the most players in the matchday squad, provides four starters, including prop Jean-Baptiste Gros and flanker Alexandre Roumat. The All Blacks’ starting lineup leans heavily on Hurricanes personnel, with Jordie Barrett shifting to fullback and Ardie Savea retaining the captaincy.
Savea’s presence and the Hurricanes’ 2023 Super Rugby Pacific title-winning spine aim to impose physicality on a French side missing key Toulouse and Montpellier players. New Zealand’s bench includes Crusaders lock Sam Whitelock, returning for his 150th test, and Highlanders utility back Josh Ioane, who could inject pace late in the game. The selection battle at fly-half reflects a broader shift in New Zealand’s planning.
Love’s elevation signals a willingness to prioritise form over legacy, especially with Barrett moving into a mentoring role. The All Blacks have spent the week drilling combinations built around Love’s instinctive running game, hoping to stretch France’s midfield defence and create mismatches for wings Mark Telea and Leicester Fainga’anuku. France’s reliance on Bordeaux-Begles talent also speaks to a structural evolution in their player pipeline.
With Toulouse and Montpellier unavailable, coach Christophe Dominici has leaned into continuity from a single club, banking on shared systems to offset the absence of star power. Jalibert’s partnership with Penaud, forged in domestic competition, gives France a ready-made attacking axis capable of punishing slow defensive reads. Rennie framed the selection as a statement of intent: “We’ve got to trust the group we’ve put together.
” France coach Christophe Dominici countered: “Penaud’s return adds another dimension. ” The stakes extend beyond the match itself. For New Zealand, this is the first real test of a rebuild that has seen them move away from the Barrett era, with Love’s selection a clear signal that the union is willing to back youth and club form over established names.
The Hurricanes’ Super Rugby success in 2023 has given Rennie a blueprint: a tight-knit group that understands each other’s movements, a model he’s trying to replicate at international level. Meanwhile, France’s reliance on Bordeaux-Begles reflects a pragmatic approach to squad construction, prioritising cohesion over star power when top clubs can’t release players. This matchup also highlights the contrasting philosophies in modern rugby.
New Zealand’s model, built on club cohesion and youth development, contrasts with France’s reliance on individual brilliance and tactical flexibility. The clash in Christchurch will reveal which philosophy holds up under pressure, with both teams using the Nations Championship as a proving ground for their respective visions. What’s next: The outcome in Christchurch will set the tone for both sides in the Nations Championship, with the All Blacks looking to validate their youthful revolution and France aiming to prove their depth without top club players.
This match marks the first major roster roll-out of Dave Rennie’s rebuild for New Zealand, signaling a tactical shift toward youth and club cohesion. For France, Penaud’s recall tests their depth amid absences from Toulouse and Montpellier, forcing a reliance on Bordeaux-Begles’ talent. The clash pits the Hurricanes’ Super Rugby-winning chemistry against Les Bleus’ star power, offering a preview of how both teams will navigate the Nations Championship. The philosophical divide—New Zealand’s club-first model versus France’s star-driven approach—will be on full display, with the result likely to shape squad selection and tactical thinking for both unions in the years ahead.
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