Ruben Love has been trusted with the All Blacks No.10 shirt for Dave Rennie’s first match in charge, giving New Zealand’s Nations Championship opener against France a sharp selection edge.
New Zealand Rugby confirmed the match-day 23 for Saturday’s Test at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, with Love starting at first five-eighth outside Cam Roigard and inside Jordie Barrett.
That is the clearest call in Rennie’s first public selection. Damian McKenzie has been retained at full-back, Will Jordan starts on the right wing, and Beauden Barrett is outside the 23 altogether. It gives New Zealand a backline built around pace, front-foot decision-making and a Hurricanes-heavy inside channel.
Debut Bench Gives All Blacks Fresh Impact
Ardie Savea captains from No.8, with Peter Lakai and Luke Jacobson completing a loose trio that has power but also a new balance. Xavier Numia and Fehi Fineanganofo are the uncapped names on the bench, while Patrick Tuipulotu and Wallace Sititi provide heavyweight forward cover.
The selection also asks Josh Lord and Sam Darry to take the starting lock roles, with Tupou Vaa’i ruled out because of concussion. Rennie’s forwards staff, including Jason Ryan’s recent influence on the All Blacks’ set-piece standards, now have to make that younger engine room hold up against a French pack New Zealand clearly respect.
Official All Blacks media from the Christchurch camp is embedded below.
https://www.allblacks.com/watch/977397
For a side starting a new coaching cycle and a new tournament structure, this is not a conservative opening hand. It is a statement that Love’s Super Rugby form has forced the issue, and that Rennie is prepared to let youth shape the first answer.
