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Sawt Falasteen - All Blacks roll the dice with 10 changes for third France Test

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All Blacks roll the dice with 10 changes for third France Test
All Blacks roll the dice with 10 changes for third France Test / Photo: William WEST - AFP

All Blacks roll the dice with 10 changes for third France Test

SPORTS 16.07.2025

Damian McKenzie has been handed another chance to prove himself at fly-half in an overhauled All Blacks team featuring 10 starting changes named Thursday for the third Test against France.

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New Zealand coach Scott Robertson stayed true to his pre-series pledge to give game time to every fit player in his initial squad, rolling the dice for Saturday's match in Hamilton where they will chase a series clean sweep.

Replacement hooker Brodie McAlister is poised to make his Test debut while fullback Ruben Love will make a first start, having notched a lone cap off the bench against Japan last year.

Love and McAlister are among eight players who played no part in the first two Tests against a weakened French tour squad missing most of their first-choice players, who are being rested.

The All Blacks won a tense first match 31-27 in Dunedin before finding their rhythm in last week's 43-17 victory in Wellington.

There are six changes to the backline, with only wing Rieko Ioane retaining his starting spot.

McKenzie is handed another chance to prove his value as the team's playmaker.

McKenzie wore the number 10 jersey in the first eight Tests of Robertson's tenure last year but he was alternated with Beauden Barrett during their season-ending northern hemisphere tour.

The 136-Test veteran Barrett started both French Tests but has been ruled out this week with a hand injury.

All four inside backs -- scrum-half Cortez Ratima, McKenzie and midfield backs Quinn Tupaea and Anton Lienert-Brown -- play for Super Rugby team the Waikato Chiefs, whose home ground is Hamilton.

Lienert-Brown is among four players who were ruled unavailable earlier in the series because of injury, along with prop Tyrel Lomax, back-rower Luke Jacobson and wing Sevu Reece.

Ardie Savea has been named captain for a second straight match in the absence of regular skipper Scott Barrett, who suffered a calf injury in the first Test.

France coach Fabien Galthie is expected to also significantly change his team, to be announced later on Thursday.

New Zealand (15-1):

Ruben Love; Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea, Rieko Ioane; Damian McKenzie, Cortez Ratima; Luke Jacobson, Ardie Savea (capt), Samipeni Finau; Fabian Holland, Patrick Tuipulotu; Tyrel Lomax, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Ethan de Groot.

Replacements: Brodie McAlister, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Dalton Papali'i, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Noah Hotham, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Will Jordan.

L.AbuAli--SF-PST

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