Where to watch France vs New Zealand
You can watch France vs New Zealand on TNT Sports 1 at 8.10pm on Saturday
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France vs New Zealand predictions
Saturday nights under the Saint-Denis lights often bring the best out of France – and it will need to again when they welcome New Zealand to Paris.
The All Blacks travelled north after an underwhelming home series win over England and a mixed Rugby Championship campaign, but after impressing against Japan they have beaten the Red Rose and Ireland this autumn.
However, they will need to overturn some recent history at the Stade de France, where they lost 27-13 to France in the opening game of last year’s Rugby World Cup but overcame Ireland and Argentina in the knockouts, only to go down 12-11 to South Africa in the final.
Les Bleus also suffered a single-point defeat to the Springboks – 29-28 in the quarter-finals – and the hangover from that heartache hindered them during the Six Nations when their Paris stronghold was unavailable due to the Olympics.
A scratch side sealed a 1-1 summer series draw in Argentina but the big boys were back for last weekend’s 52-12 win over Japan.
Olympic Sevens hero Antoine Dupont steered the ship in France’s first game at the Stade de France since losing to South Africa at the World Cup, but it is Thomas Ramos’s retention at fly-half on which this game could hinge.
Ramos’s best rugby has come at full-back and Fabien Galthie’s six-two split on the bench has left him without an obvious alternative in the number-ten jersey, with understudy Mathieu Jalibert pulling out of the squad after learning he would be among the replacements.
Opposite number Beauden Barrett has also played plenty of rugby at 15 but is trusted to run the team from stand-off ahead of Damien McKenzie. Concussion protocols meant he missed out in Dublin but he was brilliant at exposing England’s defensive flaws at Twickenham a fortnight ago.
He will send his runners down Ramos’s channel and put his speedsters into space out wide, and his superiority in the playmaking battle could see the All Blacks claim their first away win over France in seven years.
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