All Black Ardie Savea attempts to charge down a kick from France's Antoine Dupont. Rugby World Cup France 2023. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
All Blacks v France
Kick-off: 9.10am Sunday 17 November
Stade de France, Paris
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
The All Blacks are planning on playing the role of party poopers as France hope to celebrate the return of star halfback and captain Antoine Dupont with a win at Stade de France on Sunday morning.
Dupont is playing just his second game for France since returning to the 15s side after helping the French Sevens claim gold at this year's Paris Olympics.
The New Zealand bookies have the two teams at even odds to win this weekend and minimising Dupont's impact on the game would go a long way to helping the All Blacks emerge victorious.
France’s Antoine Dupont. Photo: photosport
Dupont's first ever start for France was in Paris against the All Blacks in 2017 - a game New Zealand won - and All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor, who is back starting after missing the Ireland win with concussion, said Dupont made an instant impact at international level.
"I remember a lot of us boys thinking during and after like, 'Jeez who was that guy?' He was massive for them and he's been doing that ever since. He's obviously a massive leader for them. He loves the big occasions and he's a great player," Taylor said.
"He gets their game going forward and it's going to be another tough challenge to take that away."
Chandler Cunningham-South tackles Codie Taylor of New Zealand. Twickenham. England vs All Blacks, 2024. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2024 www.photosport.nz
All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea has shifted from No 8 to openside this weekend with Sam Cane out injured, while Wallace Sititi moves from blindside to No 8 and Samipeni Finau comes in at No 6 to complete the loose forwards line up.
Savea, the current World Rugby player of the year, said Dupont, considered by many as the best player on the planet, is a generational talent.
"Codie (Taylor) touched on it. He's been massive for them ever since he played his first game for France and we've seen what he's done in Sevens. He's gone over there and then won Olympic gold, he helped Toulouse become (French) champions. He's a common denominator (in successful teams) and that's testament to his class," Savea said.
"For us, we understand the threat he poses and how he's a big key man for the French team."
Savea said the All Blacks had a plan to negate Dupont's influence.
"Hopefully, with our our defence and and whatnot we have strategies to nullify that. If we don't front up physically against a big French pack we allow Antoine Dupont to run the show.
"Hopefully we can nullify that, but we also understand and respect the class he has," Savea said.
"Some guys you just can't stop, but we'll try our best on Saturday."
Ardie Savea and Wallace Sititi of the All Blacks with the Bledisloe Cup. Photo: Photosport / James Gourley
Taylor is wary of focusing too much on Dupont and ignoring the rest of the threats in the French team.
"They've got a big forward pack who carry the ball well and build really nice momentum for them. Then they've got some pretty silky backs that can throw the ball around. They're really good at keeping the ball alive," Taylor said.
"That typical French rugby flair which is hard to stop if you let them get a roll on. So our biggest challenge will be to to stop that and take it away from them."
The All Blacks have lost their last two tests against France and Taylor said the tourists are determined to remain unbeaten on their end of year tour after wins over Japan, England and Ireland.
"It's been probably the the hardest tour in terms of the calibre of teams we've been playing. We face that challenge head on and we've got two more tough ones to come (France this weekend and Italy next weekend).
"Not great history at Stade de France personally, losing to the French in the World Cup opener and then obviously the World Cup final loss (to South Africa), but third time's a charm."
Taylor believes the All Blacks are improving each week and beginning to show glimpses of the kind of performances they're seeking to produce
"I think we've made a few good strides in the way we want to play with the ball and without it. I think defensively there's been a few challenges coming over here and playing some pretty class sides, but I feel like we've made some really big growth areas in that respect."
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