France-New Zealand: where to see and five things to know about the shock against the All Blacks

Passing three for the first time since 2012

The Blues of Fabien Galthié will try Saturday to finish on a good note, a feat against the All Blacks. Realizing the pass of three after beating Argentina and Georgia. This is not frequent for the XV of France since it is necessary to go back to 2012 to find traces of the three victories during the autumn test matches. At the time, Philippe Saint-André's players had brought down Argentina, Samoa and Australia. Subsequently, disillusions followed during the November tours. In 2013 and 2016, France had achieved only one success respectively against Fiji and Samoa. The Blues were bowed in 2018 during the last test against these same Fijians at the Stade de France. The 2017 tour had turned into a fiasco, with zero wins:setbacks against the Springboks and the All Blacks then a draw against the Japanese in Paris La Défense Aréna. Fatal to Guy Novès ...

To read also Rugby: at what time and on which channels to see the last test-matches of the autumn?

Six Blues have already faced the All Blacks

Of the 23 French players present this Saturday at the Stade de France, they are only six to have already faced the All Blacks.

They are Uini Atonio, Cyril Baille, Gaël Fickou, Antoine Dupont, Anthony Jelonch and Damian Penaud.

Atonio and Baille, the two mainstays on Saturday, took part in four matches against the Kiwis, so Dupont, Jelonch and Penaud only challenged them once.

Fickou, the most capped Blue in the French group, played five times against New Zealanders, the first time in… 2013. These six players have never beaten New Zealand.

Read also Galthié on the XV of France aligned to challenge the All Blacks: "We try to be consistent"

France is doing almost as well as England

France and New Zealand have faced each other 61 times, with a record largely favorable to the All Blacks: 48 wins, one draw and 12 losses. That is a percentage of 78.69% of victories for the New Zealanders. Disappointing for the Blues? Not really since France is the European nation that has obtained the most victories against the Kiwis. In addition, the All Blacks have won 78.69% of their matches against the Blues, only England have done a little better by losing 78.57% of the confrontations. The victory of the English against the Blacks in the semifinals of the last World Cup in Japan allowed the XV de la Rose to overtake the Blues. Next come Ireland (87.88%), which remains on three wins in the last 5 matches, Wales (91.67%), and Scotland (93.55%). AgainstSouth Africa and Australia, two nations that New Zealand faces more regularly as the percentages drop, respectively, to 59.41% wins and 69.36%.

The All Blacks rarely lose twice in a row

The All Blacks are said to be the team with the best results in all sports. Since their first match in 1907, the New Zealanders have indeed won 77% of their matches. Hard to beat. However, the formidable Kiwis sometimes know less well. And if they were to lose against France, they would concede a second loss in a row after losing in Ireland. When is the last time New Zealand won twice in a row? We should not go back very far since in November 2020, Sam Whitelock and his teammates lost against Australia (24-22) then against Argentina (15-25). The men in black's last two-row losing streak was previously in 2011, with losses to theSouth Africa (18-5) then Australia (25-20). Will France manage to stop the beautiful black machine a second time in a week?

Read alsoXV de France: how to beat (finally) the All Blacks

New Zealand without two of its executives

The Blacks will have to compose this Saturday without two of their managerial players, the opener Beauden Barrett (concussion) and the three-quarter center Anton Lienert-Brown (shoulder). A big blow for coach Ian Foster. Beauden Barrett (30 years old, 101 caps), voted best player in the world in 2016 and 2017, has been the New Zealand players since the retirement of Dan Carter at the end of the 2015 World Cup. will be replaced by Richie Mo'unga (27, 31 caps), who shines in Super Rugby. Recently, the New Zealand coach had tried to evolve with Mo'unga at the opening and Barrett at the back. Without it being fully satisfactory. Another major package, that of Anton Lienert-Brown (26 years old, 56 caps), essential at the center of the Blacks attack. To replace it,Foster started Quinn Tupaea. This will be only the 7th selection for the 22-year-old Chiefs player and his 5th start since his international debut against Tonga in July 2021 for a broad 102-0 success!