All Blacks coach Robertson gives Love a chance against France
New Zealand coach Scott Robertson made good on his pledge to give everyone in his wider squad a chance, bringing in seven players for their first taste of test rugby this season.
Wellington Hurricanes fullback Love gets his second test cap following his debut against Japan last year, while Luke Jacobson will start at number eight in a rejigged back row after recovering from injury.
Samipeni Finau replaces the injured Tupou Vaa'i in the number six shirt, while stand-in captain Ardie Savea remains starting openside flanker.
Centre Anton Lienert-Brown comes in to the midfield with inside centre Quinn Tupaea, while Sevu Reece has returned to the wing after missing the second test with concussion.
Robertson has also shaken up the front row, starting Samisoni Taukei'aho at hooker and Tyrel Lomax at tighthead prop.
With Beauden Barrett ruled out with a hand injury, Damian McKenzie will start in the number 10 shirt behind scrumhalf Cortez Ratima.
Waikato Chiefs hooker Brodie McAlister will hope to debut off the bench at his home stadium.
After an unconvincing first-up win in Dunedin, the All Blacks thrashed the French 43-17 in Wellington to seal the series, giving Robertson the luxury to tweak combinations in Hamilton.
"These men have earned their place in the team, have trained extremely hard over the last three weeks, and will take their opportunity on Saturday night," Robertson said in a media release on Thursday.
Team:
15-Ruben Love, 14-Sevu Reece, 13-Anton Lienert-Brown, 12-Quinn Tupaea, 11-Rieko Ioane, 10-Damian McKenzie, 9-Cortez Ratima, 8-Luke Jacobson, 7-Ardie Savea (Captain), 6-Samipeni Finau, 5-Fabian Holland, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu (Vice-Captain), 3-Tyrel Lomax, 2-Samisoni Taukei'aho, 1-Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-George Bower, 18-Fletcher Newell, 19-Dalton Papali'i, 20-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 21-Noah Hotham, 22-Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23-Will Jordan
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Footy great launches blistering attack on former teammate who called him a coward and got VERY personal: 'Don't ever mention my son's name again'
Former NSW Blues star Aaron Woods has savaged former Origin teammate Ryan Hoffman after the backrower infamously labelled him a 'coward' ahead of game two of the series in Perth. At the time, a fired-up Hoffman defended his close friend - Queensland coach Billy Slater - after Woods labelled the decorated fullback a 'grub ' on Triple M radio. Ex-Melbourne Storm forward Hoffman claimed Woods asked Slater to take a photo with his son Buster earlier this year in Brisbane during Magic Round - before suggesting the prop turned media identity then slammed the Origin coach on air to create an aggressive narrative. Speaking on the Kenty podcast recently, Woods offered his version of events. 'Ryan Hoffman came out and called me a coward, and then he backflipped and said he didn't,' Woods said. 'We had a conversation. I said, "Look, you can call me whatever you want, just don't ever mention my son's name again with things that didn't happen", because Buster didn't get a photo with Billy.' Hoffman and Woods played together in the 2014 series (pictured) which NSW won to end eight years of heartache against Queensland Woods then recalled what actually unfolded with Slater. 'We were up at the top boxes of Suncorp Stadium (during Magic Round), I was going to take my little fella downstairs, Buster, because he was going to be a ball boy for the three o'clock game on the Saturday arvo, which was Newcastle versus Souths,' he added. 'As I was going down the lift, we were right at the back, everyone jumped in, then we get down to I think level 3, that's where the Channel 9 and Fox (Sports) boxes are. 'Billy Slater rocks in with his producer from Channel 9. We go downstairs, everyone gets out, Billy's there at the front, I literally walk out, I walk past, I shake his hand, 'hey Bill', I say to Buster to shake his hand. 'Once he shakes his hand we walk away, Buster goes 'who's that Dad?' 'I go 'mate, he's one of the best fullbacks to ever play the game'. My young bloke is only five. And that is all that happened. 'So from that, there's only three people that would've said something to Gordy (Tallis) about that. So someone's dropped the lip and had a little complaint, wasn't too happy.' It followed NRL 360 panel member Gorden Tallis also taking aim at Woods for labelling Slater a grub ahead of game two at Optus Stadium. An emotional Slater responded by suggesting Woods was perhaps unaware of the mental health concerns his words could have on people, before referencing late Maroons coach Paul Green, who suffered from CTE. Slater later retracted his comments and rang Green's wife Amanda to apologise.
Times
3 hours ago
- Times
Three-day tours and ‘whirlwind' of the short-term Lions call-up
T he last time the British & Irish Lions had a 2-0 lead, they were in action on the Tuesday before the third Test. Midweek fixtures make the Lions a 'glorious anachronism' but they also induce headaches. As recently as 2005 there were 'dirt-tracker' outings before every international, whereas in 2025, even one final tune-up before the second Test is treated as a money-spinning hindrance to survive. This selectorial neuralgia has led to short-term call-ups, such as the radio commentator Shane Williams in 2013 and the 'Geography Six' of 2017. For all their merits as rugby men, many will tar Gregor Brown, Tom Clarkson et al with that brush. Yet unlikely Lions are a rich part of the team's history. Go back far enough and you will find Bill Cunningham, the former Ireland half back working as a dentist in South Africa, co-opted into the bruised 1924 squad.
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
Super League votes to add two clubs and return to 14-team competition for 2026
Super League will expand to 14 teams in 2026 after clubs approved an increase in the competition by two at the earliest possible opportunity. Officials from all clubs met in Leeds on Monday to discuss a strategic review of the professional game that had been led by Nigel Wood, the former chief executive of the Rugby Football League who has now returned as the governing body's chair, despite being paid more than £300,000 to leave in 2018. His review recommended that Super League's best course of action for a strong financial future was to increase the size of the competition. Nine clubs voted in favour of that proposal on Monday afternoon; the Guardian understands that Hull FC and Hull KR voted against the idea, while Wigan Warriors abstained from voting. However, the next steps towards expansion are complicated and epitomise the chaos that continues to engulf the sport's boardrooms following Wood's controversial return to power. Twelve of the 14 teams that play in Super League next year will be determined by the IMG gradings system which was introduced last year. That measures clubs in a variety of on- and off‑field metrics, giving them a score out of 20. The 12 clubs which rank the highest in October will be automatically assured of a spot in Super League in 2026. The expectation as things stand would be that the Championship side Toulouse would replace Salford in the top 12. But that will not be the only change, as two more clubs will essentially be handpicked by an independent panel, based on a selection of criteria that is yet to be finalised. That panel will be led by the RFL board member Lord Jonathan Caine but will also include members of Wood's strategic review committee. Wood was, up until earlier this year, the chair of another side that will now be strong favourites to return to Super League, Bradford Bulls. They are not the only ones who will be hopeful of promotion through this unique and somewhat peculiar method. The Championship leaders York Knights are confident they have a compelling case to become a Super League side for the first time, while London, who would have missed out under the gradings system, now have an increased chance due to support in the boardrooms at certain clubs for the Broncos. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion A move back to 14 teams for the first time since 2014 comes at a crucial time for the sport. Super League is keen to position itself in as strong a position as possible ahead of a new broadcast cycle beginning in 2027. Supporters of the move believe a more simplistic fixture list, with the elimination of loop fixtures where some teams play each other three times, will appeal to all stakeholders. There were also concerns in some quarters about having two French sides, Toulouse and Catalans, in a 12-team competition, which would limit revenue streams.
