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"A different beast": All Blacks prepare for 'tough' season opener against France

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Fri, 4 Jul 2025, 9:30am
Codie Taylor of the All Blacks during a New Zealand All Blacks training session at North Harbour Stadium on July 01, 2025 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Codie Taylor of the All Blacks during a New Zealand All Blacks training session at North Harbour Stadium on July 01, 2025 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

"A different beast": All Blacks prepare for 'tough' season opener against France

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Fri, 4 Jul 2025, 9:30am

The first All Blacks test of 2025 is upon us. 

Saturday night will see a new team tackle an understrength French side in Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium. 

There were plenty of surprises in the team announcement, with four debutants in the 23 and some unexpected faces in the reserve line up. 

Codie Taylor is playing hooker, and told Mike Hosking that although the French side is understrength, they have to respect and acknowledge their opposition. 

However, he said, their main focus is on making sure they get things right, since this is their first crack playing as a team. 

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