Rugby 2018

INSIDE

FEATURE ON NEW ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN SAM WHITELOCK ALL BLACKS AND FRENCH PLAYER PROFILES 2018 INTERNATIONAL RUGBY FIXTURES MITRE 10 CUP AND HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS WWW.OLIVERLEE.CO.NZ

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RUGBY 2018

CONTENTS

BLACKS 2018: LOOKING AHEAD 6 ALL We look ahead to the challenges the All Blacks face over the next few months.

MANAGING EDITOR: Oliver Lee EDITOR: Peter White CONTRIBUTORS: Ian Borthwick Ron Palenski PAGINATION: Mervyn Hurley PHOTOGRAPHY: photosport.nz gettyimages French Rugby Federation PRINTING: Webstar Masterton PUBLISHER:

Box 331-667, Takapuna, Auckland 0740, New Zealand T: 09 486 6966 E: oliver@oliverlee.co.nz W: oliverlee.co.nz

AARON SMITH WILL ADD FIREPOWER

NEW ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN – SAM WHITELOCK 8 Peter White provides some background on the All Blacks’ newest leader who picks up the captain’s mantle in the upcoming Steinlager Series.

BLACKS PROFILES 11 ALL We profile the 34 All Blacks selected to play France in the 2018 Steinlager Series.

RUGBY FIXTURES 2018 16 INTERNATIONAL International rugby test fixtures for 2018.

BLACKS AND FRANCE: A SPECIAL BOND 18 ALL Ron Palenski looks back on past French tours and shares some of the

A JUBILANT LES BLEU’S TEDDY THOMAS

excitement generated by les Bleus in years past.

LES BLEUS ON THE RISE 20 PREVIEW: Ian Borthwick writes from Paris on what we can expect from the French team touring New Zealand in June.

FRENCH “LES BLEUS” PLAYER PROFILES 23 THE We profile the 32 French players selected to play against the All Blacks in the 2018 Steinlager Series which kicks off at Eden Park on Saturday next 9 June.

RIEKO IOANE TO SHINE FOR THE ALL BLACKS

10 CUP 28 MITRE Your complete guide to the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup competition which kicks off on Saturday 16 August.

10 HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP 30 MITRE The schedule for the 10-week competition for the Meads and Lochore Cups which kicks off on 25 August.

ISSN 2463-7041 (Print) ISSN 2463-705X (Online)

COPYRIGHT: Reproduction in whole or in part by any means is prohibited.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Although all material is checked for accuracy, no liability is assumed by the publisher for any loss due to use of material in this magazine.

ALL BLACKS FANS

BIG YEAR FOR ALL BLACKS

BY PETER WHITE The 2018 season is set to be an enticing prospect for all New Zealand rugby fans.

SUPER TALENT: BEAUDEN BARRETT is a key part of the ALL BLACKS attacking strengths This international season promises to be another memorable one for the All Blacks.

Last year’s remarkable series against the British and Irish Lions was always going to take some beating but the lineup of matches in 2018 is certainly impressive.

The 2018 Steinlager series features the eagerly awaited return of a very experienced French side led by Mathieu Bastareaud and also includes experienced players lke Morgan Parra, Yoann Maestri, Maxime Medard and Wesley Fofana.

France has a new head coach in Jacques Brunel who took the reins in January after five losses and a draw in the previous six tests. He immediately changed the complexion of the team, bringing in a more unified culture and some of the old French flair.

The first test is at Eden Park on June 9. France was the last team to beat the All Blacks at the famous ground back in July 1994 with ‘the try from the end of the earth’.

Two tests follow in Wellington and Dunedin against a French team expected to be highly competitive in the forward exchanges and capable of brilliance out wide.

The All Blacks have a new captain for the Steinlager series.

With Kieran Read recovering from a long-term back injury, Sam Whitelock will lead the team in the series against France.

Whitelock captained the All Blacks against Wales last November and led the Crusaders to the 2017 Super Rugby title.

6 | RUGBY 2018

include Argentina. The one glitch on the record came in 2015 when Australia took out the title, but the All Blacks will be hot favourites again in 2018.

It will be an historic evening for Nelson on September 8 when the city hosts the All Blacks for the very first time.

Trafalgar Park hosted three matches during the 2011 Rugby World Cup but this match against Argentina is certainly the biggest rugby occasion for the Tasman union in its 11-year existence.

Nelson has a special place in rugby folklore as the venue for the first proper game played in New Zealand between Nelson Rugby Club and Nelson College on 14 May 1870.

With a little over a year out from the Rugby World Cup to be held in Japan, the All Blacks will play Australia in the final Bledisloe Cup test in Yokohama on October 27 followed by a much-anticipated clash with Japan in Tokyo a week later.

Perhaps the two toughest games of the year will follow in successive weekends, with the All Blacks taking on England in Twickenham on 10 November and this is followed a week later in Dublin against the 2018 Grand Slam Champions Ireland.

Ireland enjoyed their first ever victory over the All Blacks in Chicago in November 2016 and under Kiwi coach Joe Schmidt have won three Six Nations titles in five years.

He will lead a wonderful attacking squad with the talents of Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Waisake Naholo and Ben Smith, all orchestrated by first-five Beauden Barrett, the IRB World Player of the Year for the last two seasons.

England will provide the sternest of tests under the astute coaching of Australian Eddie Jones. On the hallowed turf at Twickenham, the match will provide bragging rights and a psychological advantage for the victor ahead of the Rugby World Cup in 2019.

The All Blacks have mostly reigned supreme since the Investec Rugby Championship was expanded in 2012 to

The long year of test rugby for the All Blacks finishes up on 24 November with a test against Italy.

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BY PETER WHITE Crusaders lock Sam Whitelock steps up to the captaincy role to replace the injured Kieran Read against F rance.

In his late teenage years Sam Whitelock was faced with a difficult decision.

The 2.12m athletic, ball-playing sportsman was already a highly regarded rugby player but was also offered the opportunity to play basketball in the United States on a sports scholarship.

RACING CARNIVAL

Thankfully from a rugby viewpoint he decided not to go ahead with it and quickly grew into one of the most promising young locks in the country.

4, 8, 11 AUGUST 2018

Now at the age of 29 and with 96 tests for the All Blacks behind him, Whitelock has been given the highest accolade in the New Zealand game — to captain the All Blacks.

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Whitelock will lead the team with support from vice captains Sam Cane and Ben Smith in the three test matches against France in June. He led the Crusaders to the Super Rugby title in 2017 and impressed all and sundry with his cool, calm and collected approach to the job. Last November he captained the All Blacks against Wales.

WE ARE LUCKY THAT THE LEADERSHIP GROUP IS STRONG. IN THE END WE WENT WITH (WHITELOCK) AND THE TWO VICE-CAPTAINS IN SAM CANE AND BEN SMITH. RICCARTON PARK

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen spoke highly of Whitelock at the official announcement of the All Blacks squad of 33 for the 2018 Steinlager series.

“Sammy is a guy, interestingly enough, we held back from the leadership group because he is a deep thinker and early in his career he probably over-thought things. So we allowed him to find his feet and he has become a very big part of the leadership group. He has been given the opportunity at the Crusaders and he has taken that with both hands,” Hansen says.

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“Last year he did a tremendous job in the Wales week and we just expect him to carry that on. We liked what we saw there. We do want someone up front having a voice and being able to communicate straight away with the ref and being able to drive that.

“We are lucky that the leadership group is strong. We have a number of franchise leaders in the team. In the end we went with (Whitelock) and the two vice-captains in Sam Cane and Ben Smith.”

Whitelock was voted New Zealand Player of the Year in 2017 and he epitomises the new breed of thinking rugby player as well as anyone. He is fast, athletic and has a great leap in the lineouts — courtesy of all those years dunking basketballs in his youth.

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But he does not shirk the tight stuff and with Brodie Retallick in the engine room for the All Blacks has established the foremost locking partnership in world rugby.

Whitelock is from one of the proudest rugby families to ever lace up a pair of boots in New Zealand.

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His grandfather Nelson Dalzell played 22 matches, including five tests, on the 1953-54 tour of Britain, Ireland and France, while brothers George and

8 | RUGBY 2018

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TRUE LEADER:

SAM WHITELOCK will captain the ALL BLACKS against FRANCE in the Steinlager Series in June.

Luke played for the All Blacks and another brother Adam represented the All Blacks Sevens. The boys’ father Braeden was a Junior All Black.

Whitelock first gained the attention of the national selectors making New Zealand Schools while at Feilding High School, the New Zealand Under 19 team and in 2008 he was a key part of the New Zealand Under 20 team that won the IRB Junior World Championship.

All Blacks selection came in 2010 when he was originally called into the squad for the early season Steinlager Series as cover. He marked his Test debut in some style, scoring two tries against Ireland in New Plymouth after he replaced Brad Thorn off the bench.

Whitelock earned full promotion to the Investec Tri Nations team and then the All Blacks end of year tour squad. He has never missed an All Blacks squad since.

But there is far more to the athletic lock than just rugby. He has a Bachelor of Science from Lincoln University in Canterbury and in 2016 he joined the rural wellbeing programme Farmstrong as an ambassador to help farmers.

How long Whitelock will captain the All Blacks for is unknown at this stage of Kieran Read’s recuperation from a back injury.

But what is certain is he will add his own defining style to the role and create yet another chapter to his family’s proud rugby history.

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ALL BLACKS PLAYER PROFILES

The All Blacks squad to play France in the 2018 Steinlager Series was named on 20 May 2018. We profile the 34 players selected and all statistics were correct on 3 June 2018. For all up-to-date information on the All Blacks visit, www.allblacks.com NOTE: # DENOTES EACH PLAYER’S ALL BLACK NUMBER

#1104

BACKS

SAM WHITELOCK (CAPTAIN) Place of Birth: PALMERSTON NORTH Date of Birth: 12 OCTOBER 1988 Age: 29 Height: 2.02m Weight: 115kg Position: LOCK Province: CANTERBURY Super Rugby: CRUSADERS Test Debut: v IRELAND at NEW PLYMOUTH, 12 JUNE 2010 All Blacks Tests: 96 All Blacks Test Points: 25

AARON SMITH

#1112

Place of Birth: PALMERSTON NORTH Date of Birth: 21 NOVEMBER 1988 Age: 29 Height: 1.71m Weight: 84kg Position: HALFBACK Province: MANAWATU Super Rugby: HIGHLANDERS Test Debut: v IRELAND at AUCKLAND, 9 JUNE 2012 All Blacks Tests: 71 All Blacks Test Points: 67

BEAUDEN BARRETT

#1115

TE TOIROA TAHURIORANGI

DAMIEN McKENZIE

#1154

Place of Birth: INVERCARGILL Date of Birth: 20 APRIL 1995 Age: 23 Height: 1.77m Weight: 78kg Position: FIRST FIVE-EIGHT / FULLBACK Province: WAIKATO Super Rugby: CHIEFS Test Debut: v ARGENTINA at BUENOS AIRES, 1 OCTOBER 2016 All Blacks Tests: 12 All Blacks Test Points: 25

#1167

Place of Birth: CHRISTCHURCH Date of Birth: 25 MAY 1994 Age: 24 Height: 1.76m Weight: 83kg Position: FIRST FIVE-EIGHT Province: CANTERBURY Super Rugby: CRUSADERS All Blacks Debut: v FRANCE XV at LYON, 14 NOVEMBER 2017 All Blacks Tests: UNCAPPED All Black Points: 2

JACK GOODHUE

#1132

Place of Birth: ROTORUA Date of Birth: 31 MARCH 1995 Age: 23 Height: 1.71m Weight: 83kg Position: HALFBACK Province: TARANAKI Super Rugby: CHIEFS Test Debut: UNCAPPED All Blacks Tests: 0 All Blacks Test Points: 0

Place of Birth: NEW PLYMOUTH Date of Birth: 27 MAY 1991 Age: 27 Height: 1.87m Weight: 91kg Position: FIRST FIVE-EIGHTH Province: TARANAKI Super Rugby: HURRICANES Test Debut: v IRELAND at HAMILTON, 23 JUNE 2012 All Blacks Tests: 62 All Blacks Test Points: 465

RICHARD MO’UNGA

TJ PERENARA Place of Birth: PORIRUA Date of Birth: 23 JANUARY 1991 Age: 27 Height: 1.84m Weight: 94kg Position: HALFBACK Province: WELLINGTON Super Rugby: HURRICANES Test Debut: v ENGLAND at AUCKLAND, 7 JUNE 2014 All Blacks Tests: 42 All Blacks Test Points: 40

#1165

Place of Birth: WHANGAREI Date of Birth: 13 JUNE 1995 Age: 22 Height: 1.87m Weight: 98kg Position: CENTRE Province: NORTHLAND Super Rugby: CRUSADERS All Blacks Debut: v FRANCE XV at LYON, 14 NOVEMBER 2017 All Blacks Tests: UNCAPPED All Blacks Test Points: 0

WWW.ALLBLACKS.COM

RYAN CROTTY

#1124

Place of Birth: NELSON Date of Birth: 23 SEPTEMBER 1988 Age: 29 Height: 1.81m Weight: 91kg Position: SECOND FIVE-EIGHT Province: CANTERBURY Super Rugby: CRUSADERS Test Debut: v AUSTRALIA at SYDNEY, 17 AUGUST 2013 All Blacks Tests: 35 All Blacks Test Points: 45

NGANI LAUMAPE

#1160

Place of Birth: PALMERSTON NORTH Date of Birth: 22 APRIL 1993 Age: 25 Height: 1.71m Weight: 103kg Position: SECOND FIVE-EIGHT Province: MANAWATU Super Rugby: HURRICANES Test Debut: v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS at WELLINGTON, 1 JULY 2017 All Blacks Tests: 4 All Blacks Test Points: 5

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ANTON LIENERT-BROWN #1153

SONNY BILL WILLIAMS

Place of Birth: CHRISTCHURCH Date of Birth: 15 APRIL 1995 Age: 23 Height: 1.85m Weight: 96kg Position: CENTRE Province: WAIKATO Super Rugby: CHIEFS Test Debut: v AUSTRALIA at WELLINGTON, 27 AUGUST 2016 All Blacks Tests: 22 All Blacks Test Points: 25

Place of Birth: AUCKLAND Date of Birth: 3 AUGUST 1985 Age: 32 Height: 1.91m Weight: 108kg Position: SECOND FIVE-EIGHTH Province: COUNTIES MANUKAU Super Rugby: BLUES Test Debut: v ENGLAND at LONDON, 6 NOVEMBER 2010 All Blacks Tests: 46 All Blacks Test Points: 55

JORDIE BARRETT

#1159

Place of Birth: NEW PLYMOUTH Date of Birth: 17 FEBRUARY 1997 Age: 21 Height: 1.96m Weight: 96kg Position: OUTSIDE BACK Province: TARANAKI Super Rugby: HURRICANES Test Debut: v SAMOA at AUCKLAND, 16 JUNE 2017 All Blacks Tests: 2 All Blacks Test Points: 5

RIEKO IOANE

#1108

#1156

Place of Birth: AUCKLAND Date of Birth: 18 MARCH 1997 Age: 21 Height: 1.89m Weight: 102kg Position: WING Province: AUCKLAND Super Rugby: BLUES Test Debut: v ITALY at ROME, 12 NOVEMBER 2016 All Blacks Tests: 13 All Blacks Test Points: 55

NEHE MILNER-SKUDDER #1146

WAISAKE NAHOLO

Place of Birth: TAIHAPE Date of Birth: 15 DECEMBER 1990 Age: 27 Height: 1.80m Weight: 90kg Position: FULLBACK / WING Province: MANAWATU Super Rugby: HURRICANES Test Debut: v AUSTRALIA at SYDNEY, 8 AUGUST 2015 All Blacks Tests: 11 All Blacks Test Points: 55

Place of Birth: SIGATOKA, FIJI Date of Birth: 8 MAY 1991 Age: 27 Height: 1.86m Weight: 96kg Position: WING Province: TARANAKI Super Rugby: HIGHLANDERS Test Debut: v ARGENTINA at CHRISTCHURCH, 17 JULY 2015 All Blacks Tests: 18 All Blacks Test Points: 60

#1100

CODIE TAYLOR

FORWARDS

BEN SMITH (VICE-CAPTAIN)

Place of Birth: DUNEDIN Date of Birth: 1 JUNE 1986 Age: 32 Height: 1.86m Weight: 93kg Position: FULLBACK / WING Province: OTAGO Super Rugby: HIGHLANDERS Test Debut: v ITALY at MILAN, 14 NOVEMBER 2009 All Blacks Tests: 64 All Blacks Test Points: 145

#1143

Place of Birth: LEVIN Date of Birth: 31 MARCH 1991 Age: 27 Height: 1.83m Weight: 106kg Position: HOOKER Province: CANTERBURY Super Rugby: CRUSADERS Test Debut: v ARGENTINA at CHRISTCHURCH, 17 JULY 2015 All Blacks Tests: 29 All Blacks Test Points: 35

JOE MOODY

#1134

Place of Birth: CHRISTCHURCH Date of Birth: 18 SEPTEMBER 1988 Age: 29 Height: 1.88m Weight: 118kg Position: PROP Province: CANTERBURY Super Rugby: CRUSADERS Test Debut: v AUSTRALIA at SYDNEY, 16 AUGUST 2014 All Blacks Tests: 31 All Blacks Test Points: 5

#1142

NATHAN HARRIS

#1135

Place of Birth: TAURANGA Date of Birth: 8 MARCH 1992 Age: 26 Height: 1.86m Weight: 105kg Position: HOOKER Province: BAY OF PLENTY Super Rugby: CHIEFS Test Debut: v ARGENTINA at LA PLATA, 27 SEPTEMBER 2014 All Blacks Tests: 11 All Blacks Test Points: 10

OWEN FRANKS

#1094

Place of Birth: MOTUEKA Date of Birth: 23 DECEMBER 1987 Age: 30 Height: 1.85m Weight: 119kg Position: PROP Province: CANTERBURY Super Rugby: CRUSADERS Test Debut: v ITALY at CHRISTCHURCH, 27 JUNE 2009 All Blacks Tests: 95 All Blacks Test Points: 0

TIM PERRY

#1162

Place of Birth: ASHBURTON Date of Birth: 1 AUGUST 1988 Age: 29 Height: 1.88m Weight: 116kg Position: PROP Province: TASMAN Super Rugby: CRUSADERS Test Debut: v BARBARIANS CLUB at LONDON, 5 NOVEMBER 2017 All Blacks Tests: 0 All Blacks Test Points: 0

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RUGBY 2018 | 13

JEFFERY TOOMAGA-ALLEN #1130

OFA TU’UNGAFASI

Place of Birth: WELLINGTON Date of Birth: 19 NOVEMBER 1990 Age: 27 Height: 1.92m Weight: 125kg Position: PROP Province: WELLINGTON Super Rugby: HURRICANES Test Debut: v JAPAN at TOKYO, 2 NOVEMBER 2013 All Blacks Tests: 1 All Blacks Test Points: 0

Place of Birth: NUKUALOFA, TONGA Date of Birth: 19 APRIL 1992 Age: 26 Height: 1.95m Weight: 115kg Position: PROP Province: AUCKLAND Super Rugby: BLUES Test Debut: v WALES at DUNEDIN, 25 JUNE 2016 All Blacks Tests: 14 All Blacks Test Points: 5

KARL TU’INUKUAFE

SCOTT BARRETT

Place of Birth: AUCKLAND Date of Birth: 21 FEBRUARY 1993 Age: 25 Height: 1.82m Weight: 134kg Position: PROP Province: NORTH HARBOUR Super Rugby: CHIEFS Test Debut: UNCAPPED All Blacks Tests: 0 All Blacks Test Points: 0

Place of Birth: NEW PLYMOUTH Date of Birth: 20 NOVEMBER 1993 Age: 24 Height: 1.97m Weight: 112kg Position: LOCK Province: CANTERBURY Super Rugby: CRUSADERS Test Debut: v IRELAND at CHICAGO, 5 NOVEMBER 2016 All Blacks Tests: 16 All Blacks Test Points: 10

BRODIE RETALLICK

#1110

Place of Birth: RANGIORA Date of Birth: 31 MAY 1991 Age: 27 Height: 2.04m Weight: 123kg Position: LOCK Province: BAY OF PLENTY Super Rugby: CHIEFS Test Debut: v IRELAND at AUCKLAND, 9 JUNE 2012 All Blacks Tests: 68 All Blacks Test Points: 15

VAEA FIFITA

#1158

#1113

SHANNON FRIZELL Place of Birth: TONGA Date of Birth: 11 FEBRUARY 1994 Age: 24 Height: 1.95m Weight: 108kg Position: LOOSE FORWARD Province: TASMAN Super Rugby: HIGHLANDERS Test Debut: UNCAPPED All Blacks Tests: 0 All Blacks Test Points: 0

#1147

Place of Birth: WELLINGTON Date of Birth: 14 OCTOBER 1993 Age: 24 Height: 1.90m Weight: 99kg Position: LOOSE FORWARD Province: WELLINGTON Super Rugby: HURRICANES Test Debut: v WALES at AUCKLAND, 11 JUNE 2016 All Blacks Tests: 22 All Blacks Test Points: 20

14 | RUGBY 2018

#1155

Place of Birth: ROTORUA Date of Birth: 13 JANUARY 1992 Age: 26 Height: 1.89m Weight: 103kg Position: LOOSE FORWARD Province: BAY OF PLENTY Super Rugby: CHIEFS Test Debut: v IRELAND at CHRISTCHURCH, 16 JUNE 2012 All Blacks Tests: 53 All Blacks Test Points: 65

Place of Birth: VAVA’U, TONGA Date of Birth: 17 JUNE 1992 Age: 25 Height: 1.96m Weight: 111kg Position: LOOSE FORWARD Province: WELLINGTON Super Rugby: HURRICANES Test Debut: v SAMOA at AUCKLAND, 16 JUNE 2017 All Blacks Tests: 5 All Blacks Test Points: 10

ARDIE SAVEA

SAM CANE (VICE-CAPTAIN)

#1150

LIAM SQUIRE

JORDAN TAUFUA

LUKE WHITELOCK

Place of Birth: AUCKLAND Date of Birth: 29 JANUARY 1992 Age: 26 Height: 1.87m Weight: 108kg Position: LOOSE FORWARD Province: TASMAN Super Rugby: CRUSADERS Test Debut: UNCAPPED All Blacks Tests: 0 All Blacks Test Points: 0

Place of Birth: PALMERSTON NORTH Date of Birth: 29 JANUARY 1991 Age: 27 Height: 1.90m Weight: 104kg Position: LOOSE FORWARD Province: CANTERBURY Super Rugby: CRUSADERS Test Debut: v JAPAN at TOKYO, 2 NOVEMBER 2013 All Blacks Tests: 2 All Blacks Test Points: 0

WWW.ALLBLACKS.COM

#1151

Place of Birth: PALMERSTON NORTH Date of Birth: 20 MARCH 1991 Age: 27 Height: 1.96m Weight: 113kg Position: LOOSE FORWARD Province: TASMAN Super Rugby: HIGHLANDERS Test Debut: v WALES at DUNEDIN, 25 JUNE 2016 All Blacks Tests: 15 All Blacks Test Points: 10

#1129

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INTERNATIONAL RUGBY 2018 STEINLAGER SERIES versus FRANCE DATE MATCH

VENUE

TIME (NZ) RESULT

SATURDAY 09 JUNE

All Blacks

v France

Eden Park, Auckland

7.35pm

:

SATURDAY 16 JUNE

All Blacks

v France

Westpac Stadium, Wellington

7.35pm

:

SATURDAY 23 JUNE

All Blacks

v France

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

7.35pm

:

PACIFIC NATIONS CUP DATE

MATCH

SATURDAY 09 JUNE

Tonga

SATURDAY 09 JUNE

Fiji

VENUE

TIME (NZ) RESULT

v Georgia ANZ Stadium, Suva

1.00pm

:

v Samoa ANZ Stadium, Suva

3.30pm

:

SATURDAY 16 JUNE

Samoa

v Tonga ANZ Stadium, Suva

1.00pm

:

SATURDAY 16 JUNE

Fiji

v Georgia ANZ Stadium, Suva

3.30pm

:

ENGLAND TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA DATE MATCH

VENUE

TIME (NZ) RESULT

SUNDAY 10 JUNE

South Africa v England

Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg

3.05am

SUNDAY 17 JUNE

South Africa v England

Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein

3.05am

: :

SUNDAY 24 JUNE

South Africa v England

DHL Newlands, Cape Town

3.05am

:

WALES TOUR OF ARGENTINA / USA DATE MATCH

SUNDAY 03 JUNE

Wales

v

VENUE

SUNDAY 10 JUNE

Argentina

v

SUNDAY 17 JUNE

Argentina

v

TIME (NZ) RESULT

Wales

Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan 7.40am

: :

Wales

Estadio B.G. Estanisiao Lope, Santa Fe

:

South Africa

Robert F Kennedy Stadium, Washington

9.00am 7.40am

SCOTTISH TOUR OF ARGENTINA / CANADA / USA DATE MATCH

VENUE

TIME (NZ) RESULT

SUNDAY 10 JUNE

Canada

v Scotland

Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton

SUNDAY 17 JUNE

Scotland

v

BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston

8.00am

: :

SUNDAY 24 JUNE

Argentina

v Scotland

Estadio Centenario Resistencia, Chaco

4.40am

:

USA

11.00am

IRELAND TOUR OF AUSTRALIA DATE MATCH

VENUE

TIME (NZ) RESULT

SATURDAY 09 JUNE

Australia

v

Ireland

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

10.00pm

SATURDAY 16 JUNE

Australia

v

Ireland

AAMI Park, Melbourne

10.00pm

: :

SATURDAY 23 JUNE

Australia

v

Ireland

Allianz Stadium, Sydney

10.00pm

:

ITALY TOUR OF JAPAN DATE MATCH

VENUE

TIME (NZ) RESULT

SATURDAY 09 JUNE

Japan v Italy Oita Bank Dome, Oita, Japan

5.45pm

SATURDAY 16 JUNE

Japan

Noevir Stadium, Kobe, Japan v Italy

5.00pm

: :

SATURDAY 23 JUNE

Japan

v Georgia Toyota Stadium, Aichi, Japan

5.45pm

:

CANADA versus RUSSIA / SCOTLAND / USA DATE MATCH

VENUE

TIME (NZ) RESULT

11.00am

:

8.00am

:

Wanderers Grounds, Halifax, Nova Scotia 8.00am v USA

:

Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton

SUNDAY 10 JUNE

Canada

v Scotland

SUNDAY 17 JUNE

Canada

v Russia Twin Elm Rugby Park, Ottawa

SUNDAY 24 JUNE

Canada

OTHER JUNE INTERNATIONALS DATE MATCH

VENUE

TIME (NZ) RESULT

SUNDAY 10 JUNE

USA

v Russia Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Denver

SATURDAY 23 JUNE

Fiji

v Tonga ANZ Stadium, Suva, Fiji

TBC

:

3.00pm

:

MAORI ALL BLACKS FIXTURES DATE MATCH

SUNDAY 04 NOV

16 | RUGBY 2018

Maori All Blacks v USA Eagles

WWW.ALLBLACKS.COM

VENUE

Soldier Field, Chicago

TIME (NZ) RESULT

10.15am

:

FIXTURES 2018

For up-to-date information on all the 2018 international rugby fixtures visit www.worldrugby.org/fixtures INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S RUGBY SERIES

DATE MATCH

VENUE

SATURDAY 18 AUG

Australia

SATURDAY 25 AUG

Black Ferns v Australia Eden Park, Auckland

SUNDAY 04 NOV

Black Ferns v

v Black Ferns USA Eagles

TIME (NZ) RESULT

ANZ Stadium, Sydney Soldier Field, Chicago

5.30pm

:

5.00pm

:

5.00am

:

INVESTEC RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP [BC denotes Bledisloe Cup] DATE MATCH

VENUE

:

Kings Park, Durban

3.05am

:

Eden Park, Auckland

7.35pm

:

Australia v All Blacks [BC]

ANZ Stadium, Sydney

SUNDAY 19 AUG

South Africa

SATURDAY 25 AUG

All Blacks [BC] v Australia

SUNDAY 26 AUG

Argentina

v South Africa

Mendoza, Argentina

SATURDAY 08 SEP

All Blacks

v Argentina Trafalgar Park, Nelson

SATURDAY 08 SEP

Australia

v South Africa

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

SATURDAY 15 SEP

All Blacks

v South Africa

Westpac Stadium, Wellington

SATURDAY 15 SEP

Australia

v Argentina Cbus Super Stadium, Robina

v Argentina

TIME (NZ) RESULT

10.05pm

SATURDAY 18 AUG

7.10am

:

7.35pm

:

10.05pm

:

7.35pm

:

10.05pm

:

SUNDAY 30 SEP

South Africa v Australia Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Pt Eliza 3.05am

:

SUNDAY 30 SEP

Argentina

v

All Blacks

Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos Aires 11.40am

:

SUNDAY 07 OCT

South Africa v

All Blacks

Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

4.05am

:

SUNDAY 07 OCT

Argentina

v Australia Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta 11.40am

:

SATURDAY 27 OCT

All Blacks [BC] v Australia

Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan

TBC

:

ALL BLACKS NORTHERN TOUR DATE MATCH

VENUE

TIME (Local) RESULT

Ajinomata Stadium, Tokyo

TBC

:

SATURDAY 03 NOV

Japan v All Blacks

SATURDAY 10 NOV

England

v

All Blacks

Twickenham Stadium, London

TBC

:

SATURDAY 17 NOV

Ireland

v

All Blacks

Aviva Stadium, Dublin

TBC

:

SATURDAY 24 NOV

Italy v All Blacks

Venue TBC

TBC

:

NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS DATE MATCH

VENUE

TIME (Local) RESULT

TBC

:

v Scotland Principality Stadium, Cardiff

2.45pm

:

Ireland

Soldier Field, Chicago v Italy

8.00pm

:

Ireland

v Argentina Aviva Stadium, Dublin

TBC

:

SATURDAY 10 NOV

Scotland

BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh v Fiji

2.30pm

:

SATURDAY 10 NOV

Wales

v Australia Principality Stadium, Cardiff

5.20pm

:

SATURDAY 10 NOV

France

v South Africa

TBC

:

SATURDAY 10 NOV

Italy

v Georgia Venue TBC

TBC

:

SATURDAY 17 NOV

England

Twickenham Stadium, London v Japan

TBC

:

SATURDAY 17 NOV

France

v Argentina Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille

TBC

:

SATURDAY 17 NOV

Italy

v

TBC

:

SATURDAY 17 NOV

Wales v Tonga Principality Stadium, Cardiff

SATURDAY 17 NOV

Scotland

SATURDAY 24 NOV

England v Australia Twickenham Stadium, London

SATURDAY 24 NOV

Scotland v Argentina BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

SATURDAY 24 NOV

Wales

SATURDAY 24 NOV

France v

Stade de France, Paris Fiji

SATURDAY 24 NOV

Ireland v

USA Aviva Stadium, Dublin

SATURDAY 03 NOV

England

v South Africa

SATURDAY 03 NOV

Wales

SATURDAY 03 NOV SATURDAY 10 NOV

Australia

v South Africa

v South Africa

Twickenham Stadium, London

Stade de France, Paris

Stadio Euganeo, Padua

BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

Principality Stadium, Cardiff

WWW.OLIVERLEE.CO.NZ

2.30pm

:

5.20pm

:

TBC

:

2.30pm

:

5.20pm

:

TBC

:

TBC

:

1#77 RUGBY 2018 | 7

ALL BLACKS AND FRANCE: A SPECIAL BOND

BY RON PALENSKI

When F rance toured New Zealand in the twilight amateur years in 1989, John Hart, who was then an All Blacks selector, turned to coach Alex Wyllie and asked, “Do you reckon we could buy Sella?”

It was entirely in jest of course, and an indication of just what a sparkling, devastating player Philippe Sella could be, even when Jacques Fouroux was the coach and obsessed with forward domination of the game “a la All Blacks,” as he fondly called it.

Sella seemed to embody both the charm and the contradiction in French rugby that New Zealanders have observed since the French introduction to test rugby at the Parc des Princes on New Year’s Day 1906.

French players brought an added dimension to the game, a gallic flair

COMPETITIVE:

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SEAN FITZPATRICK leads out the ALL BLACKS against FRANCE at EDEN PARK in 1994. He and referee DERECK BEVAN had a short exchange after FRANCE’s matchwinning try.

to the English structure. Sometimes it was a marriage made in heaven, but sometimes not.

New Zealanders have seen these contrasting characteristics of French rugby over the years – the need to remain French and innovative against the pragmatic need to compete in the forwards for possession.

Sometimes the French have won by being, well, French, and sometimes the All Blacks have won by being, well, more French than the French.

Let’s look at two examples: on Armistice Day in 1977, a day of special reverence in France, the All Blacks were beaten off the park in Toulouse.

The loss stung, as all All Black losses should. Over the seven days before the second test, the senior All Black cadre thought and planned and plotted. Coach Jack Gleeson had a fine line: “play the game at pace and

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HISTORY MADE:

PHILIPPE SELLA and OLIVER ROUMAT celebrate after the famous 23-20 win over the ALL BLACKS at Eden Park in July, 1994.

be a thinker.” That’s what his team did in Paris. A snap dropped goal at an unexpected time. A long range penalty goal kicked by a forward who’d never kicked in a test before.

A quick lineout throw when forwards were milling around. Quick passing, ball beating the man, quicker running.

New Zealand could have been Les Bleus in black, the way they played that day.

The other example. Eden Park, 1994. France had won the first test in Christchurch 22–8. The All Blacks looked as if they were going to square the series in Auckland when, with only a couple of minutes to go, they led 20–16. Not much, but surely enough. Then came the try that Philippe Saint-Andre called “a counter-attack from the end of the world.”

The referee, Derek Bevan, couldn’t help himself as he walked back after signalling the winning try: “Wasn’t

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that a marvellous try,” he said to the New Zealand captain, Sean Fitzpatrick.

“Bollocks,” was the one-word reply.

It is a tribute to French rugby, sometimes the potential and sometimes the actual, to say that the All Blacks’ last-gasp try against Ireland in Dublin in 2013 to secure the winning year was exactly the sort of try France scored at Eden Park.

And it is a mark of French rugby, its joie de vive perhaps, that French games are recalled when others get absorbed in a blur of memory Once upon a time, games between New Zealand and France were rare and appreciated all the more because of that rarity. But now they come along as if on a well-used bus route.

But still there is the anticipation, more than with other countries, that once again there may be something memorable.

ALL BLACKS v FRANCE "LES BLEUS": 1904–2005 TESTS PLAYED: 58 FRANCE WON: 12 NEW ZEALAND WON: 45 TESTS DRAWN: 1 WWW.OLIVERLEE.CO.NZ

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NEW CULTURE:

French rugby coach JACQUES BRUNEL.

ATTACKING FORCE:

Powerhouse winger REMY GROSSO set to be one of the attractions of the FRENCH TOUR.

FRENCH PREVIEW:

FRANCE ON THE RISE

BY IAN BORTHWICK Four years after their last visit, les Bleus are back in Aotearoa with what FROM PARIS amounts to a double-barrelled attack on New Zealand Rugby.

THEY ARE DEFINITELY ON THEIR WAY BACK UP AND RESULTS FROM THE SIX NATIONS SHOW THAT THEY ARE TO BE TREATED WITH CAUTION.

20 | RUGBY 2018

For the first time since venturing to these shores since 1961, the French will bring two teams, with the first-choice XV de France being backed by the French Barbarians, set to play two Friday night encounters against the Crusaders and the Highlanders.

But just how good – or bad – is this current crop of French players, and what sort of threat will they realistically pose to the world’s N° 1 team, not to mention the two outstanding South Island Super Rugby franchises?

I have been travelling throughout New Zealand for the past month, and from Central Otago to the Far North, the Kiwi public appears to retain a healthy respect for the French.

Some of their past exploits are still deeply etched in the collective unconscious of Aotearoa, and whenever conversation turns to historic encounters between the two nations the spectres of Bastille Day 1979, the two-test series win here in 1994, or Dunedin 2009 soon rise to the surface, not to mention Twickenham 1999, Cardiff 2007 and even closer to home, the heart-stopping World Cup final at Eden Park in 2011.

With a total of 12 wins from 58 games since 1906 the French have by far the best record of any Northern Hemisphere nation against the All Blacks. But the past couple of years have not been kind to les Bleus.

They reached their nadir in the 62–13 loss to New Zealand in the RWC quarter-final in 2015 and, faced with internal strife, personality clashes and the sacking of national coach Guy Novès last December, have frankly been struggling ever since.

At the start of this year’s Six Nations Championship, with Novès having managed only seven wins from 21 games, they had tumbled to 10th place in the world rankings and when on February 24th 2018, after leading only 14–10 after 60 minutes of play, they managed to beat Italy (34–17) in Marseille, it had been practically a year (343 days to be exact) since captain Guilhem Guirado and his men had last known the taste of victory.

So what state are the French in as they head to a gruelling three-match tour of New Zealand? The short answer is that having reached rock-bottom, they are definitely on their WWW.FFR.FR

way back up and results from the Six Nations show that they are to be treated with caution.

With Jacques Brunel being hastily called up to replace Novès at the helm, les Bleus have actually clawed their way back to 8th place in the global rankings.

They managed only an inglorious fourth place in the Six Nations, but they came out of that championship with a number of encouraging signs.

Firstly, something which is historically the primary duty of all Frenchmen, they beat England (22–16) in a major upset in Paris; in the final round they only lost to Wales (14–13) by one point in a nail-biter at the Principality Stadium; and in the opening game against Ireland, it took a miraculous field-goal by Johnny Sexton, 2m38sec after the siren, for the future Grand Slam champions to snatch victory with the final play of the day (13–15).

Brunel, taking over at short notice, concentrated first and foremost on defence, something which his largely rejuvenated squad responded to with relish, averaging a 91% tackle success rate for the Championship, hitting a none-too-shabby high with 95% against the English.

As for their running game, this is still very much in the embryonic phase but growing team confidence, added to the superior surfaces of NZ grounds, will no doubt see a return to some of France’s traditional attacking flair.

At 126kg, enigmatic centre Mathieu Bastareaud is a handful for any defensive line, exciting three-quarters such as Teddy Thomas (Racing 92), Rémy Grosso (Clermont) and Gaël Fickou (Toulouse) proved this Northern winter that they can mix it with the best, while this tour signals the long-awaited return of the ebullient Wesley Fofana at centre, and Toulouse flier Maxime Médard, one of the two survivors of France’s 2009 victory (22–27) in Dunedin.

Although charismatic skipper Guirado is one of several players rested for this tour, 66-cap veteran scrum-half Morgan Parra is back in bleu for the first time since the disastrous World Cup quarter-final with a point or two to prove. His wise head and unflappable calm will no doubt prove influential when the pressure comes on.

So if France’s suitably abrasive forward pack can get a fair share of ball, it will be game on and… Allez les Bleus!

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? e r u t n e v d a new

FRENCH “LES BLEUS” PLAYER PROFILES BACKS

The following F rench ‘les Bleus’ players were selected on 22 May 2018 to play the All Blacks in the 2018 Steinlager Series.

All players statistics were correct on 3 June 2018. For more information on the French tour of New Zealand visit – www.ffr.fr

MATHIEU BASTAREAUD (CAPTAIN)

MORGAN PARRA

Place of Birth: CRÉTEIL, FRANCE Date of Birth: 17 SEPTEMBER 1998 Age: 29 Height: 1.83m Weight: 126kg Position: CENTRE Test Debut: v WALES at STADE DE FRANCE, 27 FEBRUARY 2009 Tests: 45 Points Scored: 20 pts Club: RC TOULON

Place of Birth: METZ, FRANCE Date of Birth: 15 NOVEMBER 1988 Age: 29 Height: 1.80m Weight: 86kg Position: HALFBACK Test Debut: v SCOTLAND at MURRAYFIELD, 3 FEBRUARY 2008 Tests: 66 Points Scored: 355 pts Club: ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE

BAPTISTE SERIN

ANTHONY BELLEAU

Place of Birth: LA TESTE-DE-BUCH, FRANCE Date of Birth: 20 JUNE 1994 Age: 23 Height: 1.79m Weight: 80kg Position: SCRUM-HALF Test Debut: v ARGENTINA at TUCUMAN, 19 JUNE 2016 Tests: 17 Points Scored: 42 pts Club: UNION BORDEAUX BÈGLES

Place of Birth: MONFLANQUIN, FRANCE Date of Birth: 8 APRIL 1996 Age: 22 Height: 1.77m Weight: 88kg Position: FIRST FIVE-EIGHT Test Debut: v NEW ZEALAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 11 NOVEMBER 2017 Tests: 4 Points Scored: 20 pts Club: RC TOULON

JULES PLISSON

GAËL FICKOU

Place of Birth: NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE, FRANCE Date of Birth: 20 AUGUST 1991 Age: 26 Height: 1.84m Weight: 92kg Position: FIRST FIVE-EIGHT Test Debut: v ENGLAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 1 FEBRUARY 2014 Tests: 15 Points Scored: 66 pts Club: STADE FRANÇAIS

Place of Birth: LA SEYNE-SUR-MER, FRANCE Date of Birth: 26 MARCH 1994 Age: 24 Height: 1.90m Weight: 90kg Position: CENTRE Test Debut: v SCOTLAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 16 MARCH 2013 Tests: 35 Points Scored: 35 pts Club: TOULOUSE

WESLEY FOFANA

RÉMI LAMERAT

Place of Birth: PARIS, FRANCE Date of Birth: 20 JANUARY 1998 Age: 30 Height: 1.78m Weight: 95kg Position: CENTRE Test Debut: v ITALY at STADE DE FRANCE 4 FEBRUARY 2012 Tests: 44 Points Scored: 70 pts Club: ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE

Place of Birth: SAINTE-FOY-LA-GRANDE, FRANCE Date of Birth: 14 JANUARY 1990 Age: 28 Height: 1.86m Weight: 103kg Position: CENTRE Test Debut: v AUSTRALIA at BRISBANE, 7 JUNE 2014 Tests: 18 Points Scored: 10 pts Club: ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE

GEOFFREY DOUMAYROU

TEDDY THOMAS

Place of Birth: MONTPELLIER, FRANCE Date of Birth: 16 SEPTEMBER 1989 Age: 28 Height: 1.86m Weight: 93kg Position: CENTRE Test Debut: v NEW ZEALAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 11 NOVEMBER 2017 Tests: 6 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: LA ROCHELLE

Place of Birth: BIARRITZ, FRANCE Date of Birth: 18 SEPTEMBER 1993 Age: 24 Height: 1.85m Weight: 94kg Position: WING Test Debut: v FIJI at MARSIELLE, 8 NOVEMBER 2014 Tests: 10 Points Scored: 40 pts Club: RACING 92

WWW.FFR.FR

RUGBY 2018 | 23

FORWARDS 24 | RUGBY 2018

BENJAMIN FALL

REMY GROSSO

Place of Birth: LANGON, FRANCE Date of Birth: 3 MARCH 1989 Age: 29 Height: 1.90m Weight: 95kg Position: WING Test Debut: v SAMOA at STADE DE FRANCE, 21 NOVEMBER 2009 Tests: 3 Points Scored: 15 pts Club: MONTPELLIER HÉRAULT RUGBY

Place of Birth: LYON, FRANCE Date of Birth: 4 DECEMBER 1988 Age: 29 Height: 1.89m Weight: 103kg Position: WING Test Debut: v CANADA at MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND 1 OCTOBER 2015 Tests: 4 Points Scored: 5 pts Club: ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE

HUGO BONNEVAL

MAXIM MEDARD

Place of Birth: TOULOUSE, FRANCE Date of Birth: 19 NOVEMBER 1990 Age: 27 Height: 1.85m Weight: 90kg Position: FULLBACK Test Debut: v ITALY at STADE DE FRANCE, 9 FEBRUARY 2014 Tests: 11 Points Scored: 20 pts Club: RC TOULON

Place of Birth: TOULOUSE, FRANCE Date of Birth: 16 NOVEMBER 1986 Age: 31 Height: 1.80m Weight: 90kg Position: FULLBACK Test Debut: v ARGENTINA at MARSEILLE, 8 NOVEMBER 2008 Tests: 47 Points Scored: 63 pts Club: TOULOUSE

PIERRE BOUGARIT

CAMILLE CHAT

Place of Birth: GIMONT, FRANCE Date of Birth: 12 SEPTEMBER 1997 Age: 20 Height: 1.84m Weight: 105kg Position: HOOKER Test Debut: UNCAPPED Tests: 0 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: LA ROCHELLE

Place of Birth: AUXERRE, FRANCE Date of Birth: 18 DECEMBER 1995 Age: 22 Height: 1.78m Weight: 99kg Position: HOOKER Test Debut: v IRELAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 13 FEBRUARY 2016 Tests: 11 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: RACING 92

ADRIEN PELISSIE

EDDY BEN AROUS

Place of Birth: SEPTFONDS, FRANCE Date of Birth: 7 AUGUST 1990 Age: 27 Height: 1.80m Weight: 111kg Position: HOOKER Test Debut: v IRELAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 3 FEBRUARY 2018 Tests: 5 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: UNION BORDEAUX BÈGLES

Place of Birth: TRAPPES, FRANCE Date of Birth: 25 AUGUST 1990 Age: 27 Height: 1.84m Weight: 109kg Position: PROP Test Debut: v NEW ZEALAND at NEW PLYMOUTH, 22 JUNE 2013 Tests: 20 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: RACING 92

CEDATE GOMES SA

UINI ATONIO

Place of Birth: CANCHUNGO, GUINEA-BISSAU Date of Birth: 7 AUGUST 1993 Age: 24 Height: 1.85m Weight: 111kg Position: PROP Test Debut: v IRELAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 3 FEBRUARY 2018 Tests: 5 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: RACING 92

Place of Birth: TIMARU, NEW ZEALAND Date of Birth: 26 MARCH 1990 Age: 28 Height: 1.97m Weight: 142kg Position: PROP Test Debut: v FIJI at MARSEILLE, 8 NOVEMBER 2014 Tests: 28 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: LA ROCHELLE

CYRIL BAILLE

DANY PRISO

Place of Birth: PAU, FRANCE Date of Birth: 15 SEPTEMBER 1993 Age: 24 Height: 1.82m Weight: 115kg Position: PROP Test Debut: v SAMOA at TOULOUSE, 12 NOVEMBER 2016 Tests: 8 Points Scored: 0 PTS Club: TOULOUSE

Place of Birth: LOUM, CAMEROON Date of Birth: 2 JANUARY 1994 Age: 24 Height: 1.82m Weight: 111kg Position: PROP Test Debut: v IRELAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 3 FEBRUARY 2018 Tests: 4 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: LA ROCHELLE

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PAUL GABRILLAGUES

Place of Birth: SARCELLES, FRANCE Date of Birth: 18 OCTOBER 1989 Age: 28 Height: 1.78m Weight: 120kg Position: PROP Test Debut: v NEW ZEALAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 9 NOVEMBER 2013 Tests: 46 Points Scored: 20 pts Club: ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE

Place of Birth: PARIS, FRANCE Date of Birth: 3 JUNE 1993 Age: 25 Height: 2.00m Weight: 115kg Position: LOCK Test Debut: v NEW ZEALAND at STADE DE FRANCE, 11 NOVEMBER 2017 Tests: 7 Points Scored: 5 pts Club: STADE FRANÇAIS

YOANN MAESTRI

FÉLIX LAMBEY

Place of Birth: HYÈRES, FRANCE Date of Birth: 14 JANUARY 1988 Age: 30 Height: 2.01m Weight: 121kg Position: LOCK Test Debut: v ITALY at STADE DE FRANCE, 4 FEBRUARY 2012 Tests: 59 Points Scored: 5 pts Club: TOULOUSE

Place of Birth: MONFLANQUIN, FRANCE Date of Birth: 15 MARCH 1994 Age: 24 Height: 1.95m Weight: 108kg Position: LOCK Test Debut: UNCAPPED Tests: 0 Points Scored: 0 PTS Club: OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS

MATHIEU BABILLOT

KEVIN GOURDON

Place of Birth: CHARTRES, FRANCE Date of Birth: 9 SEPTEMBER 1993 Age: 24 Height: 1.90m Weight: 109kg Position: BACK-ROW Test Debut: v WALES at PRINCIPALITY STADIUM, 17 MARCH 2018 Tests: 1 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: CASTRES

Place of Birth: VALENCE, FRANCE Date of Birth: 23 JANUARY 1990 Age: 28 Height: 1.90m Weight: 104kg Position: BACK-ROW Test Debut: v ARGENTINA at TUCUMAN, 19 JUNE 2016 Tests: 16 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: LA ROCHELLE

ALEXANDRE LAPANDRY

BERNARD LE ROUX

Place of Birth: PARAY-LE-MONIAL, FRANCE Date of Birth: 13 APRIL 1989 Age: 29 Height: 1.92m Weight: 97kg Position: BACK-ROW Test Debut: v SAMOA at STADE DE FRANCE, 21 NOVEMBER 2009 Tests: 10 Points Scored: 10 pts Club: ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE

Place of Birth: MOORREESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Date of Birth: 4 JUNE 1989 Age: 28 Height: 1.96m Weight: 112kg Position: BACK-ROW Test Debut: v NEW ZEALAND at CHRISTCHURCH, 15 JUNE 2013 Tests: 28 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: RACING 92

FABIEN SANCONNIE

KELIAN GALLETIER

Place of Birth: LARCHE, FRANCE Date of Birth: 21 FEBRUARY 1995 Age: 23 Height: 1.95m Weight: 114kg Position: BACK-ROW Test Debut: v ITALY in ROME, 11 MARCH 2017 Tests: 3 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: CA BRIVE

Place of Birth: MONTPELLIER, FRANCE Date of Birth: 18 MARCH 1992 Age: 26 Height: 1.88m Weight: 103kg Position: BACK-ROW Test Debut: v ARGENTINA at TUCUMAN, 25 JUNE 2016 Tests: 3 Points Scored: 0 pts Club: MONTPELLIER HÉRAULT RUGBY

FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THE 2018 FRENCH TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND, VISIT WWW.FFR.FR

26 | RUGBY 2018

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2018 GAME SCHEDULE The 14 teams involved will play 70 matches before the play-offs in just nine weeks.

For all up-to-date information on the MITRE 10 CUP, visit WWW.MITRE10CUP.CO.NZ NOTE: [RS] = RANFURLY SHIELD CHALLENGE MITRE 10 CUP EXPLAINED 2018 MITRE 10 CUP PREMIERSHIP Auckland Canterbury Counties Manukau North Harbour Taranaki Tasman Wellington

The seventh placed team is automatically relegated to the 2019 MITRE 10 Cup Championship.

2018 MITRE 10 CUP CHAMPIONSHIP Bay of Plenty Hawke’s Bay Manawatu Northland Otago Southland Waikato

The winner of the MITRE 10 Cup Championship is automatically promoted to the 2019 MITRE 10 Cup Premiership.

All Premiership teams will play each other once, and all Championship teams will play each other once (three home, three away matches).

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All matches will carry full competition points.

FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION GO TO www.mitre10cup.co.nz

28 | RUGBY 2018

WEEK 1: THURSDAY 16 AUGUST — SUNDAY 19 AUGUST DATE

MATCH

Thursday 16 August

North Harbour

v

Northland

QBE Stadium, Albany

7.35pm

Friday 17 August

Tasman

v

Canterbury

Lansdowne Park, Blenheim

7.35pm

Saturday 18 August

Manawatu

v

Waikato

Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North 2.35pm

Auckland

v

Counties Manukau

Eden Park, Auckland

5.05pm

Bay of Plenty

v

Taranaki

Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua

7.35pm

Wellington

v

Otago

Westpac Stadium, Wellington

2.05pm

Southland

v

Hawke’s Bay

Rugby Park, Invercargill

4.35pm

Sunday 19 August

VENUE

TIME

WEEK 2: THURSDAY 23 AUGUST — SUNDAY 26 AUGUST Thursday 23 August

Counties Manukau v

Bay of Plenty

Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe

Friday 24 August

Otago

v

Hawke’s Bay

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

Taranaki

v

Manawatu [RS]

Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth

7.45pm

Canterbury

v

Wellington

AMI Stadium, Christchurch

2.05pm

Waikato

v

North Harbour

FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton

4.35pm

Tasman

v

Southland

Lansdowne Park, Blenheim

2.05pm

Northland

v

Auckland

Toll Stadium, Whangarei

4.35pm

Saturday 25 August Sunday 26 August

7.35pm 5.45pm

WEEK 3: WEDNESDAY 29 AUGUST — SUNDAY 2 SEPTEMBER Wednesday 29 August

Counties Manukau v

Taranaki

Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe

7.35pm

Thursday 30 August

Auckland

v

Waikato

Eden Park, Auckland

7.35pm

Friday 31 August

Wellington

v

Southland

Westpac Stadium, Wellington

7.35pm

Saturday 1 Sept

Bay of Plenty

v

Canterbury

Tauranga Domain, Tauranga

2.35pm

Manawatu

v

Otago

Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North 5.05pm

North Harbour

v

Tasman

QBE Stadium, Albany

7.35pm

Hawke’s Bay

v

Counties Manukau

McLean Park, Napier

2.05pm

Northland

v

Taranaki

Toll Stadium, Whangarei

4.35pm

Sunday 2 Sept

WEEK 4: WEDNESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER — SUNDAY 9 SEPTEMBER Wednesday 5 Sept

Waikato

v

Wellington

FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton

7.35pm

Thursday 6 Sept

Canterbury

v

Manawatu

AMI Stadium, Christchurch

7.35pm

Friday 7 Sept

Otago

v

Northland

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

5.45pm

Auckland

v

Tasman

Eden Park, Auckland

7.45pm

Southland

v

Counties Manukau

Rugby Park, Invercargill

2.05pm

Hawke’s Bay

v

Bay of Plenty

McLean Park, Napier

4.35pm

Wellington

v

North Harbour

Westpac Stadium, Wellington

2.05pm

Taranaki

v

Waikato [RS]

Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth

4.35pm

Saturday 8 Sept Sunday 9 Sept

WEEK 5: WEDNESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER — SUNDAY 16 SEPTEMBER Wednesday 12 Sept

North Harbour

v

Canterbury

QBE Stadium, Albany

7.35pm

Thursday 13 Sept

Waikato

v

Hawke’s Bay

FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton

7.35pm

Friday 14 Sept

Northland

v

Manawatu

Toll Stadium, Whangarei

5.45pm

Tasman

v

Taranaki

Trafalgar Park, Nelson

7.45pm

Counties Manukau v

Wellington

Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe

2.05pm

Southland

v

Otago

Rugby Park, Invercargill

4.35pm

North Harbour

v

Bay of Plenty

QBE Stadium, Albany

2.05pm

Canterbury

v

Auckland

AMI Stadium, Christchurch

4.35pm

Saturday 15 Sept Sunday 16 Sept

WEEK 6: WEDNESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER — SUNDAY 23 SEPTEMBER Wednesday 19 Sept

Manawatu

v

Tasman

Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North 7.35pm

Thursday 20 Sept

Northland

v

Southland

Toll Stadium, Whangarei

WWW.MITRE10CUP.CO.NZ

7.35pm

WEEK 6 CONTINUED: WEDNESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER — SUNDAY 23 SEPTEMBER DATE

MATCH

Friday 21 Sept

Bay of Plenty

v

Waikato

Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua

7.35pm

Saturday 22 Sept

Hawke’s Bay

v

North Harbour

McLean Park, Napier

2.35pm

Otago

v

Canterbury

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

5.05pm

Taranaki

v

Auckland [RS]

Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth

7.35pm

Tasman

v

Counties Manukau

Trafalgar Park, Nelson

2.05pm

Manawatu

v

Wellington

Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North 4.35pm

Sunday 23 Sept

VENUE

TIME

WEEK 7: WEDNESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER — SUNDAY 30 SEPTEMBER Wednesday 26 Sept

Hawke’s Bay

v

Northland

McLean Park, Napier

7.35pm

Thursday 27 Sept

Bay of Plenty

v

Manawatu

Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua

7.35pm

Friday 28 Sept

Auckland

v

Otago

Eden Park, Auckland

7.35pm

Saturday 29 Sept

Waikato

v

Southland

FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton

2.35pm

Taranaki

v

North Harbour [RS]

Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth

5.05pm

Wellington

v

Tasman

Westpac Stadium, Wellington

7.35pm

Canterbury

v

Hawke’s Bay

AMI Stadium, Christchurch

2.05pm

Northland

Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe

4.35pm

Sunday 30 Sept

Counties Manukau v

WEEK 8: WEDNESDAY 3 OCTOBER — SUNDAY 7 OCTOBER Wednesday 3 October

Otago

v

Bay of Plenty

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

7.35pm

Thursday 4 October

Wellington

v

Auckland

Westpac Stadium, Wellington

7.35pm

Friday 5 October

Hawke’s Bay

v

Manawatu

McLean Park, Napier

7.35pm

Saturday 6 October

Northland

v

Waikato

Toll Stadium, Whangarei

2.35pm

North Harbour

v

Counties Manukau

QBE Stadium, Albany

5.05pm

Canterbury

v

Taranaki

AMI Stadium, Christchurch

7.35pm

Southland

v

Bay of Plenty

Rugby Park, Invercargill

2.05pm

Otago

v

Tasman

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

4.35pm

Sunday 7 October

WEEK 9: WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER — SUNDAY 14 OCTOBER Wednesday 10 October

Southland

v

Auckland

Rugby Park, Invercargill

7.35pm

Thursday 11 October

Tasman

v

Hawke’s Bay

Trafalgar Park, Nelson

7.35pm

Friday 12 October

Taranaki

v

Wellington [RS]

Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth

7.35pm

Saturday 13 October

Bay of Plenty

v

Northland

Tauranga Domain, Tauranga

2.35pm

Waikato

v

Otago

FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton

5.05pm

Counties Manukau v

Canterbury

Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe

7.35pm

Auckland

v

North Harbour

Eden Park, Auckland

2.05pm

Manawatu

v

Southland

Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North 4.35pm

Sunday 14 October

SEMI-FINALS: FRIDAY 19 OCTOBER — SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER Friday 19 October

MITRE 10 CUP SEMI-FINAL ONE

7.35pm

Saturday 20 October

MITRE 10 CUP SEMI-FINAL TWO

2.35pm

Saturday 20 October

MITRE 10 CUP SEMI-FINAL THREE

5.05pm

Saturday 20 October MITRE 10 CUP SEMI-FINAL FOUR

7.35pm

FINALS: FRIDAY 26 OCTOBER and SATURDAY 27 OCTOBER Friday 26 October

MITRE 10 CUP CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

7.35pm

Saturday 27 October

MITRE 10 CUP PREMIERSHIP FINAL

7.35pm

WWW.MITRE10CUP.CO.NZ

2#97 RUGBY 2018 | 7

2018 HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

The 13th Mitre 10 Heartland Championship will be played over an eight-week modified round robin to find the four finalists in the Meads Cup and the Lochore Cup.

Semi-finals for both Cups will be played on 20 October, with the finals to be played the following weekend.

In Round One defending Meads Cup champions Wanganui host South Canterbury who finished top of the table in round robin last season. Wanganui won 29-24 in last year’s semi-final.

Another Week One match will see 2017 Meads Cup finalists Horowhenua Kapiti host Lochore Cup champions Mid Canterbury.

“The Mitre 10 Heartland Championship is a competition that always gets great community support and the teams deliver with passionate, hard-fought matches,” says New Zealand Rugby’s Head of Provincial Union Rugby Steve Lancaster.

FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2018 HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP, VISIT

WWW.HEARTLANDCHAMPIONSHIP.CO.NZ CHAMPIONS:

WANGANUI celebrate winning last year’s MEADS CUP over HOROWHENUA KAPITI.

MATCH SCHEDULE (Home team listed first) WEEK 1 SATURDAY 25 AUGUST Horowhenua Kapiti v Mid Canterbury King Country v East Coast North Otago v Buller Poverty Bay v Wairarapa Bush Thames Valley v West Coast Wanganui v South Canterbury

Foxton Te Kuiti Oamaru Gisborne Paeroa Wanganui

2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm

Westport Ruatoria Ashburton Timaru Masterton Greymouth

2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm

WEEK 2 SATURDAY 1 SEPTEMBER Buller v King Country East Coast v Horowhenua Kapiti Mid Canterbury v North Otago South Canterbury v Poverty Bay Wairarapa Bush v Thames Valley West Coast v Wanganui

WEEK 3 SATURDAY 8 SEPTEMBER Buller v Thames Valley East Coast v Wairarapa Bush King Country v North Otago Mid Canterbury v West Coast Poverty Bay v Wanganui

30 | RUGBY 2018

Westport Ruatoria Taumarunui Ashburton Gisborne

2.30 pm 2.30 pm 2.30 pm 2.30 pm 2.30 pm

SUNDAY 9 SEPTEMBER Horowhenua Kapiti v South Canterbury Wellington

TBC

WEEK 4 SATURDAY 15 SEPTEMBER North Otago v Horowhenua Kapiti Oamaru South Canterbury v East Coast Timaru Thames Valley v King Country Te Aroha Wanganui v Mid Canterbury Wanganui Wairarapa Bush v Buller Masterton West Coast v Poverty Bay Greymouth

2.30pm 2.30pm 2.00pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm

WEEK 5 SATURDAY 22 SEPTEMBER Buller v West Coast Westport East Coast v Poverty Bay Ruatoria Horowhenua Kapiti v Wairarapa Bush Levin King Country v Wanganui Te Kuiti South Canterbury v Mid Canterbury Timaru Thames Valley v North Otago Paeroa

2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.00pm

WEEK 6 SATURDAY 29 SEPTEMBER Horowhenua Kapiti v King Country Paraparaumu Mid Canterbury v East Coast Ashburton North Otago v West Coast Oamaru Poverty Bay v Thames Valley Gisborne Wanganui v Buller Wanganui Wairarapa Bush v South Canterbury Masterton

2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm

WEEK 7 SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER Buller v Mid Canterbury East Coast v Wanganui King Country v Poverty Bay North Otago v South Canterbury Thames Valley v Horowhenua Kapiti West Coast v Wairarapa Bush

Westport Ruatoria Taupo Oamaru Paeroa Greymouth

2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.00pm 2.30pm

WEEK 8 SATURDAY 13 OCTOBER Mid Canterbury v King Country Poverty Bay v Buller South Canterbury v Thames Valley Wanganui v Horowhenua Kapiti Wairarapa Bush v North Otago West Coast v East Coast

Ashburton Gisborne Timaru Wanganui Masterton Greymouth

2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm

WEEK 9 SEMI-FINAL for MEADS and LOCHORE CUPS SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER LOCHORE CUP SEMI-FINALS 5th ranked team from pool round v Venue TBC 2.30pm 8th ranked team from pool round 6th ranked team from pool round v Venue TBC 2.30pm 7th ranked team from pool round SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER MEADS CUP SEMI-FINALS Top ranked team from pool round v Venue TBC 2.30pm 4th ranked team from pool round 2nd ranked team from pool round v Venue TBC 2.30pm 3rd ranked team from pool round WEEK 10 FINALS for MEADS and LOCHORE CUPS * SATURDAY 27 OCTOBER MEADS CUP Winner Semi-Final 1 v Winner Semi-Final 2 TBC * SUNDAY 28 OCTOBER LOCHORE CUP

Winner Semi-Final 1 v Winner Semi-Final 2 * Date subject to operational and broadcasting logistics

WWW.HEARTLANDCHAMPIONSHIP.CO.NZ

TBC

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Support is essential to progress, which is why we’re proud to be behind the All Blacks for yet another season. We’ll be cheering every heart-pounding moment at the top of our lungs.

Are you in?