New Zealand vs France Prediction: Les Bleus can run All Blacks close

The inaugural Nations Championship gets underway on Saturday, with the first clash offering a mouthwatering showdown between New Zealand and France (8:10am BST, live on ITV1 and ITV X).

Read on for the New Zealand vs France predictions, as well as the all-important team news and match odds for the encounter in Christchurch.

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New Zealand vs France Odds

With home advantage and with five wins in their last six matches, world-ranked number two New Zealand are the 2/9 favourites to win their opening Nations Championship game.

Fourth-ranked France, who last won in New Zealand back in 2009, can be backed at 7/2 and the draw is available at 20/1.

Team news

In what is head coach Dave Rennie’s first game in charge, New Zealand will be captained by number eight Ardie Savea.

The front row is made up of Ethan de Groot (loosehead), Codie Taylor (hooker) and Fletcher Newell (tighthead).

In the backs, Will Jordan returns from injury and starts on the right wing, while Damian McKenzie is named at full-back and Ruben Love wears the number 10 shirt.

The All Blacks have included two debutants amongst their replacements, with Hurricanes duo Fehi Fineanganofo and Xavier Numia called up.

France have recalled record tryscorer Damian Penaud, one of eight Bordeaux-Begles players in their starting XV.

Scrum-half Maxime Lucu will captain the visitors, while Matthieu Jalibert starts at fly-half and Yoram Moefana is at centre.

Max Spring will win his second cap after being named at full-back, with Australian-born Tom Staniforth starts at lock.

Handicap - France +12 @ 10/11

Although France lost 3-0 on their tour of New Zealand last year, it is worth noting that several key players missed out due to club commitments.

The back-to-back Six Nations winners had beaten the All-Blacks in their three previous meetings, including a 27-13 success at the 2023 World Cup.

Even with a weaker squad, Les Bleus were within 10 points of New Zealand in two of their three Tests and can run them close again.

With coach Dave Rennie still getting his feet under the table and several changes to the All Blacks XV, this looks like a good time to be heading to Christchurch.

First-Half Winner - New Zealand @ 2/5

As the hosts look to make a good impression on their new boss, expect a quick start from the All Blacks on Saturday.

New Zealand go into this tournament having lost just one of their last six internationals, which was a 29-23 defeat in Argentina in August.

It’s also worth noting that the All Blacks have been behind at half-time just once in those last six matches.

The last time the hosts last played an international match at Christchurch was back in August 2022, when they lost 25-18 to Argentina.

On that occasion, the All Blacks were ahead 15-12 at the break, but were forced to play the last nine minutes with 14 men after Shannon Frizell's yellow card.