New Zealand Rugby Furious with France’s Decision to Send Weakened Squad in 2025: “Rugby Eats Itself”
In a move that has left New Zealand Rugby (NZR) fuming, France’s decision to send a weakened team for their highly anticipated 2025 tour has sparked controversy.
The series, set for July next year, was expected to be a monumental clash between two rugby giants, the All Blacks and Les Bleus. However, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) has announced that top players who make it to the Top 14 final will not travel with the team, leaving fans and officials on both sides of the globe disappointed.
The three-Test series was supposed to showcase some of the world’s best rugby talent, with both teams ranked in the top four globally.
Fans were eagerly anticipating the arrival of players like France's superstar Antoine Dupont to New Zealand. Such names would have added significant marketing appeal to the series, drawing massive crowds and global attention. However, with the French decision, the excitement surrounding the event has now been dampened.
According to reports, the announcement has infuriated NZR, who see the move as something that "devalues" the tour.
Times journalist Will Kelleher echoed this sentiment, stating, “NZR officials are livid about it, as it devalues a mega series... Rugby eats itself exhibition 1,890!” This frustration stems from the fact that France's weakened squad will undermine the competitive quality of the matches and the marketability of the series.
The core of the issue lies in an agreement between the FFR and the National Rugby League (LNR), which oversees France’s domestic Top 14 competition.
The deal ensures that players involved in the Top 14 final, scheduled for late June, will not be available for the tour. This decision is part of France’s preparation for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, where they aim to manage the workload of their star players and gradually build a squad for the future.
This move, while strategic for the French, has left NZR seeking clarification. The New Zealand side was blindsided by this development, and many are questioning why France would willingly weaken their team for such an important series against the All Blacks.
“We are seeking further information and clarification from both World Rugby and the French union to better understand the situation,” said a spokesperson from NZR.
For Les Bleus head coach Fabien Galthié, the decision to rest key players is a continuation of a long-term strategy. He emphasized in a previous interview that top French players need rest periods to ensure they are fresh for major competitions like the World Cup.
“We built on trust while adjusting the management of the international season by choosing to rest our ‘premium’ players during the summer tours,” Galthié explained earlier this year.
Although the plan has been slightly watered down, allowing players from losing Top 14 semifinal teams to participate, it still means that some of France’s biggest names, like Dupont, could miss the entire tour depending on their clubs’ progress.
The ripple effect of this decision is not just limited to player availability.
NZR has expressed concern about the financial and promotional impact this will have on the tour. With some of France’s top stars potentially missing, the All Blacks’ ability to market the event as a marquee series takes a hit. A clash between second-string French players and the full-strength All Blacks doesn't quite have the same allure, and fans who expected to see the world's best go head-to-head may be left feeling short-changed.
As the rugby world awaits further developments, NZR is pressing for answers from World Rugby regarding player selection regulations. Under World Rugby’s Regulation 9, national unions are supposed to have access to their players during designated international windows, which might challenge France’s decision. However, France has a history of touring the southern hemisphere with under-strength squads for mid-year tests, and they appear to be sticking to that pattern.
In the meantime, rugby fans are left wondering what could have been. The prospect of watching a top-tier France side battle the All Blacks in their backyard now seems more like a distant dream. As one disappointed supporter put it, "This was meant to be a series to remember, but now it just feels like rugby is shooting itself in the foot.”
How do you feel about France’s decision? Will it affect your excitement for the series? Let us know your thoughts below!
