Dave Rennie's first All Blacks team sheet has landed, and the man opened his account by handing the most scrutinised jersey in world rugby — the black No 10 — to Ruben Love, while leaving Beauden Barrett, a two-time world player of the year, entirely out of the 23. In New Zealand this is not a selection decision, it is a constitutional event. Talkback radio lit up like a substation fire, and somewhere a national inquiry pre-drafted in 2007 was quietly updated with new names.
To be fair to Rennie, the logic is intoxicating: Love just piloted the Hurricanes to the Super Rugby title — their first in a decade — playing like a man who found the cheat codes down the back of the couch. Rennie has doubled down on the whole Canes spine, with Cam Roigard at scrum-half and Jordie Barrett at 12, essentially picking the championship-winning nervous system and asking it to keep doing exactly that, just with 'NEW ZEALAND' written on the chest and France arriving with two consecutive Six Nations titles and a grudge.
The bench carries two debutants, prop Xavier Numia and wing Fehi Fineanganofo — also Hurricanes, because at this point Rennie's selection policy is 'did you win the final? Get in the van.' Meanwhile Ardie Savea returns to No 8 with the captaincy, flanked by Peter Lakai and Luke Jacobson, a loose trio chosen to spend Saturday evening treating French ball-carriers like piñatas at a very well-organised birthday.
And spare a moment for Christchurch itself, hosting the season opener of the Rennie era against the Six Nations champions with Antoine Dupont-less France still somehow terrifying. The All Blacks have won five of their last six; France travel with a Bordeaux-flavoured side and generational arrogance in the best possible sense. Two apex predators, one stadium, 4 July — and if it goes wrong for the home side, the Love-over-Barrett debate will reach volumes normally reserved for volcanic activity.
From a South African couch, obviously, we watch this with pure joy and zero stakes: either the All Blacks stumble at home (delicious) or France get monstered a week before facing everyone else (also delicious). Pour something cold. The southern winter's first great argument kicks off at 19:10 Christchurch time.
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