In July 2025, the France national rugby team are scheduled to tour New Zealand as part of the Summer International calendar. The three-test tour was publicly known as early as July 2024, with French media reporting that the French squad could possibly be without its key, top-performing players as the tour would also conflict with the current domestic competition in France. The domestic competition final would take place just a week before the first tour match in Wellington. It was also reported that the tour would allow for a new generation of French players to pick up more international caps and experience in preparation for the 2027 Rugby World Cup (RWC) in Australia.
Both national unions were in talks of moving one of the three test matches to be hosted in the United States, however the French Rugby Federation reportedly rejected the idea.[1][2] It will be France'seleventh tour of New Zealand and the eighteenth test-series between the two teams. It is also set to be Fabien Galthié's first tour of New Zealand as the head coach of France. The venue for the third test is Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on New Zealand's North Island. It is to be the first international test France have played at the venue.[3]
In June 2024, with news of France's next tour being publicly known, French coach Fabien Galthié told L'Équipe that he had identified a group of 20 "premium" players that he wished to rest for their tour of New Zealand.[5] In October 2024, the French Rugby Federation(Fédération Française de Rugby; FFR), the governing body of rugby union in France, and the National Rugby League (Ligue nationale de rugby; LNR), the organisation that manages the Top 14, announced the signing of an agreement on the release of French Top 14 players for international duty from 2025 until mid-2026.[6][7] In the agreement the provisions outlined stated that a foundational group of 42 players will be assembled in two phases for France's 2025 tour.[6][7] Initially, 28 eligible players will be selected following the 2024–25 Top 14 play-off qualifiers (mid-June) to begin preparations for a France Development match, which will take place over the weekend of the 2024–25 Top 14 semi-finals.[6][7] This cohort will subsequently be augmented by players from the clubs eliminated in the semi-finals, bringing the total to 42. Players from the 2024–25 Top 14 finalists, however, will be excluded from selection for these international periods.[6][7] Thus, the top-performing French players would not be available for the French team touring New Zealand.[8][9][10]
The announcement of the agreement and the subsequent affect it would have on the tour received a lot of attention and criticism in New Zealand and on social media. The Times journalist Will Kelleher wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter): "Interesting this, that France are taking a second team to NZ. New Zealand Rugby (NZR) officials are livid about it, as it devalues a mega series, and their ability to market it..."[11] That same week New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced they were surprised by the decision[12] and asked the governing body of rugby union internationally, World Rugby, to clarify the French availability policy, citing World Rugby regulations.[10] Former New Zealand international and Sky Sport pundit, Justin Marshall, stated: "We don't send our B team to play you at the end of the year because our players are tired. We send over our team to knock you over in your own backyard. Now, try and actually see it from our perspective that we want to have that environment." He added: "We want to have that feeling for our fans, for our people to see France with their number one team coming over here and taking us on... We treat you with respect. And I feel that if the French were to use the excuse of a long season and their players are tired, well, you know, that's just piss poor because we're exactly the same when we have to go in November, but we front."[13]
In March 2025, French players Grégory Alldritt and Romain Ntamack expressed their desire to play for France on the tour despite the restrictive selection policy.[14] Ntamack stated: "I don't really know yet what can be done or not, whether the finalists will be allowed to go to New Zealand. Maybe an exception will be made depending on the tour, because it's a pretty exceptional tour to go and play in New Zealand... Final or not, if we have to go, it will be with pleasure."[15]
New Zealand
France XV
