HALFBACKS
10. Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand and Crusaders/Toshiba Brave Lupus)
9. Antoine Dupont (France and Toulouse)
The aforementioned injury to France fly half Romain Ntamack, again opens up what would likely have been an all-French halfback partnership. The Toulousain duo of Ntamack and Antoine Dupont seem to communicate telepathically for club and country, with Ntamack’s recent injury being a hammer blow for Galthie’s side. Ntamack’s understudy is Bordeaux-Begles’ Matthieu Jalibert, yet we prefer the New Zealand option with Richie Mo’unga, for our ‘All Bleus’ number 10.
Soon to be heading off to Japan, Mo’unga has done it all with the Crusaders. A seven-time winner of Super Rugby across multiple competition variations, Mo’unga is a proven winner that can spur success into this side. Dupont slots him alongside him, having taken the torch from Aaron Smith as the greatest scrum half in rugby today. Dupont is still amongst the conversation for the out-and-out best player in the world, after taking home the accolade in 2021.
FRONT ROW
1. Ethan de Groot (New Zealand and Highlanders)
2. Dane Coles (New Zealand and Hurricanes)
3. Uini Antonio (France and La Rochelle)
Two additional recent injuries made the ‘All Bleus’ front row all to play for, starting with the recent calf injury to France’s Cyril Baille. The loosehead prop was a shoe-in for the number one jersey, yet the curse of the Rugby World Cup warm-ups has had a proven impact on Baille’s hopes for the All Blacks opener. New Zealand’s Ethan de Groot comes in to start in at loosehead for our combined XV, with All Blacks stalwart Dane Coles presenting the best option viable at hooker.
The second injury sees All Blacks tighthead Tyrel Lomax side-lined with a nasty gash on his leg, after picking up the cut in New Zealand’s record defeat against the Springboks at Twickenham. Lomax is replaced by back-to-back Heineken Champions Cup winner Uini Antonio, who would also qualify for the All Blacks, as he was in fact born in Timuru, in the Canterbury region of New Zealand’s South Island.