France team: Fabien Galthie picks EIGHT debutants in 23 as severely understrength Les Bleus risk All Blacks mauling
France head coach Fabien Galthie and the Canada-born Tyler Duguid, who is one of eight uncapped players in the squad to face the All Blacks.
Fabien Galthie has named five uncapped players in his starting line-up, and eight overall, to take on the All Blacks in the first of their three-Test series this weekend.
Les Bleus travelled to New Zealand with a severely understrength squad with the majority their stars left at home and that is reflected in the side selected by the head coach.
Only Gael Fickou, who captains the side, and to an extent Mickael Guillard could be considered first choice, although the latter is playing out of position at number eight.
Guillard impressed in that position against a second string England outfit a week-and-a-half ago, however, and combines with Killian Tixeront and one of the debutants, Alexandre Fischer, in the back-row.
The other rookies to start against the All Blacks are lock Tyler Duguid, prop Giorgi Beria, fly-half Joris Segonds and wing Tom Spring.
Talented backs
Despite the numerous absences, it is a talented-looking backline with Nolann le Garrec, who partners Segonds at half-back, and Emilien Gailleton very highly rated young players.
Theo Attissogbe is another to have impressed when given a chance at international level, while Gabin Villiere is an established Test player who only lost his place due to the emergence of the exceptional Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
France could duly trouble the All Blacks with ball in hand but only if they are given a good amount of possession.
That is the concern in this side with the pack more inexperienced, despite the presence of 35-year-old Rabah Slimani at prop.
Behind the front-row, Hugo Auradou was often used off the bench in the Six Nations but he gets a start alongside the Canada-born Tyler Duguid.
There is another foreign-born player on the bench in the shape of South African Jacobus van Tonder and he is one of three among the replacements who could also make their debuts.
Paul Mallez and Regis Montagne are the other two, with Pierre Bourgarit, Romain Taofifenua, Cameron Woki, Baptiste Jauneau and Antoine Hastoy all capped at the highest level.
France team to face the All Blacks
France: 15 Theo Attissogbe, 14 Tom Spring, 13 Emilien Gailleton, 12 Gael Fickou (c), 11 Gabin Villière, 10 Joris Segonds, 9 Nolann Le Garrec, 8 Mickael Guillard, 7 Killian Tixeront, 6 Alexandre Fischer, 5 Tyler Duguid, 4 Hugo Auradou, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Gaetan Barlot, 1 Giorgi Beria
Replacements: 16 Pierre Bourgarit, 17 Paul Mallez, 18 Regis Montagne, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Cameron Woki, 21 Jacobus van Tonder, 22 Baptiste Jauneau, 23 Antoine Hastoy
Date: Saturday, July 5
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick-off: 19:05 local (08:05 BST, 07:05 GMT)
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley (England), Takehito Namekawa (Japan)
TMO: Damon Murphy (Australia)
FPRO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
