New Zealand coach Dave Rennie selects flyhalf Ruben Love to start at No. 10 for the All Blacks’ Nations Championship opener against France in Christchurch. The decision is made for Rennie’s first match as head coach and comes as he builds his preferred lineup rather than choosing from existing No. 10 options. Reports agree that Love is picked over established rivals Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie, with Yahoo Sports noting that Love’s recent performances in the Super Rugby playoffs are a key factor in Rennie’s choice.
All sources also indicate that Rennie includes additional new faces in the squad, described as two new caps in the Nations Championship lineup by one outlet. The match is scheduled for Saturday, 4 July, with kick-off listed as 09:10 (SA time) in one report. Overall, coverage centers on Rennie’s approach to blood new players, using Love at flyhalf as the main personnel change for the opener against France.
