Razor picks a Dutchman to front France

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All Blacks coach Scott Robertson named four uncapped players around the three Barrett brothers to face France in Dunedin on Saturday.

Robertson hailed the “great story” of lock Fabian Holland, born in the Netherlands, after he was named in the matchday squad alongside three other Test rookies – No 8 Christian Lio-Willie will start against France on Saturday, while prop Ollie Norris and flanker Du’Plessis Kirifi are set to come off the bench.

“This is a huge moment for these men and their families,” Robertson said, as the All Blacks prepare to host Les Bleus in a three-Test series on successive weekends. “Fabian is pretty excited, you know. From Zeeland to New Zealand, he’s come a long way.

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“It’s pretty single-minded for a 14-year-old to make that call to come over and represent another country in the game he loves. It’s movie sort of stuff, isn’t it?”

Holland grew up in the small town of Castricum, just outside Amsterdam. In 2014, when Holland was 11, the All Blacks Sevens team trained at Castricum Rugby Club. It sparked a dream to move to New Zealand, to play alongside the players he idolised and had posters of on his bedroom wall. He met sevens captain DJ Forbes and a young Akira Ioane. On Saturday night he’ll line up alongside Akira’s brother, Rieko Ioane.

Robertson said it was fitting Holland would make his All Blacks debut under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium, his home ground for the Highlanders.

“I am sure Fabian’s Highlanders supporters, and Christian’s Otago fans, will be out in full force,” Robertson said.

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Lio-Willie had a standout season with the Crusaders as they won an eighth Super Rugby title in nine years. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Lio-Willie also, having represented Otago in provincial competition since 2021, after the local Kaikorai Rugby Club brought him south from Auckland.

“The coach at the time, Ryan Martin, came up to Auckland when I was at school, at Massey High, and he’s the one that got me down here,” Lio-Willie said. “I haven’t played for any other club. I’m actually one away from 50 (appearances), so it’s a pretty special place to me.”

The 26-year-old said he and Holland made their Otago debuts together, and to be taking the step up to the All Blacks was a “full circle moment”.

In a team captained by lock Scott Barrett, Beauden Barrett starts at flyhalf – picked ahead of Damian McKenzie. Jordie Barrett partners Billy Proctor in the midfield, with Ioane, who has been playing in the centres for the Blues, deployed on the wing.

Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax, Wallace Sititi and Luke Jacobson miss out because of injury.

Following Saturday’s showdown, the series moves to Wellington (12 July) and Hamilton (19 July).

ALL BLACKS — 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Scott Barrett (c), 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Bench: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Samipeni Finau, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Quinn Tupaea, 23 Damian McKenzie.

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Joe Allison/Getty Images

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