Tom Staniforth gets debut for France while Jefferson Poirot is back against All Blacks
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Castres' Australian lock Tom Staniforth is tackled during the French Top 14 rugby union match against Toulon at Stade Pierre Fabre in Castres, southern France on June 6, 2026.
PHOTO: AFP
CHRISTCHURCH – France have handed a debut to lock Tom Staniforth and brought back loosehead Jefferson Poirot, six years after he announced his international retirement, for their opening Nations Championship clash against New Zealand on July 4.
Australian-born Staniforth, who moved to France six years ago, makes his Test debut at the age of 31.
The 33-year-old Poirot won the last of his 36 caps in 2020 before stepping away from the international arena, citing a lack of motivation after the 2019 World Cup.
Winger Damian Penaud, who was left out of the 2026 Six Nations, also makes a comeback.
Fullback Max Spring gets his second cap, four years after his debut against the country his father hails from.
In the absence of the injured Antoine Dupont, his scrum-half stand-in Maxime Lucu captains the team.
Eight of the team are drawn from European champions Bordeaux Begles as players from last weekend's Top 14 finalists – Toulouse and Montpellier – are not playing after joining up late with the squad.
France opted for a 5-3 split on the bench between forwards and backs, with Clermont hooker Barnabé Massa expected to earn his first international cap.
Team: 15-Max Spring, 14-Damian Penaud, 13-Fabien Brau-Boirie, 12-Yoram Moefana, 11-Theo Attissogbe, 10-Matthieu Jalibert, 9-Maxime Lucu (captain), 8-Marko Gazzotti, 7-Oscar Jegou, 6-Pierre Bochaton, 5-Tom Staniforth, 4-Hugo Auradou, 3-Demba Bamba, 2-Maxime Lamothe, 1-Jefferson Poirot
Replacements: 16-Barnabé Massa, 17-Reda Wardi, 18-Regis Montagne, 19-Mickael Guillard, 20-Killian Tixeront, 21-Nolann Le Garrec, 22-Antoine Hastoy, 23-Nicolas Depoortere. REUTERS
