While the bulk of public attention in the northern hemisphere is squarely focused on the Lions, the same can’t be said elsewhere.
The tour is only beginning to flicker into life in Australia as the weight of the Lions brand doesn’t quite resonate in the same way in the southern hemisphere.
The other July internationals have fully kicked into gear, and that’s where my eyes were last week. The most compelling match on the docket at the weekend was in Dunedin.
Ireland impress as the Lions struggle
France, fielding what was effectively a development squad, stood up to the All Blacks in their own backyard and gave us a game that had bite, energy and breathtaking rugby, with cracks in the All Blacks’ aura still showing.
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The narrative from New Zealand before the match bordered on indignation after accusations of disrespect that the French had named such an inexperienced squad.
But what unfolded looked far from a mismatch. The All Blacks were forced to scrap for everything. With the scoreboard tight, they, like the Lions against the Waratahs, never looked like they had the game under control but would win.
The French pack fronted up, their backs asked questions and, in patches, the All Blacks didn’t have answers.
It reminded me of another era, one where the All Blacks were so dominant they didn’t need to know their opponents by name. Just numbers would do. Once upon a time, the aura alone did half the job. No longer.
Even with their magnetic coach, Scott Robertson, there’s a sense of fragility that hasn’t been apparent with New Zealand in generations past. The French, youthful and largely unburdened by previous Test-level trauma, saw it and surged into the space.
Beauden Barrett, 34 now, was back in the number 10 shirt. Nearly a decade on from that 2015 World Cup win, he’s still seen as the man for the moment. That says a lot about his brilliance but also New Zealand’s succession planning.
Damian McKenzie (30) has dazzled in moments but hasn’t locked down the 10 jersey. As with Ireland following Johnny Sexton’s retirement, there was no clear heir.
The All Blacks have long been known for seamless transition, where one world-class outhalf handed over to the next. Now, like most top-tier nations, they’re finding it harder to get that handover right. The consequence? A team that relies on flashes of brilliance rather than consistent dominance.
Still, those flashes are something to behold. Barrett and McKenzie were devastating in broken play and Will Jordan – an out-and-out Test animal – reminded us of the value of raw pace and instinct.
France, for their part, were more pragmatic. They kicked smartly from deep, built pressure in phases and showed just how deep the Top 14 talent pool really is. Their back row trio of Mickaël Guillard, Killian Tixeront and Alexandre Fischer punched above their Test caps, and from 13 out, they were full of energy, pace and flair.
I’ve been part of enough “valiant defeats” in New Zealand to know how they feel. But this one had a different edge. France didn’t just survive, they imposed themselves. The challenge now is to back it up. A one-off performance is easy to dismiss. A pattern of competitiveness, that’s a different matter.
Respect from the All Blacks off the field is rarely given. It’s earned in the grind of a Test match. That’s where the French earned theirs.
French coach Fabien Galthié will learn a lot from this tour. He drew a line before the last World Cup. Players over 30, unless indispensable, wouldn’t be indulged.
It’s cold, yes, but a luxury that the French head coach can embrace with the depth the Top 14 produces.
England embraced a similar message through Jamie George after their patchy, gritty win over Argentina. “You have the jersey today – make it yours,” was the refrain. It was a message rooted in accountability. The now is the foundation of any great squad culture.
It’s a sentiment, I imagine, that echoed in the Irish camp in Tbilisi, where a young side managed the game with a level of poise that belied their inexperience. Six uncapped players, others short on minutes at Test level, and yet there was control, composure and cohesion. Coach Paul O’Connell’s fingerprints were all over that performance.
Ryan Baird, wearing the leadership hat, played like someone ready to step out from the shadow of potential into the reality of being indispensable. Craig Casey controlled tempo, Jamie Osborne grew into the match and Gavin Coombes quietly reminded us of his impressive work rate.
There’s something special brewing here, not in the result necessarily, but in how players are being prepared. Good coaches get the person ready to play. The player follows.
Andy Farrell will be relying on that ethos now. Two matches remain before the first Test in Brisbane. Players have put their hands up – Alex Mitchell for his sniping threat, Josh van der Flier for his relentless consistency, Blair Kinghorn’s for his adaptability, and the centre pairing of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones have offered a solid combination.
The Waratahs match, flat as it was, may have given Farrell clarity. The framework of the game plan is there. Now it’s about execution and, more crucially, getting the right people on the pitch.
France are coming. England are responding and Ireland, with the quiet precision of O’Connell and the trust of Farrell, are building.
For those of us watching, this is perhaps where the stars of 2027 are rising.
