A serious competition begins with a serious tie, with New Zealand and France having the honor of kicking off the first Nations Championship. In keeping with the occasion, Saturday’s blockbuster will be the All Blacks’ first appearance at the newly built Te Kaha Stadium in Christchurch.
All going well, the game will usher in a new era of the All Blacks and serve as an origin story for Ruben Love. The forward-thinking 25-year-old was named fly-half following a stellar campaign in which he led the Hurricanes to their first Super Rugby title in a decade. Love tops the scoring charts and has eclipsed Richie Mo’unga, Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie in the playoffs, while new coach Dave Rennie has wisely chosen to surround him with club team-mates Cam Roigard and Jordie Barrett. Ardie Savea will wear the armband in the absence of Scott Barrett.
One of the best things about the Nations Championship is its proximity in the calendar to the end of the domestic season, but in France’s case this has backfired. Their sizable Toulouse and Montpellier contingents are both ineligible, having made the Top 14 final, while captain Antoine Dupont withdrew from the squad of the tournament completely after injuring his calf during the match.
It’s a horrible hand for Fabien Galthie, especially as the back-to-back Six Nations champions would have expected to have their chances in full. His is, however, capable of aligning Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert in an otherwise extremely young XV.
Read on as we explain how to watch New Zealand vs France in the 2026 Nations Championship for free.
Can you watch New Zealand vs France for free?
Yes. New Zealand vs France is broadcast free-to-air Rugbypass TV in the United States, on ITVX in the United Kingdom, and on Blank Media Set in Ireland.
Are you traveling abroad at the moment? You can use a VPN to watch New Zealand vs France for free as if you were at home.
Use a VPN to watch New Zealand vs France live streams
A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear to be in your home country, so you can unblock your usual service. The best VPN at the moment? We recommend NordVPN – it does it all and offers up to 75% off.
How to watch New Zealand vs France live streams in the United States
New Zealand v France, as well as matches from the 42 Nations Championship, are available live for FREE on Rugbypass TV in the United States.
You can connect via the Rugbypass TV website or app, and it works with Chromecast, Airplay, AppleTV and Android TV.
Outside the United States? Use a VPN while you travel away from home to unblock your feed.
How to watch New Zealand vs France live streams in the UK
In the UK, New Zealand v France is streamed for free on ITV1with live streaming available via ITVX.
All you need is an account, a TV license and a UK postcode (eg HA9 0WS). Register here!
If you’re not in the UK but still want to connect, explore the VPN route shown above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.
How to watch New Zealand vs France live streams in Ireland
New Zealand v France is streamed for free on Virgin Media One in Ireland, with live streaming available via the Blank Media Set platform.
Outside of Ireland? You will have to download a VPNas detailed above, to access your free Nations Championship stream from abroad.
How to watch New Zealand vs France live streams in Australia
In Australia, the New Zealand vs France match is exclusive to Stan Sports.
Stan Sport costs AU$20/month in addition to a Stan subscription, which itself starts at AU$12/month.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch the action as if you were at home.
How to watch All Blacks vs France live streams in New Zealand
In New Zealand, Sky Sport Reviews broadcasts the All Blacks vs France match.
You can access Sky Sport via satellite TV or get a live stream, with the Sky Sport Now subscription service from NZ$29.99 per day or NZ$59.99 per month.
Those outside New Zealand for any part of the Nations Championship can use NordVPN to access their home streaming service.
How to watch New Zealand vs France live streams in South Africa
The New Zealand vs France match is broadcast on Supersport in South Africa.
You will need to obtain a DStv access package to watch the Nations Championship, with prices starting at Rs99/month for the streaming version.
Abroad at the moment? Simply use a VPN and tell your device that you are back home and will be ready to go.
How to watch New Zealand vs France live streams in Canada
In Canada, the New Zealand vs France match is broadcast on Premier Sports.
A monthly subscription costs CA$29.99. You will need either the six-month pass at CA$79.99 or the annual subscription at CA$139.99/year to attend the entire tournament.
If you’re outside of Canada but still want to catch the action, explore the VPN route shown above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.
What is the start time for New Zealand vs France?
New Zealand’s scheduled kick-off time against France on Saturday July 4 is 7:10 p.m. NZST Christchurch local time, which is 12:10 a.m. PT / 3:10 a.m. ET / 8:10 a.m. BST / 5:10 p.m. AEST.
What is the New Zealand vs France head-to-head?
The All Blacks have won 51 of their previous 67 meetings with France. The Blues have won 15, and the other ended in a draw.
In New Zealand, the record stands at 30-4.
Can I watch New Zealand vs France on my mobile?
Of course, most broadcasters offer streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or through your phone’s browser. For example, ITVX, Rugbypass TV and VM Play all have dedicated apps.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Access a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy abroad. We do not support or condone illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consumption of paid pirated content is not endorsed or endorsed by Future Publishing.
