The official lineup with the Black Ferns named to play France at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday, October 17 has been confirmed. Head Coach Whitney Hansen and her selection panel introduced seven changes to the match-day 23 that faced England at Twickenham. The opening Test kicks off at 3:05 PM NZDT in Hamilton as part of the home WXV Global Series.
In a major boost for New Zealand, co-captain Ruahei Demant returns from a calf injury off the bench. When the Black Ferns named to play France squad was finalized, hooker Georgia Ponsonby was selected to co-captain the starting lineup. She anchors a strong front row alongside props Chryss Viliko and Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu.
Strategic Squad Rotations as Black Ferns Named to Play France
The forward pack features Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu starting in the second row alongside Maiakawanakaulani Roos. Meanwhile, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Elinor-Plum King, and Kaipo Olsen-Baker form a dynamic loose forward trio. In the backline, the only starting adjustment sees Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a earn a spot on the right wing.
“Building on the momentum from our England performance, we needed to strike the right balance between providing opportunities for our newer Black Ferns and maintaining continuity,” said Head Coach Whitney Hansen.
The reserves bench features solid firepower with Vici-Rose Green, Ngano Tavake, and Laura Bayfield as forward cover. Furthermore, the return of Ruahei Demant alongside winger Mererangi Paul provides elite game management for the closing stages of the match.
Match Summary & Matchday 23 Lineup
Starting XV:
1 Chryss Viliko, 2 Georgia Ponsonby (co-c), 3 Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, 4 Maiakawanakaulani Roos, 5 Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu, 6 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 7 Elinor-Plum King, 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker, 9 Maia Joseph, 10 Hannah King, 11 Ayesha Leti-I’iga, 12 Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt, 13 Amy Du Plessis, 14 Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a, 15 Braxton Sorensen-McGee.
Reserves:
16 Vici-Rose Green, 17 Ngano Tavake, 18 Santo Taumata, 19 Laura Bayfield, 20 Layla Sae, 21 Tara Turner, 22 Ruahei Demant (co-c), 23 Mererangi Paul.
Rugby fans following current fixtures can visit our 2026 match schedule page. Ticketing details for international Tests are available on our rugby ticket guide. You can also explore historical statistics on our head-to-head records breakdown.
Match Fixture Details
Match: Black Ferns vs France (WXV Global Series Test 1)
Date & Time: Saturday, 17 October 2026 at 3:05 PM NZDT
Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Broadcaster: Live on Sky Sport NZ
For more official team news and tournament updates, visit the official All Blacks news portal.