Umaga warns All Blacks that Galthié has restored France's attacking identity

New Zealand defence coach Tana Umaga has warned that France’s revival under Fabien Galthié makes them a uniquely dangerous opponent for the All Blacks in their Nations Championship opener in Christchurch, crediting the French head coach with restoring a style of play that had been absent for years.

Umaga, who played and coached at Toulon, says the France he encountered during his time there bore little resemblance to the side currently ranked among the world’s best. “Throughout my period in France, it was very combative. A lot of kicking,” he told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod. “Now you can see Fabien Galthié has probably had a great influence on how they’re developing their young players through those systems; it’s all about looking up and seeing those opportunities, let’s keep the ball alive until we can create space for each other.”

The former All Blacks captain believes that evolution has brought France back to something more instinctive. “I suppose they’ve gone back to their identity of old. That’s what we used to see quite a lot of. And now, they’re more consistent around what they do.”

France’s form this year supports the assessment. In a historically high-scoring Six Nations earlier in 2025, Les Bleus averaged more than 42 points per game and claimed a try-scoring bonus point in all five of their matches, winning four. Umaga also pointed to Bordeaux’s Champions Cup triumph — achieved without reaching the Top 14 final — as evidence of the depth and experience running through the French system.

“They’re an exciting team to watch. They’ve kind of found their French flair again, haven’t they? They want to play from all parts of the field,” Umaga said. “They’re always looking to attack when there’s opportunities, and with the quality of the players that they’ve got… they’ve got some experienced guys that have been around for a bit, and I’m sure they’re going to be relying on those combinations.”

He also flagged a specific tactical trait New Zealand must account for. “We saw how they won that final, too; they don’t have a lot of rucks, but when they do, they try to score points as soon as they can. That’s something that we’ve got to be aware of, focused on, and make sure that we’ve got answers for.”

Umaga joined the All Blacks coaching staff after leaving Moana Pasifika, stepping into a defence role mid-World Cup cycle in what is shaping up as one of New Zealand rugby’s most consequential campaigns in recent memory.