Demant back, Brooker's comeback, Richards on the panel: the Black Ferns for France

The Black Ferns play France at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on Saturday 17 October, 3.05pm, the first of three home Tests on consecutive weekends, with Whangārei and Christchurch to follow. It is a family-hours kickoff, it is on Sky Sport, and it is the first time the side has played at home since the one loss of its year, 26-19 to England in September.

The team

Coach Whitney Hansen has made seven changes to the 23 that played England, two of them in the starting side. Shyrah Tuliau-Tua'a, with three caps, starts on the right wing for Mererangi Paul, and Maama Mo'onia Vaipulu comes in at lock for Laura Bayfield, who moves to the bench. Co-captain Ruahei Demant is back from a calf injury and will come off the bench; Georgia Ponsonby, the other co-captain, starts at hooker on 45 caps. "We're excited to have her back out on the field," Hansen said of Demant.

Black Ferns: Chryss Viliko, Georgia Ponsonby, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, Maia Roos, Maama Mo'onia Vaipulu, Mikaele-Tu'u, Elinor-Plum King, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Maia Joseph, Hannah King, Ayesha Leti-I'iga, Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu Atai'i Sylvia Brunt, Amy du Plessis, Shyrah Tuliau-Tua'a, Braxton Sorensen-McGee. Bench: Green, Ngano Tavake, Santo Taumata, Laura Bayfield, Layla Sae, Turner, Demant, Paul.

The Black Ferns have lost once in nine matches this year. France, ranked fourth to New Zealand's second, lost 28-14 to the Black Ferns in Lyon in September and arrive with four new caps and a first-time captain, halfback Alexandra Chambon; their regular captain Manaé Feleu is at home sitting medical exams.

Grace Brooker's long way back

The squad also carries one of the better comeback stories in the game. Grace Brooker, first picked for the Black Ferns in 2019, ruptured a knee tendon late in 2021, lost her contract in 2024, spent the 2025 season playing AFLW for Essendon in Melbourne, and came home to play for Matatū in this year's Super Rugby Aupiki, where her side reached the final. Her last Test was in July 2023; she has five caps. "I was really nervous coming in," she said this week. Alena Saili and Maia Davis have been released back to the sevens programme.

A legend joins the selectors

Anna Richards, four-time World Cup winner and 49-Test Black Fern between 1990 and 2010, has been appointed the team's independent selector, sitting alongside Hansen and assistants Tony Christie, Riki Flutey and Simon Kneebone. Richards coached Auckland Storm for seven years and is Auckland Rugby's women's player development manager; her role includes talent identification. "I'm really pleased to now make it official," she said.

Black Ferns v France, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton, Saturday 17 October, 3.05pm, live on Sky Sport.