All Blacks Face New Challenges After France Defeat

Following a narrow loss to France, New Zealand's All Blacks face Italy with a changed lineup. Samipeni Finau is out due to a concussion, while Jordie Barrett awaits a scan for a knee injury. Despite defeat, coach Scott Robertson supports captain Scott Barrett's strategic decisions on the field.

New Zealand's rugby team, the All Blacks, are bracing for their upcoming match against Italy after a slim 30-29 defeat by France. In a blow to the team's lineup, flanker Samipeni Finau has been excluded following a concussion protocol, leaving a gap in the squad.

Coach Scott Robertson announced that midfielder Jordie Barrett is anxious over a knee injury and awaits scan results to determine his fitness for Saturday's clash. Meanwhile, flanker Sam Cane has recuperated enough from a head-knock and gash sustained against Ireland to rejoin the team.

Reflecting on the match against France, Captain Scott Barrett received support from the coaching team and Robertson for his decision to go for goal over setting up a try, despite the precarious circumstances. The match snapped New Zealand's recent winning streak, but the squad remains optimistic.

(With inputs from agencies.)