Croissants, vin rouge and champagne rugby will be on the menu at Carisbrook next year when France play a test in Dunedin for the first time.

The New Zealand Rugby Union announced today the French would meet the All Blacks in the opening match of the Iveco Series on June 13.

The Otago Rugby Football Union chief executive, Richard Reid, said he was delighted with the decision, which reflected both the NZRU's commitment to playing tests throughout New Zealand and to the success of the South African test in Dunedin this year.

"The people of the south showed this year in no uncertain terms how much they want test rugby in this area," Reid said. "The support shown was undoubtedly a big factor in a test match returning in 2009."

Adding spice to the match next year will be the fact it will be the All Blacks' first match of the year; it will be France's first test in Dunedin and it will be the first time the two teams will have met since the World Cup quarterfinal last year. It will be the 47th test between the two countries which, since 2000, have played for the Gallaher Trophy, which commemorates the captain of the 1905-06 All Blacks, Dave Gallaher. (France have only previously played Otago at Carisbrook. That was in 1984).

The NZRU also acknowledged that the test was allocated to Dunedin because of continued progress toward a new stadium.

"We think it's important to continue to recognise the efforts that the Otago RFU, the Carisbrook Stadium Trust and the city of Dunedin are making toward a new stadium development," chief executive Steve Tew said.