All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has made his intentions clear ahead of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour of South Africa next month - selecting a 44 man squad that invests in physicality and versatility ahead of what he calls “the toughest tour in rugby.”
The expected physical toll of the four test tour - whose last test is to be played in Baltimore, USA - and the physicality of the South African teams has come into the selection picture, as Rennie retained all the players who were involved in the recent Nations’ Championship clashes against France, Italy and Ireland and included a few bolters of their own.
South African may find some of the faces new, but anyone watching Super Rugby will see it as a nod to big ball carrying forwards, and an expected physical onslaught the All Blacks will want to counter when they get to South Africa.
There was also confirmation that inspirational captain Ardie Savea will miss the first few games of the tour and only join before the first test at Ellis Park to lighten his workload and give him a rest. Savea is the heart and soul of the team and Rennie believes this approach will have him fresh and ready to face the Springboks when the test series starts.
UNLUCKY OMISSIONS
There were unlucky omissions - notably opensider Du Plessis Kirifi - a strange omission given he is contracted to the All Blacks until 2027, but in selecting the eight loose forwards, Rennie has opted more for players who are versatile and can play more than one position and Kirifi, a classic opensider, seems to have suffered because of this.
While it will be a talking point in New Zealand, especially as Kirifi was co-captain of the all-conquering Hurricanes side, the rest of the squad will quickly get down to the job at hand.
The three bolters in the squad are Hurricanes prop Siale Lauaki, Moana Pasifika No 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa and Chiefs utility back Josh Jacomb.
Tupou Ta’eiloa is picked specifically for his physicality and that made Rennie sit up and notice him.
“He’s got a genuine point of difference,” Rennie said of Tupou Ta’eiloa.“We haven’t got sort of the big, powerful loose forward like him, and yes, he’s really destructive defensively, and he carried Moana on his back a lot this year, so yeah, we think it adds a point of difference as well.
“Ardie (Savea) speaks really highly of him. So yeah, look, it’s exciting. It’s a really good story, isn’t it? It’s someone who may be playing in a side that’s battling and can stand out the way he did. So, really pleased for him.”
LAUAKI SURPRISE
Lauaki surprised many with his inclusion, especially as he was stuck behind All Black props Tyrel Lomax, Pasilio Tosi and Xavier Numia at the Hurricanes but the 23 year old, who weighs in at 125kg and stands at 194cm, can play both sides of the scrum and is seen as a product for the future of All Black rugby.
The All Blacks have also recalled a number of players with test experience who were on the fringes of the squad.
Chiefs Ollie Norris and Emoni Narawa, Highlanders Fabian Holland and Timoci Tavatavanawai, Crusaders George Bell and Ethan Blackadder and Rieko Ioane of the Blues all make the cut. Ioane has just returned from a stint with the URC champions Leinster.
Rennie said Savea also needed a break and that was the underlying decision for him joining the side later.
SAVEA TO JOIN LATER
“Ardie’s been training and playing since January 2025,” Rennie said.
“Obviously, he had that season there (with Moana). He then went away with the All Blacks. He came to Kobe and was straight into the Nations Championship. So we need to find a window where we can freshen them up.
“This seemed the obvious time, and so yeah, it was a pretty simple decision.”
Savea will arrive in South Africa 10 days before the first test and is likely to play his first minute at Ellis Park.
“I think it’s a decision that we’ve made on what we think is best for him. So you know, Ardie would plug in, but I think it comes to a point at some stage, and it’s such a big series. Freshing him up prior to those four tests was essential.
“What we could have done was left him out of the last three, tried to freshen him up that way, but that was important to us and was important to him to play.
“So we think this is a really good compromise. He could have come on tour, and we might only have played him in one of those games.
“But just getting his head out of the footy and getting him away a little bit. We trust him to do the work and turn up in good nick. He arrives 10 days before the first test, so plenty of time.”
Cody Taylor will act as tour captain until Savea arrives.
All Blacks squad
Forwards: Asafo Aumua, Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bell, Ethan De Groot, George Bower, Xavier Numia, Ollie Norris, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi, Siale Lauaki, Tupou Vaa’i, Patrick Tuipulotu, Josh Lord, Sam Darry, Fabian Holland, Peter Lakai, Simon Parker, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, Anton Segner, Ardie Savea (c), Wallace Sititi, Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa.
Backs: Cameron Roigard, Cortez Ratima, Kyle Preston, Ruben Love, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Josh Jacomb, Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Billy Proctor, Anton Lienert-Brown, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Caleb Clarke, Fehi Fineanganofo, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Emoni Narawa.
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour fixtures
Friday, 7 August: v Stormers, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Tuesday, 11 August: v Sharks, Kings Park, Durban
Saturday, 15 August: v Vodacom Bulls, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Saturday, 22 August: v Springboks, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Tuesday, 25 August: v Lions, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Saturday, 29 August: v Springboks, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Saturday, 5 September: v Springboks, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
Saturday 12 September: v Springboks, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore