The four All Blacks at risk of not making the cut in 2026

Out of the four, Parker probably has the most upside, but he hasn’t done this Super season enough to earn a starting spot. Realistically, all of these positions are still up for grabs. I’d roll with Aride, Lakai and Kirifi. Blackadder, if healthy, and Parker off the bench.

I’d bring Rieko back. Jordie’s role at the Hurricanes has evolved, and he now looks far more focused on creating opportunities for the centre outside him. Under Foster and Razor, Jordie was too often used as a straight-line battering ram, which achieved little beyond compressing the field and limiting everyone outside him.

Rennie will likely want a more expansive attacking shape. If Jordie can draw defenders and put Rieko into space, Rieko’s pace through the middle will seriously stretch opposing backlines, and that is exactly where you want line breaks to happen. It would make the All Blacks' backline a much more dangerous and difficult proposition to defend against.

After just being blindsided by Lester's comments about BB I now read this drivel from Ben Smith. The Barrett Ioane midfield has proven to be successful. When. Where.

These two articles by NZ journalists just reinforce the fact that the standard of NZ journalism is abysmal.

Can't Rugby Pass find someone to write about NZ Rugby who actually knows something about the game and doesn't have a bias towards anyone who wears a Blues Jersey.

You lost me completely peddling a Barret/Ioane midfield reunion. Are you kidding? If anything epitomised Razor’s tenure it was the failed midfield.

Tangitau’s knee injury, likely a serious one, changes the picture for the back three.

Such a shame — we’re losing our fastest winger, and probably one of the fastest in the world. Oh well…

I think Henry is going to have a lot of influence… and we know he was a fan of a 14/15 pairing with fullback-type profiles. This could be a chance for Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, or possibly for Fihaki. A Clarke/JRK/Jordan back three?

Neil Barnes knows JRK’s abilities well…

Reiko has had is dash and proven time after time that despite being a fantastic wing and a great one on one defence he just can’t play centre where he has to create space for the back three and read the game to set the defence. I see he is playing wing for Leicester and not 13 so he should not be considered as 13 for the ABs, especially not based on the failures he demonstrated while playing there.

I can’t see any way Carter and Proctor don’t get picked. The former plays for the Chiefs, which means an immediate leg-up, plus the wing options aren’t great. The latter has been very good and must be ahead of Ioane and ALB every day of the week (and twice on Sundays), although ALB of course gets the Chiefs tick.

Christie may get a reprieve simply because the other halfback options, Roigard excluded, aren’t great. Parker (and Finau) should definitely be gone, but being Chiefs probably won’t be.

Billy has been the shoot up man for the Hurricanes rush defence. Very unfair to say that he has been “exposed” when doing his job extremely well. The flip side of this “exposing” is that he has been completely neutralising the outside channels of other teams by closing shut their passing lanes.

There is a reason the Hurricanes are leagues ahead in defence, only 199 points against, next closest is 50! points more than that.

Under a different defending regime he might not be instructed to do that role.

If anything he has shown that he is versatile in defence and excels under different defending regimes given this isn’t his usual defending style.

Inevitably, there will be new squad members, meaning there will be incumbents under pressure to retain their places when the 34-player squad is announced for the Nations Championship

I thought we were moving on from this outdated thinking?

No one is under pressure because all will find themselves on the outer at some point. Want we want is a strong competition of 50+ players through the year, especially of the core 44 going to South Africa, where there is literally nothing between them.

The idea that the All Blacks are so narrow, that the talent has been funneled through to a small group that have been selected to push forward further as All Blacks should be left in the past, there is just far too much talent to stick to the same group again and again.

Send all the old stages to safferland and take the L.

Roigard Jordan Savare Holland etc would all be targeted for a maiming

It would destroy any World Cup hopes

Based on CURRENT PERFORMANCEs there is ZERO reason to have a 'Barrett' in the ABs. No, nothing against the Barretts; a PAST fan. Thanks for your service, but,

* B.Barrett? LONG past prime.

* S.Barrett? Quote Penney, 'available but' not even good enough for Crusaders'!! POST long rest period!!

* J.Barrett? Zero impact.

The similar cases of Ioane, Reece were clear in data years ago but only belatedly dealt with.

Ioane and Carter will be out, Ioane because he had enough time to prove himself, Carter because his position is well covered, and as a newbie, should he get picked, Tangitau appears to be a better alround player then Carter. And Carter was shown up when it mattered most for him.

Procter may have a chance, what are the chances of seeing a few tests in 2026 with 4 wellingtonian inside backs🤷 and Parker may get pipped at the post as well. Would be keen to see Blackadder return.

I think Scott Barrett should be used as a spare tyre, for me the history of 3 Barrett brothers in the all blacks together has to many bad memories.

Most all those players made their array of mistakes through 2024/25, under Razors bad mismanagement skills, 2026 will be very exciting. If they drop 2 tests for the season, preferbly not both of them to SA, thats a great sign, their alround error rates in 2025 were there worse I can remember, I wander if it was a record? And they still miraculously pulled off 10 out of 13 tests.