'Brings edge': Jeff Wilson's pick for a new All Blacks captain

In today's rugby world, the biggest mistake people make is by thinking there should be one Captain. There should be a leader group. That lessens the pressure on a specific player. The AB's need to start grooming their younger players into leaders. When Ardie was Captain of the AB's, his form took a massive hit. He shouldn't be the captain, but part of the team leadership. Rugby have so many elements within it, so many different tactics, structures and different set pieces and plays. Both on defence and attack. You need a variety of players to lead a team because of that. Kolisi is the Bok captain, but there is a core leadership group that takes over. Kolisi is more just the face of the team than the actual leader. They share responsibilities in different areas of the game where they excel. It hasn't been a single captain game for a long time. That is narrow minded thinking. At least in my opinion and I'm sure many purists would disagree, but the game isn't stuck in the 1800’s. It has moved on. NZ are mostly stuck in their ways that worked for them for a century, and are now falling behind the rest. Can Rennie stop that decline? Can he change the NZ thinking about the current game? I don't think he can. They are stuck in the past. They are not evolving with the rest. They expect 90%+ win rates. Every year. They do not realise that professional rugby have caught them with their pants around the ankles. The talent they have. Always did and always will, but their thinking of the game. Their eligibility rules for playing and coaching is really hampering their growth. Of course it's not just that. There is many things wrong and that starts at the very top. It all filters down to the bottom. It's like a slow poison. Stop the rot at the top

Ardie is the best ABs player atm , a proven leader on and off the field - he’s already an ABs stand-in captain. Codie is none of them !

Brodie Rodtellick if Rennie convinces him to come back.

Your captain shouldn’t get yellow carded, and unfortunately Cody Taylor gives away too many stupid penalties and yellow cards at test level to deserve the captaincy.

Savea I would have thought since hes done it before and he revels in it to boot. taylor is a much improved player hes still nothing compared to Coles but hes a bit better these days, his throwing is also better. his lack of awareness is still an issue. but hes our best hooker right now then its Bell all day long and a huge gap to the next best. But anyone but SB who isn’t even a lock hes only a 6 at best. SB is abetter player without the captaincy he cost us 2 games through his decisions in s.a. hes goes for maul try instead of banking the 3 points when hes up by 20 points, he then goes for goal when we were behind.

I am a big fan of Codie but position, capt responsibilities and ‘passion’ would all combine to be detrimental to him

Leave Codie to do what he does best. You cant go past Ardie for capt. He has earned it and he is respected by all players and fans.

He also has impressive command presence.

Why would you give it to a 34 year past his best???? Aumoa and Samasoni will overtake him this season. Wake up Jeff!!

Jeff Wilson and Stephen Donald are right. Codie Taylor would have to be up there in captaincy conversation re the AB’s. He has Mana. Over 100 games for the All Blacks and Crusaders. Justin Marshall rightly also mentioned Will Jordan . Not just a brilliant player, he has grown in the leadership role with the Crusaders. After missing the 2024 Super season , he came back in to the Crusaders last year and you could see he was a major driver on and off the field.

I'm guessing Ardie doesn't get mentioned because it's just so obvious it needs to be him

If the tabloid rumours were true that he got Razor to blink first, it's only because Ardie has standards. He is the one that goes to the well and digs in. He lives it

I had my doubts early doors about Razors when he gave the captaincy to one of the most carded locks in the game

We need someone who is experienced, first choice player in his position and not prone to injury. Assuming S Barrett not in the running, that only really leaves Taylor, Ardie, J Barrett (as 12 or 15), and Will Jordan (as wing or 15). I don’t think Jordan has had experience as a captain - if so that probably counts him out. Of them Ardie appears to have blotted his book by going public with his concerns. I would not select him as captain because of this. It was foolish really for a senior player to leak his misgivings and look to move on if he really wanted to be part of the ABs let alone captain them. But he is top 3 for his position in the world and currently with DR so highly likely now to be picked. So a big win for him the Razor sacking. But if it is down to Taylor and JB - hmmm Taylor seems the better pick - more experience and top 2-3 hooker in the world. Can’t say that about JB.

I look at McCaw’s development as, for me, the GOAT of captains at least in this era. He showed the way from the front by inspiring players and he pushed them verbally by talking constantly. To be able to do that well you have to be visible all the time. Playing at hooker you are going to spend about 20 percent of the game on the deck which is why I don’t see Taylor as a captain.

These guys need to stop being so childish. If the captain doesn’t need to be on the field, it logically doesn’t matter who the captain is.

You might as well just call the “captain” the team leader, and leave the captaincy role to someone who is able to understand tactics and the laws. The on field leaders are responsible for doing the things these guys are talking about. Not a captain.

Ideally you want a captain who doesn’t do what Taylor does (brain farts). I think he’s a great role model for the players while he’s on the field though, and he will obviously be so in parts off the field too, even if he’s behaving like the boss (responsible for talking to people). Who doesn’t do what Itoje did in the weekend. That is a hard ask.

If the All Blacks/Rennie really wants to appoint a dictator I’d go with youth, Kirifi, Roigard, Sititi, Jordan, DeGroot would be my preferences in order.

Taylor is a very good player. Should be part of the leadership group. But has the wrong personality type for Captain. Too many thoughtless moments; which he has been prone to his whole career. In the first game, alone, he was told off by the referee for rushing into a Stauch - rarking it up; at the end of the match he did a needless late ‘hip check’ giving away the losing kick at goal.

Great player, a leader, but not a Captain; too many brain fades.

If Dave Rennie is all about the breakdown is Ardie going to get selected he appears to be alergic to tackling and cleaning rucks

Codie Taylor 34 yrs, 105 Caps, 115 Points…Captaincy - 0…

Ardie Savea 32 yrs, 101 Caps, 155 Points…Captaincy - 8 times as at June 2024…

Ardie Savea doesn't rate…come on!!???….