Dalton Papali’i: Revitalised by All Blacks XV’s unbeaten European tour

Effervescent Dalton Papali’i, now a father, played the last of his 37 Test matches for the All Blacks in a 29-19 victory over a firebrand, understrength France in Hamilton on July 19.

The former Blues captain has since found himself on the fringes of the All Blacks, as the challenge of achieving the right balance among loose forwards continues.

However, while some in the All Blacks are uncertain about their place in the matchday 23 or spend weeks carrying tackle bags and warming the bench, Papali’i sounds revitalised after leading the All Blacks XV on an unbeaten European tour, where he played every minute.

Earlier this month, the All Blacks XV defeated Uruguay 45-21 at Stade Raoul-Barrière in Béziers, France. This victory followed earlier wins against the Barbarians (33-19 in London) and England A (31-12 in Bath).

Los Teros, ranked 15th in the world and qualifying for the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027 for the fourth consecutive time, put up a fight. As the final quarter approached, the All Blacks XV held a narrow 19-14 lead before pulling ahead thanks to a strong contribution from their bench, which became a highlight of the tour.

“I’ve played against many of these guys who are on the fringes of the All Blacks and are good enough to make it, so it was awesome to finally play with them. We only had three weeks together, but we formed a brotherhood,” Papali’i told RugbyPass.

“The depth in New Zealand rugby is incredible, and all the boys stepped up on this tour and played confident, winning rugby.”

While Uruguay’s passionate forwards kept them in contention, scoring two of their three tries from lineout drives and another from a chip kick after a strong lineout surge, the All Blacks XV showcased more spark.

Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava opened the scoring by scooping the ball from the base of a ruck and charging past several would-be tacklers. Chiefs winger Etene Nanai-Seturo, who was named man of the match against the Barbarians, added another try with a powerful dash down the sideline.

Crusaders centre Braydon Ennor, who was named man of the match against England A, continued his strong form with a try. He had previously scored in Canterbury’s 36-28 victory over Otago in the NPC final on October 24 in Christchurch.

Unfortunately, Ennor was unable to finish the game and was replaced by Josh Jacomb, who typically plays as a first five-eighth but shifted to fullback. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens then moved to the wing and had a fruitful outing, scoring two tries and making consistent, incisive runs. His NPC Taranaki teammate, Daniel Rona, also scored a try.

Bay of Plenty prop Benet Kumeroa celebrated joyously when he crashed over for a try, having not scored one for Bay of Plenty in 36 games.  Crusaders’ first five-eighth Rivez Reihana successfully added five conversions in his first start of the tour.

“The most exciting thing about this tour is that all the boys are good ba****ds. We had a great time both on and off the field. I firmly believe that a good culture leads to winning,” Papali’i stated.

The All Blacks XV have now won seven matches in a row, dating back to 2023. Fabian Holland and Leroy Carter have emerged as established All Blacks from the XV program.

Domestically, Papali’i has won 62 of his 97 matches with the Blues. In 2025, he ranked third for the most tackles made by any player throughout Super Rugby Pacific, but he managed to secure more turnovers than the frontrunner, Crusaders flanker Christian Lio-Willie. In 2024, the Blues won their first Super Rugby Pacific title since 2003, and in 2022, Papali’i captained the team that established a franchise record of 15 consecutive victories.

His dedication to team culture was best exemplified by his efforts with Counties Manukau in the NPC. After losing their first five matches, the Steelers surged into the playoffs by winning their last five. Papali’i started four of those games. This marked the first time Counties had achieved five consecutive wins since 1993, when they were in Division II. Coutines’ only NPC title came in 1979 with nine successive victories and a 14-2 record for the season.

Counties smashed Auckland 49-28, achieving their biggest win against their crosstown rivals since a 41-18 triumph in 2014, where barnstorming All Blacks Sevens and All Blacks winger Frank Halai scored two tries.

Against Southland, Counties were even more imperious, winning 64-19 – only an 85-17 Stags slaying in 1997 was larger. In that game, Jonah Lomu, now a decade departed, scored two tries while the Marsh brothers, Tony and Glen, surely established a record for the most tries in a first-class game by brothers, scoring six between them.

In the last game of the regular season, Counties shocked Tasman 49-41 in Nelson, marking their first win against the Mako since 2017. In their corresponding match in 2024, they suffered a 48-3 hiding in Pukekohe.

Even in the quarter-final against eventual champions Canterbury, Counties were outstanding, pushing the Red & Blacks to extra time but ultimately falling short, 23-15.

“The NPC is a quick campaign. You have to nail each game like it’s your last,” Papali’i told the Devlin Sports Podcast Network.

“It’s some of the best rugby you can play, especially with all the young guys bringing so much energy. I feel rejuvenated, and instead of trying to change everything, I just add gold nuggets when I can.”

In 2025, Papali’i played across the back row. What is his preferred position?

“When I first came into professional rugby, I played all three back row positions, but eventually bunkered down at seven. At seven, you get around the field more, you’re more involved in contact on defence, and you’re trying to be a pest at the ruck. Playing at six and eight involves more ball-carrying and gives you more opportunities to pick your moments on attack and defence.”