Dave Rennie addresses Ardie Savea and the All Blacks captaincy

Dave Rennie has emphasised the need for alignment in the All Blacks camp as one of his first priorities as head coach, underlining the short run-up he has with the team for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

A significant element of that alignment will be fostered in the players’ leadership group, but Rennie was noncommittal when addressing Scott Barrett’s status as All Blacks captain on Wednesday, highlighting that there are plenty of conversations to be had to achieve that alignment.

Rennie noted the captaincy was not an immediate concern and only offered a short response when asked about his views on the matter at Wednesday’s press conference.

“I think you’ve got to work through those things, and I’m keen to have a chat to players,” Rennie said. “Obviously, Scott Barrett, a fantastic player and the current captain, I’d be keen to have a chat to him about going forward.”

The fan favourite for the captaincy in recent years has been Ardie Savea, who has shared vice-captaincy responsibilities with Jordie Barrett under Scott Barrett in the Scott Robertson era.

Savea was, however, a central figure in reports of discontent within Robertson’s All Blacks and was said to be exploring options beyond New Zealand and the All Blacks for future contracts.

The star flanker is, coincidentally, spending the current club season with Rennie’s Japan Rugby League One club, the Kobe Steelers, as part of the sabbatical clause in his New Zealand Rugby contract.

Rennie was asked what Savea had told him about last year’s Northern Tour that ultimately contributed to Scott Robertson losing his job, but he kept those cards close to his chest.

“I’m not going to divulge the conversation we’ve had, but he’s (Savea is) a proud All Black. He’s obviously over in Kobe at the moment, and he’s getting his body right, and he’s playing good footy for us.

“I know he’s really excited about the future. Our job is to make sure he returns mentally refreshed, but in better condition than he arrived.”

The suggestions of discontent in the All Blacks were persistent throughout Robertson’s time at the helm, and culminated with New Zealand Rugby ultimately labelling the team’s trajectory unsatisfactory following a review of the 2025 season.

That diagnosis only adds more pressure on Rennie’s shoulders, with the former Wallabies coach inheriting a team with serious question marks hanging over its alignment. Cue Rennie’s emphasis on the topic on Wednesday.

The coach was asked point-blank whether the All Blacks can win next year’s Rugby World Cup, and what it would take to do so.

“The answer is yes, and it’ll take a hell of a lot of work. It’ll take a lot of alignment just to ensure we’re all working together,” Rennie said.

“I think when we look at a game model, we’ve got to make sure that players and staff, and by staff I mean coaches, S&C and medical, we’ve got to be aligned so that we can get the athlete in the best possible position to execute and play well.

“It’s a sprint from here. By the time we start, we’ll have about 15 months until the World Cup, and I’m well aware of the way the draw works out; in typical fashion, at the World Cup, we’re likely to meet South Africa in a quarter-final. So, we’ll get a bit of practice against them this year.”