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International

Dave Rennie hints at former captain return, shares Bledisloe Cup squad plans

Henry Lee

Published: 13 September 2026 08:00 CDT
Updated: 13 September 2026 15:07 CDT

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 15: Scott Barrett of New Zealand looks on in the tunnel prior to the Quilter Nations Series 2025 rugby international match between England and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium on November 15, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

62-year-old All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has provided a mixed injury report post Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, ahead of a two-week break before the Bledisloe Cup.

The All Blacks will return home from an energy-sapping seven-week-long tour, before naming a 34-man squad for two fixtures against Les Kiss’ Wallabies.

Addressing the travelling New Zealand media in Baltimore, Rennie had a promising update on former All Blacks captain Scott Barrett, who could feature in the upcoming squad.

VIDEO

Barrett, who didn’t play for the Crusaders in 2026 or for the All Blacks since Rennie took over, will be close for October’s Bledisloe Cup fixtures.

So too will be versatile Crusaders outside-back Leicester Fainga’anuku, who sustained a fibula fracture towards the back end of Super Rugby Pacific in 2026.

“So Scott Barrett should be back in time for that as well, and people like Leicester Fainga’anuku, so you know we’ve lost a few, but we’ll get a few back, which is positive,” Rennie said in Baltimore.

It’s not good news for current All Blacks captain Ardie Savea and vice-captain Luke Jacobson, who are set to miss the upcoming two Tests against Australia.

“Yeah, we’ll pick a squad of 34. We’ve already had a little bit of a think around what that might look like, knowing that Luke Jacobson and Ardie, those sorts of guys, will be out.

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All Blacks midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown left the field in the first half with a knee injury, with Rennie providing an initial update on his status.

“Not sure. It’s a little MCL issue,” Rennie said.

“We will find out whether there’s anything else there as well, so it’s not an ACL, which is good.”

Quinn Tupaea and Anton Segner were both sent home through injury during the tour, but Rennie hopes they will both be available for Eden Park and Perth.

“We’re confident that Quinn will be back in time for that, and Anton Segner should be pretty close.”

Comments

43 Comments

Othercoast 26 days ago

Seems like we have forgotten what our DNA is and what’s been successful in the past any team that is successful has to have a good setpiece being scrum and lineout and kick for field position something that we have seemed to have moved away from to a high risk high tempo game at the expense of getting the scrum dominance and lineout right and trying to get the mistakes to a minimum while playing high risk rugby The boks set piece is well ahead of ours they havnt reinvented the wheel there dominance allows them to play a bit of high risk rugby which seems to to be referred to as being inventive while the all blacks think that they can beat them on fitness and tire them out foolish in the modern world then bag the ref when things don’t go there way sounds like the teams that the all blacks used to win games against in the past pity we are now playing like them

Ayre123 None 26 days ago

That’s the Worst ABs team since that of Taine Randall in 1998, Rennie should go back to Japan.

Tooly 27 days ago

Best without him !

GP 27 days ago

Great news about Scott Barrett and Leicester Fainga’anuku. He has been missed by the AB’s and the Crusaders earlier. Some people wrote him off after last year. He is world class. Leicester Fainga’anuku would have been a certainty for this tour, but for injury. He played well in Super rugby.

Kiwi 27 days ago

Our front row is stable. Our 2nd row and back row in shambles! Barrett, Lord, blackadder, sititi, segna - lakai, Darry on the bench!

SC 26 days ago

ABs front row cannot scrum, win lineouts consistently, or maul.

DeGroot and Lomax really harmed their reputations. Bower performed well as a reserve as did Numia. Newell the only tighthead who can scrummage.

Aumua and Taukeo’aho are beasts in open play but sketchy throwing lineout balls. Taylor is 35 and needs to be replaced BUT McAlister and Slater are poor athletes and not test level while Bell is always injured.

frandinand 27 days ago

You obviously have no idea. Holland was your best lock on tour

Bazzallina 27 days ago

Codie Aumua Samisoni

Grooter Numia Bower

Newell Lomax Tosi

Holland Lord Paddy Tupou V Darry

Lakai Wallace Blackadder Segner Parker Semisi

Cam Preston Cortez

Ruben Richie Dmac.

Jordie QT Reiko Leicester

Fehi Moorby Jordan Carter

JW 26 days ago

I’d say it would be Narawa over Fehi.

Utiku Old Boy 27 days ago

Yep. Maybe Scooter for Paddy.

KwAussie 27 days ago

ALB offers nothing so happy for him to stay out and get his fitness back playing elsewhere and Vaa'i was pathetic at 6 offering nothing to the team except an unbalanced loose forward trio. This coaching team need to get over their fascination with "hybrid" players who can play multiple positions - but not top in any and go back to some specialists - especially at 6, 7 13 and 15. The idea that any of our layers will come in and dominate the opposition was proven to be a dream and nothing to do with reality. The Boks dominated almost every contest and our so called tough men went missing in every game.

MikeM 27 days ago

Vaa’i definitely not up to it, too short to be an international lock against the Boks and looked lethargic at times in the fourth test. Hasn't got the class or pace to be a 6 against the strong international sides. I hope Darry keeps on developing and I still have hope for Lord, while Holland is definitely our number one lock. Time for Paddy to be replaced, such a big body however lacking the required mongrel to go with it. Barrett should be the fourth lack…not a captain but he has mongrel and competes hard, a bit like de Groot.

JW 27 days ago

Vaai was the best lock on the park in the two test series in South Africa in 24’, might be right though, in that like Barrett’s it’s hard to keep yourself at those standards when you’re fighting an uphill battle size wise.

Chiefs Mana 27 days ago

I was very underwhelmed by Vaai considering the outsized role he played for us over there as though he was undropppable.

SC 27 days ago

Could you imagine the reaction of the NZ public and media if the All Blacks lose to Australia at Eden Park ?

4 losses in a row and the Eden Park winning streak snapped.

Rennie is going to have to roll out his very best 23, whoever the hell that is because I have no idea any more.

JD 26 days ago

SA supporter: That is never going to happen. Australia are not the Springboks. ABs by at least 12

Spew_81 27 days ago

Hopefully the tour to South Africa has made the All Blacks lift their game, or at least made them hungry to do better. The All Blacks should be fired up after losing the series from 1-0 up.

The All Blacks have some injures. But have blooded at lot of players. If the All Blacks can get dominance in the forwards, they may take out some anger on the Wallabies.

The Wallabies will be missing Carter Gordon. But you can never write off the Wallabies. Especially if they get ahead in game one. If they can snatch a victory in game one, it’s all on in game two in Sydney.

Tah Man Too 27 days ago

My reaction will be one of joy!!

Chiefs Mana 27 days ago

Our weaknesses so well exploited by the Boks (set piece, aerial game and being pushed into mistakes/discipline issues when under pressure) will be much less of a gameplan from the Aussies, they’re on the improve and their pack is much better but a loss to them would be an unthinkable, sackable situation. I suspect Ikitau and Hooper will be back in NH with their clubs who are two of their best along with Carter Gordon injured. We have just been bested by the top team in the world away from home and weren’t miles off the pace, if we can maintain or lift those standards then Aussie shouldn’t trouble us.

frandinand 27 days ago

Do you think he does.

GS 27 days ago

Will be interested to see if they rush in Shannon Frezell, he looked rusty playing for Tasman but only given the first half to play and then pulled off - appears under instructions.

However maybe he will be for the Nth Tour - pretty tough for Lester F and Scott B to get them up to speed given how long they have been out, but maybe they will be pulled into the squad but maybe given time off bench?

Who would they replace - pretty clearly given selections Nacewa, Fehi won’t be selected but Vai’i, looks like a message needs to be delivered around discipline and maybe he will be dropped for Barrett.

Hard to see Oz beating the ABs - ranked 7th in the world and given they couldn’t supply a Semi Finalist in Super rugby, should be the same old, same old with them -they don’t have a 10, front row still pretty ropey and locks whilst mobile, have little physicality - though WC loose forward trio and in Valetini, he would walk into the ABs with his ability to get over the gainline and then some outside backs who have class and midfield pairing in Ikitau/Suaalii - bring skill and physical prescence.

Ed the Duck 27 days ago

Now that would be funny! Is there a shared trophy for that one too…

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