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Dave Rennie unveils first All Blacks squad ahead of Nations Championship Tests


Dave Rennie feels if New Zealand are to win a first World Cup since 2015, they need to have all players available (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
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All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has named his 34-man squad for three July Nations Championship fixtures, starting in less than two weeks time against France at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch.

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Rennie and his coaching staff have named Ardie Savea as the new All Blacks captain, replacing Scott Barrett, who remains out of action with a serious back injury.

Rennie, who was appointed as head coach of the All Blacks back in March, has named four uncapped players, Anton Segner, Xavier Numia, Josh Moorby, and Fehi Fineanganofo.

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The All Blacks coaching staff have added one player as injury cover, Crusaders lock Jamie Hannah, as another possible uncapped player.

The All Blacks head coach said he looks forward to getting the players in camp, in preparation for France in less than two weeks time.

“We are rapt with this squad – players with the ability to bar up to the demands of test footy but also play with optimism and brutality. We look forward to connecting on Wednesday in preparation for three big tests against France, Italy and Ireland.

“Special congratulations must go to our four uncapped players. These men have each had an outstanding Super Rugby season and fully deserve their place in the squad. It will be a massively proud time for their families, friends and team mates.

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“Congratulations also to our new All Blacks Captain, Ardie Savea, who we know will do an outstanding job of leading this team on and off-field. Ardie is highly respected by his team mates and cares deeply about the black jersey,” Rennie said.

Savea knows that the road is steep ahead of him and his players, and can’t wait to get going in 2026.

“To serve this team, its people and its fans is one of the greatest honours in sport,” said Savea.

“I believe this role is about empowering everyone in the group to be the best that they can be – from the leadership, to the players and wider staff.

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“A united All Blacks team has the power to unite a nation. And we are going to need all five million Kiwis to get in behind us as we walk towards the challenges that are waiting for us over the next 16 months.

“We pay tribute to those who have gone before us while also acknowledging that the responsibility of writing the next chapter in the All Blacks story lies with us. Let’s get to work.

“A special thank you to my wife Saskia and our three children Kobe, Keeon and Kove. The same to our parents, our extended family and friends. We are blessed to have a ‘village’ that walks alongside us,” Savea added.

Fixture
Nations Championship
New Zealand
00:10
4 Jul 26
France
All Stats and Data

Full All Blacks squad:

Forwards (19)

Hookers

Asafo Aumua (29 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 20)
Codie Taylor (35 / Crusaders / Canterbury /106)
Samisoni Taukei’aho ( 28 / Chiefs / Waikato / 43)

Props

Ethan De Groot (27 / Highlanders / Southland / 40)
George Bower (34 / Crusaders / Otago / 25)
Xavier Numia * (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 0)
Tyrel Lomax (30 / Hurricanes / Tasman / 48)
Fletcher Newell (26 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 35)
Pasilio Tosi (27 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 16)

Locks

Tupou Vaa’i (26 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 45)
Patrick Tuipulotu (33 / Blues / Auckland / 56)
Josh Lord (25 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 12)
Sam Darry (25 / Blues / Canterbury / 8)

Loose Forwards

Peter Lakai (23 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 8)
Simon Parker (26 / Chiefs / Northland / 8)
Ardie Savea (32 / Moana Pasifika / Wellington / 106) (Captain)
Wallace Sititi (23 / Chiefs / North Harbour / 19)
Luke Jacobson (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 24)
Anton Segner * (24 / Blues / Auckland / 0)

Backs (15)

Halfbacks

Cameron Roigard (25 / Hurricanes / Counties Manukau / 17)
Cortez Ratima (25 / Chiefs / Waikato / 21)
Kyle Preston (26 / Crusaders / Wellington / 1)

First Five-Eighths

Ruben Love (25 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 5)
Beauden Barrett (35 / Blues / Taranaki / 144)
Damian McKenzie (31 / Chiefs / Waikato / 74)

Midfielders

Jordie Barrett (29 / Hurricanes / Taranaki / 78)
Quinn Tupaea (27 / Chiefs / Waikato / 24)
Billy Proctor (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 11)
Anton Lienert-Brown (31 / Chiefs / Waikato / 88)

Outside Backs

Caleb Clarke (27 / Blues / Auckland / 33)
Fehi Fineanganofo * (23 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 0)
Leroy Carter (27 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 6)
Josh Moorby * (27 / Hurricanes / Waikato / 0)
Will Jordan (28 / Crusaders / Tasman / 54)

Injury cover: Jamie Hannah * (23 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 0) will join the squad as temporary injury cover for Tupou Vaa’i until he is cleared to return to play following concussion protocols.

Unavailable due to injury: Tamaiti Williams; Scott Barrett; Fabian Holland; Leicester Fainga’anuku.

The All Blacks will travel to Christchurch to take on France, before facing Italy in Wellington, and Ireland in Auckland.

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Comments

24 Comments
c
cnw 4 mins ago

Starting 23:


Numia, Aumua, Tosi

Vaa’i, Lord

Ardie, Sititi, Lakai

Roigard, Love, JB, Proctor

Fehi, Morby, Jordan


EDG, Taukei’aho, Lomax

Darry, Tuipolutu, Segner

Preston

DMK.

S
SO 18 mins ago

Journeymen Chiefs eg Jacobson,Parker,showed their true colours in the Final.Thought Ratima would have played himself out of the team. ALB and BB are a mystery. Looks like a Razor conservative team to me and we know how that went!!! Not surprised by the Preston promotion over Hotham.

S
Shunted 28 mins ago

Not a lot to do with form here. Ratima should have played his way out on numerous occasions this year. ALB - he’s been too old and average for years and has only been good for getting yellow cards. Jacobsen - has been proven time and time again that he isn’t up to test standard. I understand Barrett and McKenzie as there is nobody else - but again both are proven to not be (or no longer) up to test level. Where is the looking ahead to 2027? You’ve pretty much lost me Dave………

S
Spew_81 4 mins ago

The Aotearoa Rugby pod did analysis and Jacobsen didn’t stand out in any of the stats. Which they admitted they were surprised about.


They said it was possibly because the Chiefs loose forwards were a good unit, and therefore taking stats of each other. But they didn’t mention how the stacked Hurricanes loose forwards didn’t stop some of the Hurricanes loose forwards standing out in the stats.

J
Jbo 36 mins ago

Really like the team but the Kirifi snob is baffling. Captained the most dominant side in decades, played a near perfect season, and smoked the others selected in same position with no reward.

S
Spew_81 2 mins ago

I assume that Kirifi missed out as he is one position player. Assume that Rennie sees Segner as Openside that can play as Blindside cover.


I would have Kirifi in instead of Jacobsen. There are a lot of players in the loose forwards that can play multiple loose forward roles.

A
Andrew Nichols 39 mins ago

Ah Kuoi ahead of Hannah.

G
GS 49 mins ago

Interesting squad - Preston at halfback, obviously they see something in him, Parker at loose forward, when I thought Finau had his best game in recent times (though he is off to Japan given reports), Bower - guess he can play both sides, locks without Holland and Barrett look weak - best performing Kiwi lock over the weekend was Isaia Walker-Leawere.


Strength at Prop, though I worry that Numea will be found out at the international level, given he is only 111 kg, but we need to see if he has what it takes at this level.


My guess is that we will shortly see the difference between test and Super Rugby - a player like Love can and does look fantastic at Super Level, but can quickly discover that time and space are at a premium when he steps up.

K
Koro Teeps 44 mins ago

The programme might say 111kg but theyre never accurate. Josh Lords was updated from 106 to 121 halfwaythrough season. Do agree that scrum will be Numias make or break. The Canes front row are a very good sum of all parts combination though

P
PickOllieMathisOrKeepLosing,Rob. 1 hr ago

Gutted for Jimmy The Difference, haven’t watched any of ALB since he went to Japan. Must be in some sort of form alright.

K
KwAussie 1 hr ago

Pretty happy with this squad. A bit disappointed ALB picked over Proctor but I think that is based on last year where Proctor never shone. I’m disappointed Harkin wasn’t selected but I think we’ll see him in the Bok tour.

J
Jbo 37 mins ago

Proctor is in there

L
Locke 1 hr ago

Good squad overall. I’m a bit disappointed to see George Bower picked ahead of Ollie Norris. Norris was excellent all season and one of the Chiefs’ better forwards in the final.

A
Andrew Nichols 38 mins ago

Plays both sides.

G
GodOfFriedChicken 1 hr ago

Likely just utility value since Bower can go on both sides of the scrum while Norris just sticks to 1

P
POHM 1 hr ago

Anton leinert Brown and Beuden Barrett, what an absolute joke, Rennie was bullshitting with his i'll pick on form, Barrett has been absolutely useless the whole season and leinert briwn is so past it, he will need an ebike to keep up.

S
Spew_81 9 mins ago

Anton Leinert-Brown is never going to get any better, has lost most of his x-factor, and gives away too many penalties and cards. Waste of a pick.


Tavatavanawai would be a far better pick. He has the pace that a 13 needs, and offers explosiveness that J Barrett and Tupaea lack.

S
Spew_81 12 mins ago

I can understand picking B Barrett - for now.


There are no other ‘proper’/tested test 10s in the squad. McKenzie has been promising to become a ‘proper’ test 10 for years while not quite getting there (hopefully he does this year), and Love is almost untested at test level; and hasn’t played 10 in tests.


Assume B Barrett will go on the tour to South Africa, as they are taking two teams. But as soon as Mo’unga is back, B Barrett will be out of the test 23.

H
Hurrifan 1 hr ago

Kirifi and Harkin absolutely robbed.


The passion Kirifi plays with is unmatched, and his performance through years of Super and NPC should be rewarded.


Harkin is a special talent we cannot afford to let go overseas. Should replace Beuden ASAP.

K
KwAussie 1 hr ago

Harkin was a disappointment for me but he is very young and will get his chances in the future.

u
unknown 1 hr ago

Dave should have picked the Hurricanes and let the rip .

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