Ex-All Black: Don't mistake Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa for a one-trick pony

Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa was one of three new faces unveiled in the All Blacks‘ 44-man squad for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour, and ex-All Black James Parsons believes it’s a selection that ticks some big boxes in Dave Rennie’s system.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough Super Rugby Pacific campaign in just his first season in the competition last year, winning the starting No.8 jersey and pushing Ardie Savea to the openside flank after just one game. From there, the Southland star was the most highly employed ball-carrier in the competition by a comfortable margin, taking the ball into contact 205 times in 13 games, and scoring seven tries.

In 2026, Moana Pasifika struggled mightily without Savea and with noise circling about their finances and future in Super Rugby, but Tupou Ta’eiloa emerged as the competition’s lone forward (excluding part-time flanker Leicester Fainga’anuku) in the top 10 for defenders beaten. His tally of 45 tackle busts was the sixth-most of any player and landed him above the likes of wingers Sevu Reece and Caleb Tangitau among the top performers.

The No.8’s power was a big story as Moana fell agonisingly short of their first playoff appearance in the final round of the 2025 regular season. However, reacting to his selection in Monday’s All Blacks squad, Parsons had praise for much more than just Tupou Ta’eiloa’s carry game.

Fixture

Internationals

South Africa

08:10

22 Aug 26

New Zealand

All Stats and Data

“His numbers are ridiculous,” Parsons explained on the Aotearoa rugby Pod. “Everyone sees him as a ball-carrier, but his tackle numbers, his defensive breakdown work, his turnover ability — he tackles at over 90 per cent; when you look at the loosies in the (All Blacks) squad, he sits third. That’s pretty formidable in a Moana Pasifika side that conceded a lot of points. He was very accurate, and he won a lot of those collisions; he was dominant. He won a lot of turnover ball, so that’s his decision-making.

“Tana Umaga was the defensive coach; he understands the defensive system. But what I know Tana is big on is that decision around the breakdown: do I need to go in or do I not? Do I fold or do I put numbers in the line?

“Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa is very good defensively; we know what he can do on attack. We know he is explosive; I think he is second in the squad for gainline percentage in Super Rugby, so you know he’s going to get you across the gainline. He can go through you, but he can also use a bit of footwork, and he’s got an offload game.

“There’s a lot to be excited about him being included, because what we’ve seen is he got his opportunity at Super Rugby, played a really strong season, and he came back this year and was even better. His numbers, his fitness, his ability to play, and when trying to fill the void of Ardie Savea at Moana Pasifika, he was better.

“Put him in this environment with this coaching group, honestly, his ceiling is really high.”

Rennie described his new bruiser as having a “point of difference” in the All Blacks as a “big, powerful loose forward”, adding that he is just as “destructive” on the defensive end.

So far, the new coach has fielded new captain Ardie Savea as his preferred No.8, despite Savea operating at No.7 over the last three years, including with Rennie in two stints with the Kobe Steelers. All five other loose forwards in the squad also have experience playing at No.8 without specialising in the position.

Now, with Tupou Ta’eiloa in camp, that is no longer the case.

“He is an out-and-out No.8, and I think that’s how you’d play him,” Parsons added. “But he has slipped between seven and eight when Ardie’s been there, so he does understand the defensive responsibility of being on the edge. And I think that is also considered in that package of that versatility. But I think he is picked as an out-and-out eight, with the ability to slide and chop-and-change to manipulate the defence.”

You can watch the full Aotearoa Rugby Pod episode breaking down the new All Blacks squad on RugbyPass TV.