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Ex-All Blacks united on biggest loss amid mounting departures
By Ned Lester
New Zealand Rugby is used to player exoduses around Rugby World Cup time, but the volume of departures announced to begin 2026 has raised concerns among pundits, given selection in next year’s tournament is still very much up for grabs.
After playing a leading role in the Blues’ 2024 Super Rugby Pacific title run, the trio of Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papali’i, and AJ Lam have all decided to take up opportunities in Europe following this season. The Hurricanes will lose winger Fehi Fineanganofo, and the Crusaders will farewell Braydon Ennor, Dallas McLeod, and Sevu Reece.
The departures were a talking point on this week’s episode of The Breakdown, with a panel of former All Blacks debating which player is the biggest loss for New Zealand, and exploring why the players are saying adiós ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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“I think Dalton’s a big loss,” Jeff Wilson started. “There’s no doubt Sevu’s had a fantastic career with the Crusaders and the All Blacks. But Dalton’s a leader amongst the Blues and a player who’s been through a lot in the All Blacks jersey.
“You’re going on a tour to South Africa, and you’re going to need more than just the 23. You’re going to need 40 players, and you’re going to need someone else to drive the ship.
“This is what we did in 1996: you needed another group of people. He’s the type of person I felt the All Blacks were going to need, not just now, but in the future. I think it’s a big loss.”
Fineanganofo, the youngest of the aforementioned group at just 23, is the only player uncapped by the All Blacks, but has spent a couple of seasons on the SVNS circuit as a New Zealand representative. On Friday night, in the Hurricanes’ blowout win over Moana Pasifika, the speedster was a clear standout with five linebreaks and two tries.
A two-year deal with big-spending Newcastle was announced in January, putting an expiration date on his Hurricanes career just as he threatens to break out in the Kiwi capital.
“I’m not shocked, because you do see this with a lot of the players before a World Cup year; if they feel like they’re not going to make that All Blacks squad in a World Cup year, they go now, because that’s when jobs are on offer,” James Parsons said.
“But because of his age, I think his ceiling is probably so much bigger than the other players. He has got so much to offer, currently, and if he got into that international team, I think he would skyrocket.
“His skill-set is really, really impressive.”
Test centurion Mils Muliaina was also concerned about the Olympian’s exit, although he also saw the experienced players as the biggest loss.
“He’s a really good finisher. One thing that you don’t really think about is the timing of when they have to make these decisions, and also what’s going on within these environments. He’s got (Josh) Moorby, Kini Naholo is waiting in the wings; there’s a lot of competition within the Hurricanes.
“He possibly made that decision early on because he thought he might not get that much game time. Now he’s starting to flourish, perhaps he may be thinking, was that the right decision?
“The thing that concerns me a lot is the guys who have already been in that All Black environment; Dalton leaving a year out from the Rugby World Cup. Usually, they wait until the Rugby World Cup year to leave, to be available for that. But, for him to leave, I think he is the biggest loss. He’s made that decision early, and we need someone like that.”
Having played with Hoskins Sotutu at the Blues, Parsons highlighted the No.8’s eligibility for multiple nations as a factor in the decision to leave New Zealand.
“I think after his performance in (2024) Super Rugby, and then not getting the opportunity (with the All Blacks), I think it deflated him. And it definitely would’ve made him, or his agent, look harder overseas.
“I think it’s disappointing he’s gone, but he’s a little bit different because he can play for another nation.
“I think the other ones, the investment or opportunities that have gone into those players, and now you’re going to have to fill (those gaps) in a pretty crucial year. The next two years are massive for the All Blacks.”
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