'Fits that kind of mould': Bryn Hall on All Blacks bolter in right wing race

Former Maori All Black halfback Bryn Hall believes Hurricanes winger Josh Moorby has a case for higher honours in 2026, after multiple strong performances in Super Rugby Pacific.

A lot of the talk, deservedly so, has gone to left-winger Fehi Fineanganofo, who currently has 18 tries and the record for the most in a Super Rugby Pacific season, surpassing Ben Lam.

But Moorby, who has twelve himself, has quietly gone under the radar as one of the league’s best wingers.

The 27-year-old is versatile, can play at fullback, and could be in the picture for All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie after Highlanders winger Caleb Tangitau went down with a serious injury on Saturday night.

Moorby returned to New Zealand from a stint with Montpellier in the Top 14, where he scored two tries in 16 appearances in the 2024-25 season.

Hall, who’s currently playing for the Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One competition, provides a number of options when asked about who could start for the All Blacks on the wing.

“Yeah, really good question,  I know Fineanganofo is going to Newcastle, but look, I don’t know whether there is an opportunity to, for whatever reason, pick him, and if we’re able to do that, he’d probably be the person that I would select,” Hall said on Millsy & Guy on Sport Nation NZ.

“You’ve got your Will Jordan’s, Ruben Love has been on the on the right wing for one game against Japan, but you have to think that it’d be the third 10, or even maybe the starting 10, who knows with what Dave Rennie is thinking.

“But probably two players that I have thought about is Josh Moorby. I think Josh Moorby, the way that he’s playing with the Hurricanes, and maybe that right side winger, if you look traditionally on that right wing role, you’ve had your Ben Smith’s, Israel Dagg’s, your Will Jordan’s, and I think Moorby fits that kind of mould.

“Very good decision maker, very good under the high ball, has played fullback and has been able to score tries and defensively he’s been really good in that Hurricanes team.”

The co-host of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod explained that there are outside of the box options, including Highlanders and Taranaki fullback Jacob Ratamatavuki-Kneepkens.

“They’ve also got Chay Fihaki. Now, I know that he hasn’t been in the squad, so he hasn’t been playing, he’s been injured, but I think if you look at the style of that triple threat and very similar to what Josh Moorby brings, he’s definitely another guy that I think has that kind of skill set.

“Maybe Ratamatavuki-Kneepkens with the Highlanders, and I think that’s a common trend for me with what I’m saying here, that I think your wing in that fullback role, on that right side wing, might be an option now, because I think Tangitau and Caleb Clarke was an option, which had really good X factor.

“But I think with Tangitau getting injured, those are kind of the right wingers that I’m looking at, and maybe even Leroy Carter would be the incumbent, who’s obviously been there from last year.

“So those would be my candidates that I think moving forward for All Blacks this year.”