Ex-All Blacks name just three current All Blacks in 2025 dream team

Six nations are represented in a trio of All Blacks greats’ team of the year for 2025, with just three of their fellow countrymen making the cut as New Zealand’s biggest rivals dominate.

Jeff Wilson, Mils Muliaina, and Stephen Donald were given the special task in addition to providing their usual punditry on The Breakdown this week, casting their eye over the international landscape to award the best player at each position during the calendar year.

France, Australia, and England each had one player in the XV, while Ireland had two, New Zealand had three, and South Africa had the most selections with seven.

There were tight calls across the park, with Ardie Savea a notable omission as a loose forward trio of Tadhg Beirne, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Jasper Wiese were elected for their respective campaigns. Wilson gave a special mention to Du Toit, acknowledging him as one of the world’s best.

“When I watch him play, there’s a reason he’s been Player of the Year before,” he said. “He is a game-changer, difference-maker.

“For me, he does everything you would need, consistently, minute after minute; he doesn’t take a minute off. His physicality comes in every part of the game, and the fact that he’s been able to cover at lock for them when they’ve needed, too; this guy is an absolute beast.”

Finn Russell also missed out to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, in what the pundits described as one of the toughest calls. Donald, the hero of the 2011 Rugby World Cup final for New Zealand, explained what pushed him in Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s direction by recalling an interview from earlier in the year with fellow ex-All Black 10 and current Springbok attack coach Tony Brown.

“We had Browny on the show, and he put him in the (Antoine) Dupont, and (Dan) Carter class, and Browny’s not one to throw out wild statements like that. He’s had an amazing year,” Donald recalled.

“Finn Russell would have gone very, very close. He plays for Scotland, and he doesn’t have much of a set-up there; he’s their man every time anyone plays Scotland. I thought Finn Russell had an amazing series for the Lions, too.”

The midfield was another contentious call, with the pundits describing Damian Willemse as a must-have selection, although in what position was initially unclear. The Springbok star ended up partnering Wallabies stand-out Len Ikitau in the midfield, despite neither being selected in the jersey number they most commonly occupied in 2025.

Speaking on the trio’s desire to have more All Blacks in the team, they said omitting Savea was a difficult call, while awarding selection to Cam Roigard was well-deserved.

“Cam is a significant difference-maker for the All Blacks. I think when you saw him out on the field, the way that he played and the impact that he had in big games, he clearly stood out.”

The Breakdown’s 2025 XV Of the Year

1. Ox Nche
2. Malcolm Marx
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Maro Itoje
5. Fabian Holland
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
8. Jasper Wiese
9. Cam Roigard
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
11. Loius Bielle-Biarrey
12. Damian Willemse
13. Len Ikitau
14. Cheslin Kolbe
15. Will Jordan