'Tried and true': Ex-All Black winger Rico Gear assesses the options out wide for Dave Rennie

Ex-All Black winger Rico Gear has backed the experienced wingers to do the job on the edges under new head coach Dave Rennie in 2026.

Gear picked Rieko Ioane and Sevu Reece as top candidates to take the 11 and 14 jerseys, resisting the calls to move Will Jordan to the wing.

With young gun Caleb Tangitau suffering a cruel season-ending injury and form wing Fehi Fineanganofo headed overseas, the former All Black believed that Rennie has to go with the ‘tried and true’ options.

“You’ve probably got to go with the tried and true, based on who’s left,” Gear told D’Arcy Waldegrave on Newstalk ZB.

“Obviously, with Tangitau out and Fehi Fineanganofo, at this stage not available.

“I think Rieko Ioane might be coming back, so he’s probably a genuine option again. Not sure how he’s been playing offshore, but it sounds like he’s been going pretty well.

“Sevu Reece, you know, his performance, he’s pretty consistent, Sevu, and you know what you’re going to get, it’s just whether or not they’ve moved on from him or not,

“Will Jordan’s been suggested as possibly filling that void on the wing. Personally, I don’t really like Will on the wing, I feel like he doesn’t play his best on the wing, he’s definitely the best fullback.

“And of course Caleb Clarke, I think we know what he can do, but again, it’s going to come down to form.”

Ioane will return to New Zealand after Leinster’s season finishes and will be immediately available for selection given his sabbatical.

Reece is unlikely to earn selection having signed a deal overseas like Fineanganofo, but should more injuries strike he could be used having had plenty of experience.

Hurricanes bolter prospect Josh Moorby has also been in blistering form, but Gear said if he’s not a genuine World Cup option then Moorby is unlikely to be picked.

“You want to reward form 100% and someone like that [Moorby], you know, he’s looking capable surrounded by good players and a good team at the moment,” he said.

“It’s just whether or not they would select him just to fill a gap, or if he’s genuine contender for a World Cup spot.

“If he’s not a genuine contender, if you’re not thinking you’re going to actually start him in a World Cup game, then you might not go down that track.”

Gear also believed that Highlanders weapon Caleb Tangitau is at short odds to make the Rugby World Cup also having suffered a full rupture of his left Achilles requiring surgery.

The timeline to return means the uncapped Tangitau would only have a few Tests to stake his claim in 2027, with a short runway to get capped before the Rugby World Cup event in Australia.

“It’s probably going to be a bit late for Tangitau with that injury, I’m not sure if they’ll leave it until the start of next year and look at his form during Super Rugby,” he said.

“They could leave that up their sleeve, but, man, disappointing for Tangitau.”