Northern | US

Jeff Wilson pinpoints All Blacks’ biggest positional concern for 2026


Assistant Coach Jason Ryan talks to Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Asafo Aumua and Pasilio Tosi during a New Zealand All Blacks training session at NZCIS on July 02, 2024 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
Comments
14 Comments

Former All Black Jeff Wilson is worried about the depth in one particular position for Dave Rennie and his coaching staff, as we close in on the first squad in the new era.

Rennie and his coaching staff will select a squad after the Super Rugby Pacific final for Tests against France in Christchurch, Italy in Wellington, and Ireland in Auckland.

While much of the discussion has been about who will start in Rennie’s side at No.10, who the side’s captain will be, and what type of game plan they may employ, it’s one position in the forward pack that has Wilson most concerned.

ADVERTISEMENT

With Tamaiti Williams nursing a serious back injury, the depth at loosehead prop is worrying Wilson, with only Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Ethan de Groot having played over 30 Tests for the All Blacks.

Tu’ungafasi has been in and out of the Blues squad in 2026, after missing the whole of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season through a serious neck injury.

VIDEO

Related

Chiefs loosehead Ollie Norris has also had his injury worries in recent times, and Hurricanes prop Xavier Numia is uncapped at Test level. Siale Lauaki has played for the All Blacks XV and could be an option for the future, while 25-year-old Blues prop Joshua Fusitu’a is currently on the sideline with a bicep injury.

Wilson explains that when the All Blacks head to South Africa for the Greatest Rivalry Tour, if they are without Williams, they will be under pressure due to the size and ability of the Springboks pack.

“It’s interesting how there was no love for loosehead prop there and I’m the one that put loosehead prop in that poll, because we are playing the Springboks four times in a row, four weeks in a row,” Wilson said on The Breakdown.

“So Tamaiti Williams, I think it’s unlikely we see him given all the challenges he’s going through, whether we’ll see him again in 2026 at the highest level, but I hope he gets himself right and gets healthy and we see the best of him.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We’ve only got Ethan de Groot who’s played 40 Test matches. This is what you’re missing with Tamati Williams, but we’re not going to see that outside of him. You’ve got George Bower, who’s played 24 Test matches. Ollie Norris has played three, but there is no experience and depth in this position.

“Are you going to get back to Ofa Tu’ungafasi, highly unlikely, given he probably won’t be around next year, so we’ve got some challenges and if you are exposed at scrum time, at the highest level, at Test match rugby, it’s going to be a difficult season for the All Blacks, so I think for me, loosehead prop right now, is a little bit of a concern.”

RugbyPass App Download

News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!


Whether you’re looking for somewhere to track upcoming fixtures, a place to watch live rugby or an app that shows you all of the latest news and analysis, the RugbyPass rugby app is perfect.

LIVE: France XV v England XV on RugbyPass TV

Don’t miss it: France XV v England XV – live and free on RugbyPass TV & RugbyPass app. 17:15 BST, 19 June 2026.

Watch Live
Friday 19th June 2026 - 17:15 BST, 18:15 CET
ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

14 Comments
K
KwAussie 44 days ago

While Wilson correctly identifies an issue, I’m comfortable there is enough talent to bring on players to fill this position. Might be a steep learning curve but that’s fine

A
Alex 44 days ago

Provided De Groot stays fit for 60 mins they should squeeze through. It'll be good for developing more talent too

A
Ayre123 None 45 days ago

The over reliance on import from the Islands has managed to regress the All Blacks, their forwards are currently no match for those of Boks

K
Koro Teeps 44 days ago

Outstanding ignorance/Racsim regarding NZs demographics. Bravo

K
KwAussie 44 days ago

Your ignorance of the makeup of NZ population is outstanding. Thanks for putting up such an ignorant post and demonstrating how much you don’t know

C
ColinK 44 days ago

New Zealand is a pacific county, and Auckland is the most populous Polynesian city in the South Pacific. They are kiwis not ‘imports from the islands’. Our forwards have for many years been blessed with Polynesian players, as have our backs. Many of them are all-time greats. There has been no regression, NZ has always been multi-racial.

J
Jmann 45 days ago

that post shows a staggering ignorance on the demographic makeup of nz

c
cnw 45 days ago

Don’t quite know you mean by “import from the Islands”. Far as I know of our current props only Ofa was born in Tonga. But even if you are right and more hail from the Islands, if they have made the ABs, it’s because they are world class. Agree though the Boks are very well placed in the forwards - indeed Rassie will have a big time working out who to leave out. But de Groot, Bower and Numia have been pretty solid this year at loose-head, and Ofa is slowly improving and may peak at the right time. We have experienced hookers in Taylor, Taukei’aho and Aumua and good dynamic young ones in George Bell (who at 123kg is bigger than many props) and Tuputupu. Newell and Tosi have gone well this year too at tighthead, Newell settling in as the key starter and Tosi the key impact. Renata has bulked up and looking handy now. So, not the layers of top front rowers enjoyed by the Boks, but enough it seems to me to provide a good challenge come August.

K
Koro Teeps 45 days ago

100% we should be taking Ofa. 195cm, 130kg, 68 test matches. Good in contact, tackles hard. Experienced. Has propped both sides of the scrum at test level. Exactly who you want in the 23 against a team like the Boks. What is Jeff Wilson on about?

S
SB 45 days ago

Maybe he has heard he is going overseas.

D
DC 45 days ago

but others are coming through

R
Rugby3 45 days ago

This is going to be the toughest tour for the All Blacks in a long time. The Boks seem imperious and the All Blacks have a new unproven coach.

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

Comments on RugbyPass

Close Panel
Close Panel

Edition & Time Zone

{{current.name}}
Set time zone automatically
{{selectedTimezoneTitle}} (auto)
Choose a different time zone
Close Panel

Editions

Close Panel

Change Time Zone

Close
ADVERTISEMENT
Copied to clipboard

Share Article close