Jeff Wilson pinpoints All Blacks’ biggest positional concern for 2026

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.”