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There are only three real candidates to be Dave Rennie's All Black captain
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As the dust settles on the announcement of the All Blacks‘ new coaching staff, Dave Rennie’s next order of business will be to select the captain to take the team forward to 2027.
The incumbent, Scott Barrett, is currently on a non-playing sabbatical to refresh his body ahead of the run-in to the Rugby World Cup. He will return to Super Rugby with the Crusaders at the tail end of the season and would likely not have expected to return to the All Blacks with a regime change.
There are only three real candidates to take the All Blacks’ captaincy under Dave Rennie, including Barrett himself. All Black captains tend to be forwards, often in the back row. The chances of anyone in the backs taking over the captaincy are slim.
There is a strong possibility that Dave Rennie retains Scott Barrett as captain, based on Rennie’s past decisions.
When Dave Rennie took over the Wallabies job in 2020, many expected that to be the end of Michael Hooper’s captaincy. Even though the openside had penned a five-year deal at the back of 2019, Hooper was well and truly ‘Michael Cheika’s guy’, following the coach from the Waratahs to the Wallabies.
Cheika’s favourite No.7 was always ahead of the generational talent David Pocock in the pecking order, forcing him to No.8, even though he is perhaps the best poacher to ever grace a rugby field. Many in Australian circles believed that Hooper was unjustly a protected species and only picked in the team due to Cheika.
Starting with a new era in 2020, Rennie might have wanted to have distanced himself from the Cheika era and appoint a new face to lead the Wallabies, but his first choice was to stick with Hooper.
Rennie was quoted at the time saying, “going in a new direction doesn’t mean you need to change the furniture” on the call to back Hooper’s leadership, citing his strong respect within the group as a reason.
Many have pointed out that Rennie’s style of game revolves around a ferocious game at the attacking breakdown, clearing bodies by any means possible to generate fast ball. This is an area of the game where Barrett will lead by example, which could appeal to Rennie.
Under Scott Robertson, Barrett did hold back and rein in his ambitious style of play that often toed the line. Before he was captain, he was red carded for dangerous cleanouts twice, in Perth in 2019 and at Twickenham against South Africa in 2023.
If Rennie wants to dial back up the intensity of the attacking breakdown and “napalm the ruck”, there is no doubt he can rely on Barrett to do that and show the way. There isn’t another player in the All Blacks who comes to mind that is that physical, perhaps only Du’Plessis Kirifi, which does lend weight to the theory that Barrett will be retained.
The second candidate is Ardie Savea, a vice-captain last year and the subject of a speculated power struggle within the camp under Robertson.
Savea has had two stints at Kobe, firstly in 2024 and again in 2026, choosing to return to the Japanese club where Rennie is. The relationship is clearly harmonious and in good health.
If Savea plays openside for the All Blacks under Rennie, he will be tasked with clearing rucks and protecting ball more so than he does as a No.8.
At Kobe, Rennie has been playing him as a No.7 and for big minutes. Savea plays 80 minutes or 70+ minutes frequently. However, even as an openside, Savea does carry the ball a lot. It’s the trump card of having Savea in the first place, with his special leg drive and power. In that regard, he may not clean as often as a traditional seven.
If Rennie wants his captain to lead the way at the breakdown, Savea may not be the best candidate, and Barrett has the edge here. Savea will certainly carry more and have fewer ruck arrivals.
The big question mark with Savea is the ability to lead and influence all the players within the All Blacks. If he has been part of a faction that is causing division, is he now going to be a uniting force? It’s one thing to lead a small group unofficially, it’s another to lead a team officially.
The end of the Roberston era and the speculation around Savea’s involvement does harm his chances of being the next captain, even if he has a great relationship with Rennie.
The third candidate is hooker Codie Taylor who is in vintage touch at 34-years-old, an experienced forward with plenty of leadership qualities. He has joined the exclusive club of All Black centurions and captained his club at the Crusaders.
Taylor’s set-piece has been exceptional, especially last season. He’s guaranteed to start if healthy due to his ability to operate the lineout at 90%+. He is a work horse who gets through a lot of defence and can certainly impose himself on the attacking breakdown.
There is a fourth wild card option, Brodie Retallick, who only becomes viable if he decides to sign with NZR.
Rennie’s captain at Kobe is Brodie Retallick, which is a strong endorsement. Rennie has publicly expressed a desire to bring him back, and that could be why. Until a surprise deal is announced, he isn’t in the picture.
As it stands, those are the only three real candidates to be All Black captain, with Barrett actually holding the lead with the highest chance. Rennie has backed the incumbent before, and Barrett’s biggest strength, cleaning out, is likely integral to Rennie’s plans.
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