Newly appointed New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie officially ushered in his era on Monday by naming a 34-man All Blacks squad for the upcoming July Nations Championship Tests. Ardie Savea has been handed the captaincy armband, and Rennie has promised to unleash a brand of high-octane, “optimistic” rugby.
But if you are a South African supporter looking at this roster, you can breathe a massive sigh of relief. For all the talk of a bold new dawn after replacing Scott Robertson, Rennie’s inaugural squad is surprisingly conservative, flawed, and highly predictable.
This is not a squad unfamiliar to Springbok mastermind Rassie Erasmus—nor is it one that will cause him a single minute of lost sleep ahead of their blockbuster four-Test showdown later this year.
The Same Old Flaws: ‘Tried and Tested’ Trumps Form
Despite a prime opportunity to clear out the deadwood and build a revolutionary new generation a year out from the Rugby World Cup, Rennie largely stuck to the exact core group that Robertson failed to ignite during his brief, uninspiring tenure.
Several head-scratching selections have already drawn heavy fire from Kiwi critics:
- The Sabbatical Pass: Midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown made the cut despite taking a massive sabbatical from Super Rugby this season.
- The Benchwarmer: Scrumhalf Kyle Preston cracked the nod despite failing to start a single, solitary match for the struggling Crusaders.
- The Snub: Explosive veteran back Rieko Ioane, fresh off a stellar, championship-winning campaign with Leinster in the URC, was completely overlooked.
- The Shaken Playmakers: Veteran Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie are back in the mix, despite McKenzie coming off an absolute disaster class in the weekend’s Super Rugby final.
Mark Your Calendars: The ‘Greatest Rivalry’ Schedule
The Springboks and All Blacks will lock horns in an unprecedented four-Test mega-series starting this August.
| Date | Fixture | Venue |
| Saturday, 22 August | South Africa vs. New Zealand | Ellis Park, Johannesburg |
| Saturday, 29 August | South Africa vs. New Zealand | Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town |
| Saturday, 5 September | South Africa vs. New Zealand | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg |
| Saturday, 12 September | South Africa vs. New Zealand | M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, USA |
Fresh Blood: Only Four New Faces
Rennie did inject minimal novelty, calling up just four uncapped debutants who earned praise for stellar domestic campaigns. Three hail from the newly crowned Super Rugby champion Hurricanes: dynamic prop Xavier Numia, alongside dangerous wings Josh Moorby and Fehi Fineanganofo. The final new face is clinical Blues flanker Anton Segner.
With long-term skipper Scott Barrett sidelined following major back surgery, loose-forward enforcer Ardie Savea takes the reins permanently.
“With Ardie, in his Pasifika way, he tried to bat it off a bit and said, whatever you decide, I’ll support,” Rennie said. “What we know with Ardie, he’s not a massive talker, but he’ll lead through his actions. Having him as captain, he has massive respect.”
‘We Want to Play’ — But Can They Match Bok Brutality?
Rennie noted that modern Super Rugby trends favor high possession metrics over tactical kicking, indicating the All Blacks will look to run the ball from deep. However, he acknowledges that intent alone won’t beat the world champions.
“There’s a real brutality in the game required, whether you’re carrying or whether you’re defending,” Rennie admitted. “We’ll kick, but we’ll kick smart and have a balance to our game… But yeah, we want to play.”
To aid his transition from coaching in Japan, Rennie lured legendary 2011 World Cup-winning coach Sir Graham Henry out of retirement as a selector. Henry admitted the pressure is already getting to him: “I’m not sleeping well. I’m dreaming about the team, waking up thinking about selection… But I’m excited by the team that we’ve picked.”
The All Blacks kick off their season against France on 4 July in Christchurch, followed by Tests against Italy and Ireland, before packing their bags for a bruising tour of South Africa.
Full 34-Man All Blacks Squad
- Hookers: Asafo Aumua, Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho
- Props: Ethan de Groot, George Bower, Xavier Numia, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi
- Locks: Tupou Vaa’i, Patrick Tuipulotu, Josh Lord, Sam Darry
- Loose Forwards: Peter Lakai, Simon Parker, Ardie Savea (c), Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson, Anton Segner
- Halfbacks: Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima, Kyle Preston
- First Five-Eighths: Ruben Love, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie
- Midfielders: Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Billy Proctor, Anton Lienert-Brown
- Outside Backs: Caleb Clarke, Fehi Fineanganofo, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby, Will Jordan
- Injury Cover: Jamie Hannah
