After his maiden, challenging season at the helm, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson is expected to name a 32-man squad to welcome the second-string French in July.
Liam Napier runs the rule over who’s hot, who’s not, and where changes could come as Super Rugby Pacific edges towards the business end of the season where performances count for everything.
PROP
Keep: Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Tamaiti Williams
Dump: Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Pasilio Tosi
Add: Xavier Numia
Not so long ago a source of major concern, the All Blacks propping stocks are now an area of strength.
Ethan de Groot is under pressure to evolve his game after Tamaiti Williams surpassed him on last year’s northern tour but he should retain his place, with veteran Ofa Tu’ungafasi sidelined for the remainder of the Super season after undergoing neck surgery. Such a procedure casts a highly unlikely cloud over Tu’ungafasi’s involvement in July and, potentially beyond, which could pave the way for Hurricanes loosehead Xavier Numia’s maiden All Blacks call up.
Numia fits the mould as the modern, mobile, athletic, skillful prop. His Hurricanes teammate, Pasilio Tosi, is at risk of losing his place, though, after struggling to consistently gain a spot on the bench behind Lomax, one of the world’s leading tightheads. Tosi, the biggest bolter of Robertson’s first squad, impressed at times off the All Blacks bench but is yet to grasp his potential this season.
HOOKER
Keep: Codie Taylor, Asafo Aumua
Dump: George Bell
Add: Samisoni Taukei’aho
Samisoni Taukei’aho’s return from Achillies surgery that ruled him out of last year’s entire Test season offers the All Blacks two destructive ball carriers from hooker. Asafo Aumua came of age in Codie Taylor’s absence last year to prove his maturing status. While Aumua has battled to recapture that form for the struggling Hurricanes, he remains a lock in the hooker ranks behind Taylor.
Second-choice Crusaders hooker George Bell was included as a future project last year – ahead of several more established and in form contenders – and gained little game time as a result. After suffering a foot fracture in the preseason that ended his Super Rugby season before it began, Bell will make way for Taukei’aho’s return. LOCKS
Keep: Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i, Patrick Tuipulotu
Dump: Sam Darry
Add: Fabian Holland
Robertson selected three locks in his first squad last July and could, depending on the balance of his loose forward mix, do so again with the established Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i, Patrick Tuipulotu rotation. Alternatively, with last year’s rookie Sam Darry missing the Blues campaign with a shoulder injury, the All Blacks could start Dutch-born Highlanders second-rower Fabian Holland’s apprenticeship.
Holland, the 22-year-old, 2.04 metre presence, became eligible for New Zealand late last year and was immediately selected in the second-tier All Blacks XV. He has carried a heavy workload for the struggling Highlanders this season but could benefit from spending time in the All Blacks camp and potentially debuting against France.
BACK-ROW
Keep: Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, Dalton Papali’i, Ardie Savea, Wallace Sititi, Peter Lakai
Dump: Sam Cane, Samipeni Finau
Add:
Easily the toughest selection area. Robertson, like most All Blacks coaches before him, has proven to be loyal. Yet even allowing for Sam Cane’s departure, New Zealand’s loose forward stocks remain stacked to the brim.
Blackadder is a risky week-to-week proposition after enduring another injury disrupted season but, for now at least, he is back in the Crusaders starting side. Luke Jacobson is leading from the front for the Chiefs. Ardie Savea has inspired Moana Pasifika. Wallace Sititi, the All Blacks player of the 2024, is scheduled to return from offseason knee surgery for the Chiefs in the coming weeks.
After a slow start, Dalton Papali’i and Hoskins Sotutu are finding form for the Blues. Peter Lakai is yet to kick on for the Hurricanes but he remains a guaranteed long-term asset and Du’Plessis Kirifi has been a constant force at the breakdown.
Robertson can’t pick them all, though.
SCRUM-HALF
Keep: Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima
Dump: TJ Perenara
Add: Noah Hotham
TJ Perenara’s exit to Japan opens the door that will almost certainly be waltzed through by Noah Hotham. After one Test off the bench against Fiji in San Diego, Hotham slid down the pecking order following Cam Roigard’s return from injury. The 21-year-old has been excellent in recent weeks for the Crusaders, though, particularly around the ruck where his deceptive strength and running threat is evident.
Former All Blacks halfbacks Finlay Christie and Folau Fakatava, the latter injury-plagued, remain firmly on the fringe, with New Zealand’s next best prospect rapidly emerging in the form of Crusaders, via Wellington, rookie Kyle Preston.
FLY-HALF
Keep: Damian McKenzie, Beauden Barrett, Stephen Perofeta
Dump:
Add:
Blues playmaker Stephen Perofeta will be nervous – as the All Blacks have the ability to add another outside back rather than carry three first five-eighths. But with Richie Mo’unga out of the picture until next year, it makes sense to continue Perofeta’s development despite his presence on the Blues bench.
Beauden Barrett has hit vintage form in the last two weeks to state his case to retain the All Blacks No. 10 jersey and while Damian McKenzie had a dead set shocker in Sydney as the Waratahs stunned the Chiefs, he will inevitably rebound.
With Harry Plummer moving to France after this season and falling out of favour at the Blues, Chiefs playmaker Josh Jacomb is next in line but with McKenzie largely assuming the reins, he’s had limited opportunities.
MIDFIELD
Keep: Jordie Barrett, David Havili, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown,
Dump: Billy Proctor
Add:
How the All Blacks reintegrate Jordie Barrett from his six-month stint with Irish juggernaut Leinster will determine their midfield make up. Barrett is available for selection in July – and therefore expected to be included – but he may need a rest at some point this Test season.
The All Blacks blew the chance to hand Billy Proctor, last year’s form centre, any game time during the Rugby Championship after his impressive Test debut against Fiji. He’s since been sidelined this season with an Achillies issue that leaves him vulnerable to exclusion.
David Havili has relished assuming the Crusaders captaincy to hold off early season form from fellow second-five contenders Quinn Tupaea and Timoci Tavatavanawai.
Come the Rugby Championship in August, Leicester Fainga’anuku is expected to be available for the All Blacks after returning from Toulon and committing to the Crusaders from next season.
OUTSIDE BACKS
Keep: Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Ruben Love
Dump: Mark Tele’a
Add: Chai Fihaki
News this week that Mark Tele’a will join former All Blacks coaches Steve Hansen and Ian Foster at Japanese club Toyota on a three-year deal from November is a body blow for New Zealand rugby.
Tele’a is in his prime as an elusive finisher, one of the best in the world game. While he remains eligible for the All Blacks for the remainder of this year, Robertson is likely to move on and invest in others as he seeks to solidify his back three options.
Sevu Reece will benefit from Tele’a’s imminent departure. So, too, is Reece’s Crusaders teammate Chai Fihaki in line to be elevated from his surprising call up as injury cover last season.
Given the versatility among the All Blacks first-fives, with all comfortable at fullback, Fihaki and Love could be contesting one spot.
