Fresh off a commanding 47-17 victory over Italy in Wellington, All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie faces a mouth-watering selection dilemma ahead of a monumental Eden Park clash against Ireland. With history made and new stars born over the weekend, the tactical blueprint for neutralising the Irish threat requires a perfect blend of set-piece grit and high-octane playmaking symmetry.
The Tight Five: Setting the Front-Row Foundation
1. Ethan de Groot (Loosehead Prop)
The absolute cornerstone of the All Blacks’ modern scrummaging identity, Ethan de Groot, remains completely indispensable for a test match of this magnitude. Facing an Irish front row renowned for technical mastery and illegal angling, de Groot’s low centre of gravity and massive upper-body strength are crucial. He isn’t just there to anchor the set-piece; his ability to act as a primary low-muck option in the 1-3-3-1 attacking pod allows New Zealand to match Ireland’s relentless close-range attrition. He will be vital in ensuring clean, first-phase platform ball.
2. Codie Taylor (Hooker)
Let’s be candid: it has not been the best few weeks for the veteran hooker. A few wayward lineout arrows and uncharacteristic handling errors have drawn scrutiny from pundits. However, when Ireland comes to Auckland, experience trumping raw form is a non-negotiable rule. Codie Taylor remains unequivocally the All Blacks’ best option in the number two jersey. His defensive rugby IQ, leadership under extreme scoreboard pressure, and work rate in the tight channels provide a stabilising presence that younger contenders simply cannot replicate in a high-stakes test.
3. Tyrell Lomax (Tighthead Prop)
Tyrell Lomax has quietly evolved into one of the most elite tightheads in world rugby, and his battle against Andrew Porter will go a long way toward deciding this match. Lomax brings an uncompromising technical edge to the scrum, preventing the wheel and securing the clean channel that halfbacks dream of. Beyond his primary set-piece duties, Lomax’s defensive output in the gold zone and his ability to execute crucial tip-passes just before contact will help stretch Ireland’s notoriously suffocating folding defence.
4. Sam Darry (Lock)
Standing at a towering 2.03 meters, the athletic Blues lock has rapidly turned potential into international pedigree. Sam Darry’s inclusion is a direct tactical counter to Ireland’s defensive lineout maestros. His exceptional reach, combined with explosive verticality, makes him a premier defensive poaching threat in the air. Rennie will rely heavily on Darry to disrupt Ireland’s clinical rolling maul before it even gathers momentum, while his high motor ensures the All Blacks maintain a high tackle-reload efficiency across the full 80 minutes.
5. Tupou Vaa’i (Lock)
Partnering Darry in the engine room is Tupou Vaa’i, who sealed his selection case by crashing over for a superb try on the final buzzer against Italy. Vaa’i offers the perfect physical complement to Darry’s aerial elegance; he is a bruising, confrontational tight-five operator who thrives in the dark spaces of the breakdown. His physical edge, tireless work over the ball, and dynamic ball-carrying in heavy traffic are exactly what New Zealand needs to dent the gainline against a rigid Irish defensive wall.
The Loose Forwards: Physical Edge and Explosive Leadership
6. Wallace Sititi (Blindside Flanker)
Wallace Sititi retains the blindside jersey to offer the explosive carrying power necessary to crack Ireland’s defensive structures. Sititi’s unique skill set allows him to operate effectively both in the tight channels and out wide in the data corridors. His ability to break the first tackle consistently gives the All Blacks the momentum required to play their preferred high-tempo game. Defensively, his blindside hitting power will be tasked with slowing down Ireland’s quick ball and rattling their key playmakers behind the gainline.
7. Luke Jacobson (Openside Flanker)
Despite nursing a tight calf that forced him off at halftime against the Azzurri, Luke Jacobson is tipped to start in the crucial number seven role. Jacobson brings an uncompromising, hard-nosed defensive edge that is completely mandatory for disrupting Ireland’s lightning-fast breakdown cleanouts. His exceptional timing at the tackle-ball intersection and his relentless motor allow him to act as an elite defensive spoiler, buying precious fractions of a second for the All Blacks’ defensive line to reset and reload.
8. Ardie Savea (Number Eight – Captain)
Ardie Savea takes the captaincy and stands as the undeniable heartbeat of this team. Savea is entirely non-negotiable to the All Blacks’ high-tempo play style under Dave Rennie. His explosive leg drive, unique low-bounce carrying technique, and world-class breakdown jackaling provide the team with instant momentum shifts. Against an Irish side that thrives on structure, Savea’s unmatched ability to create positive chaos out of broken play and drag his team over the gain line makes him the most crucial player on the Eden Park turf.
The Inside Backs: The Hurricanes Axis Unleashed
9. Cam Roigard (Scrum-half)
Cam Roigard is the ideal tactical fit to pilot the All Blacks’ attack against a relentless Irish defence. Fresh off an authoritative performance against Italy, where he benefited directly from front-foot ball, Roigard’s crisp service and elite running game pose a constant threat to the fringe defence. His dangerous sniping ability forces inside defenders to stay honest, effectively creating wider tracking lanes for his outside backs. Furthermore, his powerful left-footed tactical kicking game offers an invaluable exit strategy under heavy pressure.
10. Reuben Love (Fly-half)
In a bold but brilliant selection move, Reuben Love gets the nod at fly-half. The tactical masterstroke here lies in his deeply instinctual partnership with Roigard, forged through their highly successful combinations with the Hurricanes. Love brings a fearless, modern attacking mindset to the first-receiver channel. His chemistry with Roigard means the All Blacks can play at an incredibly high velocity without sacrificing tactical cohesion, allowing them to shift the point of attack rapidly before Ireland’s rush defence can close the gate.
12. Jordie Barrett (Inside Centre)
To fully maximise the tactical efficiency of the 9-10 axis, Jordie Barrett slots in at inside centre to complete an all-Hurricanes playmaking spine. Barrett provides the crucial physical buffer that allows Reuben Love to thrive. His bruising directness guarantees front-foot ball on the first phase, while his elite distribution and booming tactical boot take the defensive pressure off his young fly-half. Barrett’s ability to read defensive shapes and deliver precise tip-on passes will be paramount to unlocking Ireland’s midfield channels.
The Midfield & Outside Backs: History Makers and Game Changers
13. Quinn Tupaea (Outside Centre)
Rennie faces an absolute selection headache at centre between the structural elegance of Billy Proctor and the robust power of Quinn Tupaea. Expect Rennie to lean toward Tupaea for this specific tactical assignment. Facing an Irish midfield that relies heavily on historical synergy and hard lines, Tupaea’s direct route-one running and powerful gainline-busting capabilities are indispensable. He provides a secondary loose-forward-style presence in the midfield, ensuring New Zealand can match Ireland’s immense physicality in the crucial 13 channel.
11. Josh Moorby (Left Winger)
After a dream debut against Italy, where he entered the fray as a first-half injury replacement, Josh Moorby has demanded a starting spot over Caleb Clarke. Moorby was a certified game-changer in Wellington, tearing the Italian defence apart with an explosive multi-assist cameo in the second half. His natural rugby intuition, lethal acceleration, and world-class support lines make him an incredibly dangerous addition to a backline designed to play with width, earning him the starting eleven jersey on absolute merit.
14. Will Jordan (Right Winger)
Fresh off making spectacular All Blacks history by scoring a brilliant hat-trick against Italy to become New Zealand’s all-time leading Test try scorer with 50 majors, Will Jordan is the ultimate offensive weapon. Jordan’s spatial awareness and unmatched tracking lines mean he can turn the half-chances created by the Hurricanes’ axis into points instantly. His aerial security and clinical finishing under maximum defensive pressure give the All Blacks an undisputed world-class edge on the right touchline.
15. Damian McKenzie (Fullback)
Rounding out the starting XV is Damian McKenzie, stepping into the fullback jersey to fully unleash his world-class dual-playmaker capability. By positioning McKenzie at 15, Dave Rennie effectively provides the All Blacks with two elite tactical drivers on the field simultaneously alongside Reuben Love. McKenzie’s blistering counter-attacking threat from deep, paired with his elite distribution skills, gives the backline a lethal second layer of vision that can easily exploit the space vacated by Ireland’s aggressive rush defence.
