Dave Rennie faces his biggest test as All Blacks coach as his All Blacks side travel to Ellis Park on Saurday to face the double World Champion Springboks.
He has some difficult choices to make and with injury doubts to Cam Roigard, Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie, this may impact the team that he goes for although there have been positive updates in this respect as the week has gone on.
1 Ethan De Groot
De Groot has been part of a great combination with Taylor and Lomax. The loosehead started the three Nations Champions games and the scrum was relatively solid throughout the first half of that tournament. This is an area thaat will be crucial in trying to compete with the Springboks.
2 Codie Taylor
Taylor has been the first choice hooker for the All Blacks for several years and was named the tour captain before Savea joined up last week. He didn’t play until the game against the Bulls and scored twice.
3 Tyrel Lomax
Lomax has been a key player for the All Blacks and showed his ability to lock down a solid scrum against the Bulls. His number one task in this game will be to try and hold off the Springboks scrum for as long as possible.
4 Fabian Holland
Holland has been coming back from a serious injury that kept him out for the entire Super Rugby season. He has been given lots of minutes in the warm up games and I feel this must be to get him ready for the tests. Holland was the Breakthrough Player of the Year for 2025 and offers a lot in the lineout, which will be crucial in this contest.
5 Sam Darry
Darry is a good lineout operator and he will put in plenty of work around the park. This is one of the more difficult options in the team as there have been so many strong performances in this position and lots of combinations have been used during the Nations Championship.
6 Tupou Vaa’i
Vaa’i has been a great player for the All Black at both lock and in the back row. Rennie tried Vaa’i at 6 against Ireland and this helped massively control the lineout. This is something Rennie will be looking to navigate against the Springboks.
7 Luke Jacobson
Jacobson offers a bit of a different forward style to what we see from the other All Blacks loose-forwards. He will be a work horse, carrying, clearing rucks and making tackles. He captained the side against the Sharks and had a strong performance in that game.
8 Ardie Savea ©
Savea is a crucial player for the All Blacks and has taken up the leadership role under Dave Rennie. He represents not only off the pitch, but through his example on the pitch. Savea is a hard working back rower, who also likes to get his hands on the ball for the ABs. The skipper was given the beginning of the tour off by Rennie to make sure that he could come into this test at peak fitness.
9 Cam Roigard
Roigard is one of the best nines in the world and showed it during the Nations Championship. He has had his injury doubts and hasn’t played yet during the tour, but Rennie shared in an update earlier this week that he was back in training and would be available for the first test on Saturday.
10 Ruben Love
Rennie handed Ruben Love the keys to the All Blacks with the 10 jersey after an incredible Super Rugby campaign. In the three Nations Championship games, he was well disciplined and produced well with Jordie Barrettt at 12. Against the Sharks he showed his kicking ability knocking over seven of his eight kicks, some of which were right in the
11 Josh Moorby
This is probably the most competitive single position on the pitch as there are at least four players competing for it as long as long as Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie are fit. All four potential wing options have been in top form and worthy of a test start. Moorby was outstanding against the Bulls scoring twice and I feel put himself in poll position for the 11 jersey. Leroy Carter also scored two against the Bulls, while Reiko Ioane had a fantastic game at 13 and his versatility and experience could earn him the starting role. Fehi Fineanganofo was excellent in the game against the Sharks and would still be a worthy test option.
12 Jordie Barrett
Barrett is one of those players that have it all. He offers hard tackling in defence, powerful carrying and distribution in attack. He also possesses a great long distance clearance kick and an accurate crossfield kick. The competition between Barrett and Damian De Allende is going to be one to watch in this test match.
13 Quinn Tupaea
Tupaea is a quality 13 and has been utilised as a strong carrier under Rennie and with an injury to Billy Proctor he is the main out-and-out 13 left in the squad. Tupaea has built a good partnership with Jordie Barrett through the Rugby Nations Championship.
14 Will Jordan
Record breaking Will Jordan will be an easy choice for Dave Rennie if he is fit and according to the recent fitness update, it appears that he should be. During the Rugby Nations Championship Jordan broke the long-standing try-scoring record from Doug Howlett. Jordan is an outstanding finisher and an asset aerially. His competition with Cheslin Kolbe is going to be an exciting one to watch.
15 Damian McKenzie
McKenzie worked really well at fullback with Love at number 10 during the Rugby Nations Championship, particularly in strong wins over France and Ireland. McKenzie picked up an injury in the match against the Shakrs, but did start training this week, which Rennie did say would be an important step for him coming back into the team.
