All Blacks name bolters for ‘toughest tour in rugby’
Updated . First published at
All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has named three uncapped players in his expanded 44-man squad for a blockbuster eight-game tour against world champions South Africa.
Hurricanes prop Siale Lauaki, Moana Pasifika No.8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa and Chiefs five-eighth Josh Jacomb have all made the cut as the New Zealand selectors retained all the players who featured in wins against France, Italy and Ireland this month.
Siale Lauaki and Vernon Bason during a Hurricanes Super Rugby training session at NZCIS. Getty
“He’s got a genuine point of difference,” Rennie said of the rugged Tupou Ta’eiloa.
“We haven’t got sort of the big, powerful loose forward like him, and yes, he’s really destructive defensively, and he carried Moana on his back a lot this year, so yeah, we think it adds a point of difference as well.
“Ardie (Savea) speaks really highly of him. So yeah, look, it’s exciting. It’s a really good story, isn’t it? It’s someone who may be playing in a side that’s battling can stand out the way he did. So, really pleased for him.”
Lauaki, 23, is a genuine bolter after being stuck behind All Blacks props Tyrel Lomax, Pasilio Tosi and Xavier Numia at the Hurricanes.
He made 13 appearances this season but mostly off the bench.
The All Blacks noted his imposing 194cm, 125kg frame and ability to play on both sides of the scrum.
“We feel like he’s got a massive ceiling,” Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw said after Lauaki re-signed with the club last year.
Seven players with Test experience have also joined the squad.
They are Chiefs Ollie Norris and Emoni Narawa, Highlanders Fabian Holland and Timoci Tavatavanawai, Crusaders George Bell and Ethan Blackadder and Rieko Ioane of the Blues.
Hurricanes co-captain Du’Plessis Kirifi is desperately unlucky to miss out.
His lack of genuine size and versatility has counted against him, with Luke Jacobson, Ardie Savea, Anton Segner, Peter Lakai and Blackadder all able to play multiple positions.
Dave Rennie at Eden Park. Phil Walter
“Dupes is a good player, had a good season,” Rennie said.
“So there are good players who have missed out and not just him. His job is to go away and keep working hard and be ready if an opportunity arises. I would be surprised if we don’t call someone in at some stage.”
The All Blacks kick off their tour against the Stormers in Cape Town on August 8 (AEST).
The first Test against the Springboks is August 23 (AEST) in Johannesburg and the last is September 13 in Baltimore (AEST).
Captain Savea will have a break before joining the squad ahead of the first Test at Ellis Park.
“Ardie’s been training and playing since January 2025,” Rennie said.
“Obviously, he had that season there (with Moana). He then went away with the All Blacks. He came to Kobe and been straight into the Nations Championship. So we need to find a window where we can freshen them up.
Ardie Savea of the New Zealand All Blacks. Getty
“This seemed the obvious time, and so yeah, it was a pretty simple decision.”
Savea will be in South Africa 10 days before the first Test.
“I think it’s a decision that we’ve made on what we think is best for him. So you know, Ardie would plug on, but I think it comes to a point at some stage, and it’s such a big series. Freshing him up prior to those four Tests was essential.
“What we could have done was left him out of the last three, tried to freshen him up that way, but that was important to us and was important to him to play.
“So we think this is a really good compromise. He could have come on tour, and we might only have played him in one of those games.
“But just getting his head out of footy and getting him away a little bit. We trust him to do the work and turn up in good nick. He arrives 10 days before the first Test, so plenty of time.”
Test centurion Codie Taylor would act as tour captain in Savea’s absence.
“He’s got a huge amount of respect within this group, and the plan was always Codie would have only played one of those three games prior to the first Test, and so we’ll get a variety of leaders who we think can do the job on the day,” Rennie said.
“I think a tour captain will deal with a hell of a lot of media and scrutiny while we’re over there. It’s not just the 80 minutes on game day, so good chance to grow others, but yeah, got a really high opinion of Codie. The boys love him and respect him, and I think he’ll be valuable for us over there.”
Crusaders trio Tamaiti Williams, Scott Barrett and Leicester Fainga’anuku were unavailable due to injury while Richie Mo’unga was also off limits after returning from Japan.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus named a squad of 43 last week.
Watch the All Blacks’ tour of South Africa on Stan Sport. Add the Stan Sport package to watch rugby live and on demand with no ad-breaks in play
All Blacks squad
Props: Ethan de Groot, George Bower, Xavier Numia, Ollie Norris, Fletcher Newell, Tyrel Lomax, Pasilio Tosi, Siale Lauaki
Hookers: Asafo Aumua, Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bell
Locks: Tupou Vaa’i, Josh Lord, Fabian Holland, Sam Darry, Patrick Tuipulotu
Loose forwards: Ardie Savea (c), Peter Lakai, Simon Parker, Luke Jacobson, Ethan Blackadder, Anton Segner, Wallace Sititi, Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa
Halfbacks: Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima, Kyle Preston
Five-eighths: Ruben Love, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Josh Jacomb
Midfielders: Jordie Barrett, Billy Proctor, Quinn Tupaea, Anton Lienert-Brown, Timoci Tavatavanawai
Outside backs: Caleb Clarke, Fehi Fineanganofo, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Emoni Narawa
Springboks squad
Props: Thomas du Toit, Wilco Louw, Ox Nche, Zachary Porthen, Carlu Sadie, Gerhard Steenekamp, Boan Venter
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar, Malcolm Marx
Locks: Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Ruan Nortje
Loose forwards: Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Cameron Hanekom, Siya Kolisi, Elrigh Louw, Jasper Wiese
Utility forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit, Franco Mostert, Vincent Tshituka, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese
Halfbacks: Herschel Jantjies, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Grant Williams
Five-eighths: Manie Libbok, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Vusi Moyo, Handre Pollard
Midfielders: Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Quan Horn, Cheslin Kolbe, Canan Moodie, Edwill van der Merwe, Damian Willemse
Schedule (AEST)
Saturday 8 August, 3am: All Blacks vs Stormers, DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Wednesday 12 August, 3am: All Blacks vs Sharks, Kings Park, Durban
Sunday 16 August, 3am: All Blacks vs Bulls, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Sunday 23 August, 1am: All Blacks vs Springboks, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Wednesday 26 August, 3am: All Blacks vs Lions, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Sunday 30 August, 1am: All Blacks vs Springboks, DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Sunday 6 September, 1am: All Blacks vs Springboks, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
Sunday 13 September, 7am: All Blacks vs Springboks, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
