2026 Tour Of South Africa Squad Named
by All Blacks Rugby | Fansite

2026 Tour Of South Africa Squad Named

A 44-strong All Blacks squad has been named to travel to South Africa and the United States for the inaugural Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour.

Full Nations Championship squad retained as 10 more join the touring group

All Blacks Head Coach Dave Rennie and fellow selectors, Sir Graham Henry and Neil Barnes, have retained all 34 players from the initial Nations Championship Southern Series squad, and named an additional ten players to bolster the group for the seven-week tour.

The squad is as follows: (Test caps in brackets).
* denotes new cap.

Forwards:
Hookers
Codie Taylor (109), Samisoni Taukei’aho (44), Asafo Aumua (22), George Bell (4)

Props
Tyrel Lomax (51), Ethan De Groot (43), Fletcher Newell (37), George Bower (26), Pasilio Tosi (17), Xavier Numia (2), Ollie Norris (3), Siale Lauaki* (0)

Locks
Patrick Tuipulotu (57), Tupou Vaa’i (47), Josh Lord (15), Sam Darry (10), Fabian Holland (12)

Loose Forwards
Ardie Savea (109) – (Captain), Luke Jacobson (27), Wallace Sititi (21), Peter Lakai (10), Simon Parker (8), Ethan Blackadder (14), Anton Segner (2), Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa* (0)

Backs:
Halfbacks
Cortez Ratima (25), Cameron Roigard (20), Kyle Preston (1)

First five–eighths
Beauden Barrett (144), Damian McKenzie (77), Ruben Love (8), Josh Jacomb* (0)

Midfielders
Anton Lienert-Brown (90), Jordie Barrett (81), Quinn Tupaea (26), Billy Proctor (13), Timoci Tavatavanawai (2)

Outside backs
Will Jordan (57), Caleb Clarke (35), Leroy Carter (7), Josh Moorby (2), Fehi Fineanganofo (1), Rieko Ioane (88), Emoni Narawa (4)

Unavailable due to injury – Tamaiti Williams; Scott Barrett; Leicester Fainga’anuku.

Prop Siale Lauaki, loose forward Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa and inside back Josh Jacomb are the three uncapped players to join the group. They are joined by returning All Blacks Ollie Norris, George Bell, Fabian Holland, Ethan Blackadder, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Rieko Ioane and Emoni Narawa.

Rennie congratulated the selected players and said all 44 would be required to play in the tour.

“This tour will challenge us and demand the very best of us. We have selected a squad that we know is up to the challenge. It’s a balanced blend of experienced Test players and a cohort of younger players who will be keen to work hard and showcase their skillset on tour.

“We are thrilled for those players who will have the opportunity to pull on the All Blacks jersey for the first time, and welcome back those who are returning to the group.

“With eight matches in six weeks, including a four-Test series against the Springboks, this would have to be the toughest tour in rugby. Every player will be required to play their part across this tour, whether it’s preparing to play or helping their mates prepare.

“It will be an intense seven weeks of touring but an excellent opportunity for us to pit ourselves against the current benchmark team in world rugby, and to build connections with each other in a way that only a tour of this scale can do. What we learn about ourselves on and off-field will set us up well for the Rugby World Cup in 2027,” Rennie said.

2026 Tour Of South Africa Fixtures

Saturday 08 August
All Blacks vs Stormers, 5.00AM (NZT), DHL Stadium, CAPETOWN
Wednesday 12 August
All Blacks vs Sharks, 5.00AM (NZST), Kings Park, DUBAN
Sunday 16 August
All Blacks vs Bulls, 5.00AM (NZST), Loftus Versfeld, PRETORIA
Sunday 23 August
All Blacks vs South Africa, 3.00AM (NZT), Ellis Park, JOHANNESBURG
Wednesday 26 August
All Blacks vs Lions, 5.00AM (NZST), Ellis Park, JOHANNESBURG
Sunday 30 August
All Blacks vs South Africa, 3.00AM (NZST), DHL Stadium, CAPETOWN
Sunday 06 September
All Blacks vs South Africa, 3.00AM (NZST), FNB Stadium, JOHANNESBURG
Sunday 13 September
All Blacks vs South Africa, 9.00AM (NZST), M&T Bank Stadium, BALTIMORE

News Source: allblacks.com

All Blacks extend Eden Park record in statement victory over Ireland
by All Blacks Rugby | Fansite

All Blacks extend Eden Park record in statement victory over Ireland

The Eden Park unbeaten streak continues as Dave Rennie’s men claimed a six-try, 40-21 victory over Ireland in the Nations Championship.

New Zealand are now unbeaten in 32 years at the iconic venue, notching up their 51st victory since falling to a defeat to France back in 1994 in Auckland to go with two draws in a 53-game run.

The All Blacks came flying out the blocks in this one with Patrick Tuipulotu grabbing the opening try of the game in the 14th minute, the returning second row sprinting into a gap after receiving a pass from his second row partner Josh Lord.

Ardie Savea equalled Stu Wilson’s record of nine tries at Eden Park when he raced off the back of a scrum to grab his side’s second try of the encounter before Ireland finally hit back through Jack Conan, the Irish back-rower running a fantastic line to crash over.

Hopes that Ireland were fighting back into the fixture after that score were quickly dashed when Stu McCloskey threw a wayward pass that only found ground to gift Will Jordan another try with Asafo Aumua slamming the ball down soon after to give New Zealand a 28-7 half-time lead.

Joe McCarthy closed the gap for the visitors four minutes into the second half, but New Zealand hit back in the 55th minute through man of the match Damian McKenzie. Hugo Keenan scored after the hour mark to give the Irish hope that they will be the team to end the All Blacks’ unbeaten run but Anton Lienert-Brown came off the bench to finish the job for Rennie’s men.

The new head coach has now won all three of his opening games in charge since taking over from Scott Robertson with the tour to South Africa now next on their agenda.

New Zealand – 40 (Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea, Will Jordan, Asafo Aumua, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown tries; Ruben Love 5 conversions)
Ireland – 21 (Jack Conan, Joe McCarthy, Hugo Keenan tries; Sam Prendergast 3 conversions)
Halftime: New Zealand: 28 – Ireland: 7

News Source: Planet Rugby / Jared Wright

All Blacks Team Named To Play France – Nations Championship
by All Blacks Rugby | Fansite

All Blacks Team Named To Play Ireland – Nations Championship

All Blacks Head Coach Dave Rennie has named his team to play Ireland in the final round of the Nations Championship Southern Series

All Blacks Team To Play Ireland

New Zealand:
15: Damian McKenzie, 14: Will Jordan, 13: Quinn Tupaea, 12: Jordie Barrett, 11: Josh Moorby, 10: Ruben Love, 9: Cameron Roigard, 8: Ardie Savea (captain), 7: Luke Jacobson, 6: Tupou Vaa’i, 5: Patrick Tuipulotu, 4: Josh Lord, 3: Tyrel Lomax, 2: Codie Taylor, 1: Ethan de Groot.
Replacements:
16: Asafo Aumua, 17: Xavier Numia, 18: Fletcher Newell, 19: Anton Segner, 20: Peter Lakai, 21: Cortez Ratima, 22: Anton Lienert-Brown, 23: Caleb Clarke.

Unavailable for selection: Fehi Fineanganofo (shoulder), Leroy Carter (shoulder).

Dave Rennie has selected Josh Moorby for his first Test start on the left wing with Will Jordan retained on the right wing for this crucial Nations Championship match.

Ruben Love starts again at first five-eighth while Quinn Tupaea returns at centre.

In the forwards Anton Segner keeps his bench spot with Ardie Savea captaining the All Blacks from Number 8 against Ireland.

Rennie has made four changes and one positional change to the starting fifteen that beat Italy last weekend. Tupou Vaa’i shifts from lock to blindside flanker, while Josh Lord and Patrick Tuipulotu start at lock.

In the backs, midfielder Quinn Tupaea returns to the starting line-up, and Josh Moorby has been promoted from the bench to start at wing after an impressive debut in Wellington.

Recent debutants Anton Segner and Xavier Numia will also have the opportunity to add a second cap from the bench. Numia will be joined by Asafo Aumua and Fletcher Newell in the reserve front row.

Peter Lakai and Caleb Clarke also return to the 23, adding to a bench full of impact players.

“Ireland have been one of the best sides in the world for a number of years now. They are very experienced and well-coached and will have belief on the back of their recent success here. We are well aware of the challenge they pose.

“We have selected a strong team that allows some of the combinations we have tested to continue building, and rewards players who have impressed over the last two rounds, including some of our recent debutants,” Rennie said.

“We know how important our bench will be against a team as tenacious as Ireland, so have selected players who we know are capable of making an impact and influencing the course of the game.”

Saturday 18th July (NZT)
All Blacks vs Ireland, 7.10PM (NZT), Eden Park, AUCKLAND.

News Source: allblacks.com