WELLINGTON, New Zealand – In his first major selection as head coach of the All Blacks, Dave Rennie has built a future-focused 34-man squad for July’s Nations Championship test matches against France, Italy and Ireland, appointing Japan-based star Ardie Savea as the team’s new permanent captain.
Savea steps into the leadership role vacated by lock Scott Barrett, who is sidelined from the upcoming series with a back injury. Even if fit, Barrett would likely have given up the captaincy under Rennie’s new coaching regime, which prioritizes long-term team building. Barrett took over the captaincy in 2024 under former head coach Scott Robertson, leading the side through 11 test matches throughout his tenure. Savea, who currently plies his trade with Japan’s Kobe Steelers, is no stranger to leading the All Blacks: he has already stepped in as stand-in captain for 13 tests in previous fixtures when Barrett was unavailable, earning the respect of teammates and coaching staff for his leadership on and off the pitch.
Announced publicly on Monday by New Zealand Rugby chairman David Kirk, the squad features four uncapped first-time All Blacks, three of whom hail from this year’s Super Rugby champion Hurricanes franchise. Prop Xavier Numia, wingers Josh Moorby and Fehi Fineanganofo all earn their first call-ups, joined by Germany-born backrower Anton Segner of the Auckland-based Blues.
Segner’s path to the All Blacks is an unconventional one. After representing Germany at the under-16 level, he earned a six-month scholarship to Nelson College in New Zealand, where he quickly impressed enough to stay. He went on to captain the school’s top first XV side, represented the Christchurch Crusaders at age-group level, and earned a spot with the Tasman Makos in New Zealand’s domestic National Provincial Championship before signing with the Blues in 2021. Along the way, he represented New Zealand at both the secondary school and under-20 international levels, becoming eligible to wear the black jersey at the senior test level.
The Hurricanes’ dominant Super Rugby run is heavily reflected in Rennie’s selection, with 11 players from the champion franchise earning call-ups. The team’s standout playmaker Ruben Love, who was named Player of the Match in Saturday’s Super Rugby final, will compete for the starting flyhalf (No. 10) position alongside established veterans Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett. Four Hurricanes front-row players – Numia, hooker Asafo Aumua, and props Pasilio Tosi and Tyrel Lomax – give the franchise significant influence over the All Blacks’ starting tight five, while veteran hooker Codie Taylor retained his spot in the squad despite a underwhelming Super Rugby season this year.
At 35, Beauden Barrett was included in the squad despite only holding an outside chance of making the 2027 Rugby World Cup roster, a decision that rewards his veteran experience in the program. At scrumhalf, Cam Roigard and Cortez Ratima made the cut, along with Kyle Preston, who was selected over his Crusaders teammate Noah Hotham. Veteran midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown returns from his club stint in Japan to join Jordie Barrett, Billy Proctor and Quinn Tupaea as available center options. For Fineanganofo, the call-up comes after a record-breaking Super Rugby season that saw him score 17 tries, the most in the competition this year. He is set to join England’s Newcastle Falcons at the end of 2025.
Rennie, who assembled the squad alongside assistant coach Neil Barnes and former World Cup-winning All Blacks head coach Graeme Henry, emphasized that the selection aligns with the team’s new playing identity for the 2025 campaign. The side will prioritize a combination of high-tempo attacking rugby and uncompromising physicality, he said.
“This group has the ability to not only rise to the intense demands of international test rugby, but also play with optimism and brutality,” Rennie said in a statement following the announcement. “We look forward to gathering as a group on Wednesday to begin preparations for three massive tests against France, Italy and Ireland.”
He extended special congratulations to the four uncapped rookies, noting that all earned their spots through standout domestic campaigns. “Special congratulations must go to our four uncapped players. These men have each had an outstanding Super Rugby season and fully deserve their place in the squad,” Rennie said. “It will be a massively proud time for their families, friends and team mates.”
Of new captain Savea, Rennie added: “Congratulations also to our new All Blacks captain, Ardie Savea, who we know will do an outstanding job of leading this team on and off-field. Ardie is highly respected by his teammates and cares deeply about the black jersey.”
The All Blacks’ Nations Championship campaign kicks off at Christchurch against France on July 4, before moving to Wellington for a test against Italy on July 11, and wrapping up in Auckland against Ireland on July 18.