All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026

@chris-b. said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@kiwimurph said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@act-crusader said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@kiwimurph I watched some of his games and quite a few highlights and what struck me is many of the good plays he was making were winger type plays with a 13 on his back, rather than more traditional centre/midfield stuff.

Yep. Add in that he has definitely lost speed/explosiveness and it's a tough road back.

Seems very odd that they've named him as an outside back rather than a midfielder. I thought he looked cooked as a test wing last year - and they've effectively named seven wings (assuming DMac will start at fullback in the tests). I'd hope (and expect?) to only see him at centre.

Also odd that they list Vai has a lock but they seem now to favour him as a blindside. So why isn't he included as a loose forward? And, yes, they seem to have an excess of outside backs. DMac named as a 10, but really is only a back-up. It seems the classifications around loose forwards/locks and inside/outside backs are a bit of a lottery these days. Rieko is clearly seen as the back-up centre, so why not list him there?

@chris-b. said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@kiwimurph said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@act-crusader said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@kiwimurph I watched some of his games and quite a few highlights and what struck me is many of the good plays he was making were winger type plays with a 13 on his back, rather than more traditional centre/midfield stuff.

Yep. Add in that he has definitely lost speed/explosiveness and it's a tough road back.

Seems very odd that they've named him as an outside back rather than a midfielder. I thought he looked cooked as a test wing last year - and they've effectively named seven wings (assuming DMac will start at fullback in the tests). I'd hope (and expect?) to only see him at centre.

And there are only five midfield backs, excluding Ioane. With three of them in the test 23, Ioane has to be at the very least midfield cover from the bench in the second-string team.

Come on fellas it doesn’t really matter what the media release or website says.

I think for the provincial games we will see DMac or Beaudie start at 10, but equally will start at 15.

Jordan will be used exclusively as a starting winger but may cover fullback within games.

Jordie will start all important matches at 2nd 5 but ALB and Jim will get provincial starts. QT to start first test at 13 and then it may be horses for courses.

A lot of competition for the left wing spot for tests but will be interesting if we see Moorby or Carter at 14 for the provincial games.

Hurricanes having four props in the All Blacks - I prayed for days like this.

@act-crusader said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@zedsdeadbaby said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

My fear is some Saffa brute takes out Roigard and we are screwed

I’m more worried about Love getting knocked out and us reverting to one of the old guard at 10.

I have a little more faith in Preston doing the job if required.

Wondering what the plan is if Love gets knocked out?

Somewhat inclined to think it would be Beauden to 10.

The alternative is DMac to 10, probably Jordan to 15, Clarke to left wing and Moorby to right - BB onto the bench. Which is very disruptive.

Or DMac to 10, Beauden to 15 - which again is more disruptive than vice-versa and I have a preference for BB 10, DMac 15 if they're paired together.

@act-crusader said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@gt12 said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@no-quarter said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@jet said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@reprobate said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@kirwan said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

Blackadder and Bell real head scratchers. Is Blackadder going to be a midweek captain maybe?

Zero surprise with either for me.

Blackadder is the closest player to Jacobson, and regardless of what you think of his selection it would be hard to argue that he doesn't fit the Rennie work ethic criteria.

Bell's throwing is much improved, and he's very good around the park - I reckon he's clearly 4th.

There has been a Blackadder shaped hole in the squad for a long time.

I welcome the return of the Ruck Leper. Limbs everywhere.

Onya Ethan. Rip in.

I've been as scathing of Blackadder as anyone, but he actually had his best season last year and had clearly worked on his physical impact winning the collisions and putting in dominant tackles. I believe there were stats that indicated he was leading the way in that regard or close to it. I actually picked him in my original squad.

I like the consistency here - we have three guys to play 7 who are all workers and personally I think Blackadder is the best like for like replacement of Jacobson at 7.

I'd like to know the plan for 6 and what is going on with Parker. Still a question mark and I wonder whether he is a placeholder for Frizell.

Well what we do know is Parker will be well rested for this tour….

Surely Frizell is out of the equation completely.

To my understanding, Frizell is the same situation as Mounga. Can only be called upon if there is an injury.

@frank said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

Our two vulnerabilities are our inferior scrum to the Boks and over reliance on Roigard.

Two players we can ill afford to get injured are Roigard and de Groot. I think we're pretty strong at hooker and tighthead prop - without Big Tamaiti, I'm a bit apprehensive about our looseheads behing EdG.

@chris-b. said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@act-crusader said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@zedsdeadbaby said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

My fear is some Saffa brute takes out Roigard and we are screwed

I’m more worried about Love getting knocked out and us reverting to one of the old guard at 10.

I have a little more faith in Preston doing the job if required.

Wondering what the plan is if Love gets knocked out?

Somewhat inclined to think it would be Beauden to 10.

The alternative is DMac to 10, probably Jordan to 15, Clarke to left wing and Moorby to right - BB onto the bench. Which is very disruptive.

Or DMac to 10, Beauden to 15 - which again is more disruptive than vice-versa and I have a preference for BB 10, DMac 15 if they're paired together.

Barrett in the team in any position is the most disruptive.

@booboo said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@landers92 said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@booboo well yeah, no Kirifi clearly is a talking point lol

I'll rephrase.

Should it be?

certainly is a massive talking point on SM...plenty telling him he should bail and go play for Samoa. Makes you wonder how much people really watch rugby these days?

Always recal a British player saying 20+ years back they got stopped in the street by some old lady telling him about the ABs and why they were better and why they'd win, in the past I think by and large Kiwi fans were onto it, nowadays, all the tik-tok fans!

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@booboo said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@landers92 said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@booboo well yeah, no Kirifi clearly is a talking point lol

I'll rephrase.

Should it be?

certainly is a massive talking point on SM...plenty telling him he should bail and go play for Samoa. Makes you wonder how much people really watch rugby these days?

Always recal a British player saying 20+ years back they got stopped in the street by some old lady telling him about the ABs and why they were better and why they'd win, in the past I think by and large Kiwi fans were onto it, nowadays, all the tik-tok fans!

I'm convinced the vast majority of people commenting on social media only consume the game through highlight reels and clips of player interviews and gym sessions.

I think there's a good enough mix of size, power, smarts, speed and experience to really push the Springboks on this tour. If we don't win the tour then so be it, as long as we continue to show positive progress. Under Razor the ABs were so up and down in performance, and it was difficult to understand where the hell we were heading. I'm more optimistic with Rennie.

We've got to back the players that have been selected and hopefully they'll respond by getting on the same page and playing a style of rugby we can all get onboard with. We've already seen so much improvement in three tests, let's hope this squad will continue to take strides.

From those newbies that have been selected I'm really excited to see how those big guys go, Tupou Ta'eiloa and Lauaki in particular.

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@booboo said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@landers92 said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

@booboo well yeah, no Kirifi clearly is a talking point lol

I'll rephrase.

Should it be?

certainly is a massive talking point on SM...plenty telling him he should bail and go play for Samoa. Makes you wonder how much people really watch rugby these days?

Always recal a British player saying 20+ years back they got stopped in the street by some old lady telling him about the ABs and why they were better and why they'd win, in the past I think by and large Kiwi fans were onto it, nowadays, all the tik-tok fans!

Bunch of rumours on SM there's off field reasons for his omission.

With Rennie keeping a tight ship we may never know.

Sorry @act-crusader you're on the wind up with the BB captain thing right?

So many good options and other captains and they pick a non captain that possibly won't even get past this year? I can't see it eh.

So good going to SA with a decent set of props and locks.

It's not like we are relying on the Roigard - Love combo or anything...

@berniescorner said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:

It's not like we are relying on the Roigard - Love combo or anything...

Yeah - that 9-10 axis is a real concern in the squad. The options in either position are a real step down.

Injury aside, this tour gives a number of players the opportunity to really make thier mark and press for a spot in the 23, maybe even to start.

I reckon, Hooker, at least 1 prop, a lock, 6, 7, 13 and 11 in the starting 15 are all there to be claimed, while we have starters, I dont think thier form has been such that they cannot be dropped.

@canes4life at 29 years if i were DPK i woūld be using any sort of out clause right now

Time to head off an earn big money

Just on Harkin i believe he will be 28 around April next year

Just wondering why he was never picked up at a younger age through the Wellington system or just case of a late bloomer ?