Dave Rennie has largely stayed true to his word to select on form in his first Ardie Savea-led All Blacks squad stacked with attacking intent.
With a mix of physical, mobile forwards and hot-handed outside backs, there is no question Rennie’s All Blacks will attempt to play ball in this new era.
The Hurricanes were rewarded for their dominant championship-winning campaign with 11 players, including rookie prop Xavier Numia and wingers Josh Moorby and Fehi Fineanganofo who, with 17 tries each, broke the single-season Super Rugby record.
Eleven Chiefs is, perhaps, on the high side after they were humbled in the Super Rugby final but with five Crusaders, five Blues and one each from the Highlanders and Moana Pasifika, New Zealand’s two best teams provide the backbone of Rennie’s maiden All Blacks squad.
German-born Blues player of the year Anton Segner is the other uncapped inclusion after propelling past Hurricanes co-captain Du’Plessis Kirifi, who played eight tests under Scott Robertson last year.
“They’ve all had outstanding seasons,” Rennie said of his new caps at the announcement at the Feilding Yellows club. “Anton was the best Blues player. He’s been solid everywhere. He’s an excellent lineout forward and quality on the carry. He’s created a lot of turnovers post-tackle.
“If you look at pure numbers Anton has been incredible. His post-tackle numbers are in the 90s. He’s made really good decisions and he’s been really effective. Du’Plessis was unbelievable this time last year. Probably not as good numbers this year but he’s a really good player. He’s a good athlete, he’s got great work ethic. They’re discussions we had but Anton’s form has been irresistible.
“Fehi and Josh, they’ve both been outstanding out wide. They’ve finished well but they’ve got massive work ethic, the ability to beat people and create for others.
“Xavier, you don’t see too many looseheads like him. He’s been a big part of the go-forward for the Hurricanes and the ability to create quick ball. He’s scrummaged well and got a lot better in the last few years. It’s a great day for those guys.”
Rieko Ioane’s absence is the headline omission.
The 88-test veteran is the first player to be left out of the All Blacks after opting to take an overseas sabbatical. Once he returns from Irish club Leinster, Ioane will represent Auckland in the NPC and attempt to work his way back into the All Blacks.
Starting Crusaders halfback Noah Hotham and Highlanders midfielder Timoci Tavatavanawai are other notable absences.
“Rieko’s omission is more to do with the quality of what the players have done here,” Rennie said. “He was close, he was constantly in discussion. His form of late has been really good at Leinster. He’s played a bit of centre, a bit of wing, over there but in the end we felt there were other guys going better here.
“In South Africa, we’ll take 44 so having players that are versatile will be important because you play multiple games a week.
“Noah is unlucky. We’ve got four or five really good halfbacks. Kyle [Preston] coming in – his speed to the breakdown and quality of distribution was key for us. We want to play at a really high tempo so he got the nod.”
Fineanganofo, at this stage, remains signed to join Newcastle at the end of the year but, after breaking into the All Blacks, he could well attempt to extricate himself from that two-year contract.
“He’s available until November. We made a decision to pick him and that’s on form,” Rennie said. “I’ll let others work through that process. We’ve got a test against France and we want the best players available. Fehi is one of those.”
Segner started playing rugby in Germany as a 10-year-old when the 2011 World Cup was held in New Zealand. He witnessed the haka and rose in the early hours to watch the All Blacks which inspired him to move to Nelson as a teenager to pursue his rugby dream.
He informed his family of his All Blacks call-up at 4am in Germany and they watched the announcement at 1am the following day.
“To be a part of this team now words can’t do it justice,” Segner said. “It’s a very special time for myself and my loved ones.”
Moorby, who returned from France this year to star for the Hurricanes on the edge, didn’t tell his family of his inclusion, leaving them to find out through the live announcement and him to confess to telling white lies about his movements on Monday.
Numia spoke with emotion about the pride he holds in carrying his grandfather’s name to the world stage.
Auckland-raised Fineanganofo, despite signing with Newcastle at the start of the year, long had visions of following his schoolmates.
“Being a Grammar boy, I saw all the All Blacks that used to go there so this has always been my dream ever since going there.”
As for his future beyond this year, Fineanganofo said: “I’ll leave that to my agent. I trust he’s going to do what’s best for me.”
While Savea assumes the permanent captaincy from the injured Scott Barrett as widely expected, he may miss some tests this season after effectively playing 18 months straight.
“He did a whole Super season last year, a full international and then came to us at Kobe so he didn’t get much of a break,” Rennie said. “He’s available for this first series. We might need to manage him at some stage this year just to make sure he’s going well at the end of it.
“With Ardie in his Pasifika way, he tried to bat off the captaincy and say ‘Whatever you decide I’ll support. If you want to go with someone else I’ll get behind them.’
“We know Ardie is not a massive talker but he’ll lead through actions. Having him as captain there’s massive respect. He’s very experienced. We think it’s best for the team and he’ll only get better.”
Captaining the All Blacks is nothing new for Savea but, alongside Rennie, this is now his team to lead, unite and inspire.
“The biggest difference is the pressure and responsibility,” Savea said. “You’re not only representing the guys in the team but a whole nation and every single Kiwi around the world. That can either burden you or you can walk towards it and embrace it.”
With Fabian Holland, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Tamaiti Williams and Scott Barrett to return from injury at some stage - the latter two no guarantee this year - Rennie has further depth at his disposal.
For now, though, Rennie’s next task is ensuring his new era starts with victory against France in Christchurch in two weeks.
With his first squad locked in, the real work begins.
FORWARDS:
Hookers: Asafo Aumua, Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho
Props: Ethan de Groot, George Bower, Xavier Numia*, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi
Locks: Tupou Vaa’i, Patrick Tuipulotu, Josh Lord, Sam Darry
Loose forwards: Peter Lakai, Simon Parker, Ardie Savea (captain), Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson, Anton Segner*
BACKS:
Halfbacks: Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima, Kyle Preston
First five-eighths: Ruben Love, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie
Midfielders: Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Billy Proctor, Anton Lienert-Brown
Outside backs: Caleb Clarke, Fehi Fineanganofo*, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby*, Will Jordan
*denotes new cap
Liam Napier is a senior sports journalist and rugby correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.