All Blacks: Codie Taylor reveals what he expects from South Africa’s URC teams and gives blunt verdict on their Super Rugby absence
All Blacks stand-in captain Codie Taylor and his team-mates were a big hit with the crowd at their welcome event at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
All Blacks hooker and stand-in captain Codie Taylor expects tough challenges for his team in their games against South Africa’s United Rugby Championship (URC) outfits and said they are missed at Super Rugby level.
The men in black will take on all four of South Africa’s URC sides ahead of three clashes with the Springboks in Johannesburg (twice) and Cape Town, before Baltimore hosts the fourth and final Test on September 12.
New Zealand kick off their six-week tour against the Stormers at the DHL Stadium on August 7 and Taylor is looking forward to the challenge of taking on a South African club side, particularly the men from the Cape, who he last faced with the Crusaders in a thrilling 19-19 draw in Cape Town in 2019.
Shortly after rugby union turned professional in 1995, Super Rugby was launched in 1996 and the leading clubs from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa participated in the Super Rugby tournament.
The competition was very successful and lasted for more than 20 years with clubs from Argentina and Japan also allowed to participate during that period.
However, after the Covid-19 pandemic struck, which curtailed the 2020 Super Rugby tournament, it forced a rethink in New Zealand and Australia, with travel being notably impacted.
New Zealand Rugby decided to breakaway from the competition, establishing the domestic Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament, before they and Australia joined forces to set up Super Rugby Trans-Tasman and then Super Rugby Pacific.
That meant teams from South Africa were forced to go their own way and their four leading franchises – the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers – joined the URC and have also been allowed to qualify for the European Champions Cup.
Fond memories of facing the Stormers
Taylor has fond memories of that Crusaders encounter against the Stormers and revealed that he misses going head-to-head against South African opposition in Super Rugby.
“It sucks not being able to come over here for Super Rugby. I used to love these tours, love the contest that we have against all the clubs,” he told reporters at the All Blacks’ welcome event in Cape Town on Friday.
“It’s a different brand of rugby to what we get back home, and you get a taste of it when you come over here. It’s (against) big physical men, great set-piece sides, but then also backs that can burn you pretty quick.
“So, I’m really relishing the opportunity to play these teams again. It’s been a long time. I was remembering back to I think it was 2019 being over here playing the Stormers, and what a game that was.
“You know, we drew so the competitiveness is always there, even though we don’t play each other a lot. It is what it is, and hey, who knows? Maybe one day it’ll be happening again.”
Taylor is not expected to be in action in the All Blacks’ tour opener against the Stormers as he sustained an injury during the All Blacks’ Nations Championship victory against Ireland earlier this month but he revealed that it’s not too serious.
“I just had a wee tweak to my calf. It wasn’t great, but these things happen, and I’m tracking really well personally, and should be back pretty soon,” he explained.
“So, it’s a good way to lead into some club games before some Test matches, hopefully but I’m all good now.”
Earlier this week, All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie revealed that first choice skipper Ardie Savea will not be part of the squad during the early part of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour as he takes a long overdue break after effectively playing rugby non-stop since January 2025.
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Filling in as captain for Savea
That decision means Taylor has been appointed to the leadership role on a temporary basis until Savea joins the All Blacks squad in the build-up to their clash against the Bulls in Pretoria on August 15.
The veteran hooker is looking forward to skippering the men in black until the arrival of Savea, who he feels deserves his break.
“I’m just taking that role while Ardie isn’t here, and it’s a huge privilege to lead good men like we have,” he said.
“And when Ardie gets back, he’ll have that role back again, and rightly so. Ardie’s been playing a lot of rugby over the last 18 months or so, so he deserves a break.
“And you know we’ve got a massive calendar leading up that we’re working into this year, and I don’t think it starts any harder than coming to play South Africa and the top teams here.
“So he deserves his break.”
