All Blacks squad: Dave Rennie to stray from ‘historical’ norm for Fehi Fineanganofo while Ardie Savea question and Will Jordan decision looms
Hurricanes player Fehi Fineanganofo and an inset of All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie.
Dave Rennie is set to break from the norm when he names his first All Blacks squad since taking over the head coaching reins from Scott Robertson.
The new All Blacks boss is set to name his first squad on Sunday following the Super Rugby Pacific final between the Hurricanes and Chiefs.
New Zealand kick off their Nations Championship campaign and the 2026 international season with a clash with France in Christchurch before hosting Italy in Wellington, with their final home game of July being against Ireland at Eden Park.
Rennie’s selection is set to go against the norm with the new head coach reportedly including Super Rugby Pacific’s red-hot winger Fehi Fineanganofo, despite the fact he has signed a deal with the Newcastle Red Bulls.
Dave Rennie’s first selection calls
Historically, All Blacks prospects who have signed to leave New Zealand have been overlooked in favour of players who are remaining in Aotearoa, such as Mark Tele’a, but Rennie is straying from the norm according to a report by the New Zealand Herald.
Fineanganofo has enjoyed a stunning season for the Hurricanes, crossing for a record-equalling 16 tries in 2026, matching Ben Lam’s and Joe Roff’s tallies in a single season. The 23-year-old signed his deal with Newcastle before the start of the season when there was far less fanfare about his All Blacks prospects.
Earlier this month, rumours swirled that NZ Rugby was moving to block the speedster’s move to Newcastle amid interest from Rennie. NZ Rugby chief executive Steve Lancaster dispelled those suggestions, saying that the union doesn’t ‘block’ players from moving clubs.
“We don’t really do that. These are player choices,” Lancaster said on the possibility of buying Fineanganofo out of his contract.
“There’s nothing stopping Fehi from doing that, but it’s not a space we get into, looking to buy players out of contracts. Things have changed a lot for him since the end of last year. He’s taken every opportunity he’s been given so good on him.
“If he has a change of heart, that’s absolutely up to him. The ball is in his court around that. But even if he does honour his contract to Newcastle, he’s still young. He might well be back.”
According to the NZ Herald report, Rennie will include Fineanganofo in his squad for the first Test matches of the year regardless of his playing future. The ploy to select him could convince Fineanganofo to enter talks with Newcastle with the prospect of cancelling his contract with the possibility of representing New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup next year.
Outside back headaches with Will Jordan decision
Fineanganofo looks set to claim one of the hotly contested outside back spots in the squad along with clubmate Josh Moorby, who has impressed since making his return from France. Rennie has said that he will select on form, with the report suggesting that Caleb Clarke and Leicester Fainga’anuku will be selected along with the Hurricanes star.
Furthermore, Isaac Hutchinson has emerged as a real prospect, particularly with Will Jordan sidelined. The Crusaders back will almost certainly be included in Rennie’s squad, but he is set to miss the matches against France and Italy due to injury.
Fly-halves Beauden Barrett, Ruben Love and Damian McKenzie are all bound to be selected in the squad and can all play at full-back in Jordan’s absence, but Hutchinson has staked a strong claim for selection. The Herald highlights how Jordan was rushed back for the ‘Saders only to suffer a further setback and that Rennie will be wary of a repeat.
“The unknown, at this stage, is how Rennie plans to transition Rieko Ioane, Ardie Savea and Anton Lienert-Brown back from their respective offshore stints,” the report adds.
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Ioane is an option in the midfield for the All Blacks but has played much of his rugby on the wing for Leinster this season, while Lienert-Brown shone for Kobe as Rennie’s men clinched the Japan Rugby League One title.
The other big selection calls are set to be who the third scrum-half will be behind Cam Roigard and Noah Hotham with Cortez Ratima and Kyle Preston being the frontrunners.
Loose forwards
It is theorised that Ardie Savea, who is the standout candidate for the All Blacks captaincy in Scott Barrett’s absence, could in fact be rested for the July Tests with an eye on the Greatest Rivalry Series tour to South Africa.
Outside of the Savea question, Peter Lakai will surely feature, with Wallace Sititi, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Anton Segner, Luke Jacobson, Simon Parker, Christian Lio-Willie and Lucas Casey are all vying for inclusion. There is some doubt over Sititi following his concerning concussion.
