Planet Rugby breaks down the winners and losers from Rennie's 44-man squad for the Greatest Rivalry tour. On the plus side, three uncapped players earn call-ups — versatile prop Siale Lauaki, explosive young back-rower Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa, and Chiefs fly-half Josh Jacomb — while Fabian Holland's inclusion after injury is notable given his rapid rise to World Rugby breakthrough player of the year. Codie Taylor gets the captaincy for the tour's opening legs while Savea is deliberately rested after a non-stop run since January, a move the piece frames as a potential masterstroke heading into the Test series. On the losing side, Du'Plessis Kirifi's omission stands out — the piece calls it one of the biggest shocks given his central role in the Hurricanes' Super Rugby title — with his lack of positional versatility cited as the key factor. Injuries to Scott Barrett, Tamaiti Williams, and Leicester Fainga'anuku also shape the squad significantly, with Williams' absence at loosehead particularly costly given his status as Rennie's first-choice number one.
All Blacks squad for SA tour: Who's in, who's out, and what it means for the Boks series
A detailed winners-and-losers breakdown of Rennie's All Blacks tour squad — covering the uncapped inclusions, the Savea rest strategy, Kirifi's shock snub, and the injury absences that reshape New Zealand's depth ahead of the Bok Tests.
Jake White: Henry's All Blacks return is a 'masterстroke' — and he's no ordinary selector
White calls Henry's return a masterstroke — not because of his selector credentials, but because of the psychological and cultural weight he brings to a rebuilding All Blacks camp. White also makes a pointed broader argument about the game's failure to learn from history, using his own 2007 World Cup experience as a case study.
Keo & Zels: Stubborn All Blacks policy make Boks smile
The boys love that New Zealand keep picking their second-best, long may it continue.
Barrett ruled out of South Africa tour with back injury requiring surgery
Scott Barrett faces back surgery and is ruled out for up to five months, missing the four-Test series against the Springboks in August and September as well as the July Nations Championship Tests — with his All Blacks captaincy already under question ahead of Dave Rennie's first squad announcement.
Junior Boks take World Cup confidence from NZ dogfight
Foote and Norton reflect on what a grinding draw against New Zealand reveals about where the Junior Boks are — and what still needs fixing — ahead of their World Cup title defence in Georgia.
Hooker targeting All Blacks opener after shoulder surgery, July Tests ruled out
Ethan Hooker is targeting the opening All Blacks Test in The Greatest Rivalry series after shoulder surgery, with the 23-year-old ruled out of all July Tests against England, Scotland and Wales.