John Kirwan's read on the All Blacks' Nations Championship squad is that the experimentation phase is nearly over — Rennie has used 50-plus players through 2026, but the November window is likely the last chance to trial fringe options before the Rugby World Cup squad crystallises. Kirwan identifies the lock selection as the only genuine surprise, with Jamie Hannah jumping Sam Darry and Patrick Tuipulotu despite both featuring in the series against the Boks. The subtext there is whether Rennie is hunting for a specialist six rather than a pure lock. In the back three, Kirwan sees Chay Fihaki's selection over Emoni Narawa as a bet on X-factor, while Leicester Fainga'anuku's dual role as outside back and loose forward remains the biggest talking point. For Springbok fans, the relevant context is that New Zealand's only losses in 2026 were their 3-1 series defeat to South Africa — and this entire squad-building exercise is framed around eventually solving that problem.
Kirwan: Nations Championship is Rennie's last tinkering window before All Blacks squad takes shape
Kirwan argues the Nations Championship is Rennie's final window to experiment before All Blacks selections firm up for the World Cup, with the lock call — Hannah over Darry and Tuipulotu — the one genuine surprise in an otherwise predictable squad.
Boks remain top but All Blacks close gap to 2.90 points after Nations Championship opener
South Africa stay top of the World Rugby Men's Rankings at 93.94 points but New Zealand have cut the gap to 2.90 after beating France, while Scotland climb to equal their all-time high of fifth following a record 47-38 win over Argentina in Córdoba.
Brown confirms post-2027 All Blacks move but eyes World Cup glory with Boks first
Springbok attack coach Tony Brown will join Dave Rennie's All Blacks staff from 2028, but remains committed to helping South Africa win a third successive World Cup title before his departure.
Tony Brown to join All Blacks backroom staff in 2028 after Springbok contract ends
NZR have confirmed Tony Brown will join the All Blacks' backroom staff in 2028 on a two-year contract, with the Springboks attack coach set to depart after the 2027 Rugby World Cup. It is the third time NZR have pursued Brown, having previously been rejected during the Foster and Robertson eras.
Rassie unmoved by Nations Championship log table
Erasmus says the Nations Championship log table changes nothing for the Boks — no bonus-point chasing, no tactical reshaping, just winning the next Test. The piece examines whether that philosophy holds up in a format where accumulated points, not knockout results, decide who reaches the final.
Hansen's Right to Back Himself — But the Boks' Five-Match Streak Tells a Different Story
Jean de Villiers acknowledges Hansen's logic but argues last year's results and performances make it hard to see the All Blacks closing the gap on the Boks — and the panel get genuinely animated over what a 2-2 series tiebreaker would even look like.