Murray Mexted has given Dave Rennie's All Blacks a warm endorsement after their Nations Championship opening — three wins over France, Italy, and Ireland — while taking pointed shots at the Irish along the way. Mexted's core view is that the All Blacks have genuine X-factor across the squad, whereas Ireland, despite their world ranking, have developed an arrogance that their current form doesn't justify. He's blunt about it: they overrate themselves, and the Eden Park loss should prompt some reflection. On Rennie, Mexted says the new coach used the Italy fixture smartly to rotate and assess depth, and praises the backroom staff Rennie specifically requested. His overall verdict: a good start, but with plenty still to prove. For Bok fans tracking the Nations Championship standings, the All Blacks sit level on points with the Springboks — though behind on points difference — so how New Zealand develop under Rennie is directly relevant to what the Rugby Championship picture could look like later in the year.