Planet Rugby breaks down five key threads from Dave Rennie's 44-man tour squad. The headline analytical point is that Rennie has deliberately addressed the All Blacks' forward mass problem — selecting the uncapped Tupou Ta'eiloa (133kg loosie) and Siale Lauaki (swing prop) as bolters who give the pack the kind of destructive, high-tonnage presence that's been missing since Frizell headed to Japan. The return of Fabian Holland also frees up Tupou Vaa'i to trial the six jersey more consistently, something the coaching staff have been unable to do properly due to lock depth constraints.
Beyond the size question, the piece argues Rennie is running a parallel operation: winning the series while using the tour's length and opponent variety to stress-test his World Cup options. That includes resolving some veteran questions — most notably whether Beauden Barrett is still a genuine Test-level performer when fit and playing — alongside the obvious auditions for the uncapped and lightly-capped fringe players. Ardie Savea's late arrival (with Codie Taylor assuming tour captaincy in the interim) and a planned 6-2 bench split in at least one provincial match signal that Rennie is already mapping his matchday structures for Australia 2027.