Dave Rennie's All Blacks touched down in Cape Town on Friday to a welcome from more than 4,000 black-clad fans at Cape Town Stadium, but the mood in camp is tempered by the tight timeline surrounding newly appointed captain Ardie Savea.
Savea remains in New Zealand for the opening legs of the 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' tour, with Rennie confirming the back row will only link up with the squad after the Sharks fixture — 10 days out from the first Test against the Springboks. Veteran hooker Codie Taylor has been named tour captain to handle media and public duties in the interim.
Rennie defended the call on workload grounds, noting that Savea has played continuously since January 2025. The All Blacks arrived in Cape Town in three separate groups, with travel disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict forcing the squad to reroute via Hong Kong, Singapore and Perth rather than their planned Dubai connection.
The tour opener against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium is seven days away, with the Springbok Tests to follow in what amounts to a six-week, eight-match programme. The All Blacks have won just two of their last five Tests on South African soil.