Stephen Donald has singled out Josh Moorby's selection on the left wing as one of the genuine surprises in Dave Rennie's All Blacks squad for the Ellis Park Test. Speaking on The Aftermatch, Donald acknowledged that Moorby — who took a winding path through Southland, Northland, Waikato and Montpellier before re-establishing himself at the Hurricanes — would have been a long shot at the start of the Super Rugby Pacific season. But his standout campaign made him impossible to ignore, and Donald argues he possesses genuine X-factor rather than mere reliability. The other headline surprise was second-row Fabian Holland's inclusion despite his recent return from a serious shoulder injury, a selection Donald views as a measure of how highly Rennie rates him after his 2024 form.
Stephen Donald backs Moorby's X-factor to justify surprise All Blacks selection against Boks
Donald flags Moorby and Holland as the two genuine surprises in Rennie's Ellis Park squad, arguing Moorby's X-factor — earned the hard way through a long domestic and overseas journey — has made him impossible to overlook for the Bok series opener.
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.