Savea and ten others ruled out as All Blacks name injury-hit Nations Championship squad

Dave Rennie will name a 36-man All Blacks squad on Tuesday morning NZT for the Nations Championship fixtures against Scotland, Wales, England, and an as-yet-unnamed opponent in the inaugural Finals Weekend at Twickenham — and he will do so without eleven of his most influential players.

Captain Ardie Savea headlines a lengthy absentee list that also includes Luke Jacobson, Ruben Love, Tyrel Lomax, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Shannon Frizell, Tamaiti Williams, Billy Proctor, Leroy Carter, Ollie Norris, and Caleb Clarke, all of whom are ruled out for the remainder of 2026.

The All Blacks arrive at the tour on the back of two convincing wins over Australia in the Bledisloe Cup, but the injury list has continued to grow since those victories, stretching Rennie’s depth across multiple positions.

Richie Mo’unga and Fehi Fineanganofo were both sidelined during the Bledisloe Cup series and have not been officially ruled out. Fineanganofo, who suffered a concussion and a calf injury, is considered the more likely of the two to return. Rennie has indicated Mo’unga could be available for the final two Tests of the tour, though the question of whether it is worth selecting a player who can only contribute limited game time remains open.

Jordie Barrett was withdrawn from the match-day 23 in Sydney with calf tightness but is not expected to miss significant time. Ethan Blackadder picked up a calf injury during the warm-up at Eden Park and his timeline remains unclear, though he would likely feature in the squad if declared fit. Patrick Tuipulotu also missed both Wallabies Tests with a calf injury, but a four-to-six-week recovery window would leave him available for the final three matches of the tour.

Crusaders utility back Leicester Fainga’anuku withdrew from Tasman’s Hilux NPC quarter-final against Northland due to concussion protocols but is expected to recover in time. Rennie hinted at Fainga’anuku’s inclusion after the 27-year-old missed the Bledisloe Cup squad, with the head coach keen to give him more game time.

The outside back positions will be particularly competitive. Rennie has options including one-Test winger Chay Fihaki, Emoni Narawa, newly eligible Kyren Taumoefolau, and Fainga’anuku, should he be considered for a wing role.

In the locks, with Jordie Barrett, Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i, and Josh Lord appearing to form the first-choice group, Rennie faces a straight choice between Jamie Hannah and Sam Darry for the remaining spot. Hannah earned the nod over Darry in the Bledisloe Cup squad, though Darry was a standout performer during July’s Tests and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.

Possible bolters for the squad include Taumoefolau, Highlanders loose-forward Lucas Casey, Blues and Tasman hooker Eli Oudenryn, and Otago captain Christian Lio-Willie, who could come into contention if Blackadder’s fitness remains uncertain.