Savea leads nine new faces as Jason Holland names his first Blues squad for 2027

Ardie Savea will line up alongside eight other new arrivals as Blues head coach Jason Holland named his first squad for the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season, confirming a major rebuild centred on the All Blacks captain and a wave of young Auckland talent.

Savea, a centurion for the All Blacks and 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year, is the marquee addition, but the squad also features the return of Rieko Ioane after a sabbatical season at Leinster, where he won the URC title. New Zealand U20 graduate James Cameron joins Ioane in the midfield group.

Holland was candid about what Savea brings beyond his playing ability. “Ardie is one of the best players in the world, but what excites me just as much is what he brings to the group — his energy, his standards and the way he connects with people. Our young loosies will learn a huge amount just by being around him every day,” he said.

The squad has been significantly reshaped after the departures of Stephen Perofeta, AJ Lam, Dalton Papali’i, Hoskins Sotutu, Sam Nock and Kurt Eklund following the 2026 campaign. In their place, the Blues have leaned heavily on the Auckland production line. Tasman loose forward Eli Oudenryn, who made his debut from the wider training group late in 2026, is among the most eye-catching promotions, alongside Jack Lee, Leo Gordon, Jed Melvin, Mason Tupaea and Torian Barnes — all elevated from last season’s wider training group.

Barnes made 14 appearances in 2026 after an early call-up prompted by Cam Christie’s pre-season injury, while Tupaea featured in 16 games. Rory Taylor, who did not feature in the wider training group at all in 2026, earns a full squad place after a breakthrough season for North Harbour.

Highlanders pair Nic Shearer and Cam Millar have moved north, and capped Wallaby Darby Lancaster has crossed the Tasman from the Western Force in a relatively rare trans-Tasman switch.

Holland framed the blend of established stars and hungry local talent as the foundation for his tenure. “This is a squad with real belief in it. We’ve got some of the best players in the world sitting alongside young men from this region who are hungry to make the Blues jersey their own, and that’s exactly the mix you want,” he said.

On the club’s ambitions for the season, Holland added: “We want to be a team that’s tough up front and brave with the ball, and we’ll be demanding that we get better every week.”