World Cup final heartbreak drives Shannon Frizell's All Blacks comeback ahead of Bledisloe

Shannon Frizell has been recalled to the All Blacks squad for the Bledisloe Cup series after three seasons in Japan, with the loose forward citing the pain of the 2023 Rugby World Cup final defeat as the driving force behind his return to Test rugby.

Frizell’s last appearance in the black jersey was that 12-11 loss to South Africa in Paris, a night that turned on a yellow card he received for a cleanout on Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi. With Frizell temporarily off the field and captain Sam Cane subsequently sent off, New Zealand were reduced to 14 men for roughly 80 per cent of the final — a deficit they could not overcome despite a spirited effort.

Now back in New Zealand with Tasman following stints with Toshiba Brave Lupus in Japan’s Rugby League One, Frizell admitted the memory of that night has never fully left him. “When you don’t get the job done at the World Cup, you kind of have that feeling in the back of your head — maybe I’ll still feel like I can make the best rugby still in front of me, and I’ll give myself another chance,” he told media on Monday.

Frizell acknowledged mixed emotions on his return. “I’m excited to be back. Kind of nervous as well, but it’s good to be back,” he said, adding that his time in Japan had broadened his game. “I enjoyed the rugby in Japan. You get to learn a different type of rugby. It’s a little bit different from New Zealand.”

Despite clips of Frizell steamrolling Auckland defenders during his NPC return going viral, the loose forward was candid about where he stands. “I feel like I’m not there yet, but I know I’m capable of doing the job,” he said.

His recall comes at a timely moment for coach Scott Robertson, who is navigating a back-row injury crisis. Both captain Ardie Savea and Luke Jacobson — two first-choice starters — are currently unavailable, leaving a significant gap that Frizell’s physicality and experience are expected to help fill.

Frizell is signed on a short-term contract that runs through to the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, making clear that the tournament in Australia is the ultimate target for his second stint in All Blacks colours.