New All Blacks coach Dave Rennie and star No.8 Ardie Savea will spend an extra week in Japan after their club, Kobelco Kobe Steelers, booked a place in the Japan Rugby League One final - a result that delays their return to New Zealand at a critical juncture in the Test build-up.
Kobe powered into the decider with a 69-23 demolition of Tokyo Sungoliath in their semi-final, running in 11 tries. Savea was at the heart of it, crossing for two of them in a performance that underlined why he is regarded as one of the world's premier loose forwards. Kobe will face the winner of the other semi-final, between the Saitama Wild Knights and the Kubota Spears.
The extended Japanese campaign has direct consequences for the All Blacks. Rennie, who has taken over the national side, will now arrive home less than a month out from New Zealand's first Test of the year - against France in Christchurch on July 4. The new coach's squad is due to be named on June 22.
Savea's situation carries added significance. With incumbent captain Scott Barrett ruled out of rugby for up to five months after back surgery, Savea is widely expected to be anointed New Zealand's captain for the looming season. His form in Japan - and the leadership he has shown in driving Kobe to a final - only strengthens that case.
He is not the only player with All Blacks implications still in action in Japan. Centre Anton Lienert-Brown, also at Kobe, is in contention for a place in Rennie's first squad, while former Test lock Brodie Retallick remains part of the Steelers' campaign. On the other side of the semi-final, former All Blacks captain Sam Cane lined up for Tokyo Sungoliath, picking up a late yellow card as his side were overwhelmed.
The squad naming on June 22 gives Rennie only a narrow window to integrate his Japan-based contingent before the French arrive, making the timing of Kobe's final run a genuine factor in his planning. A title tilt is a fitting reward for a strong club season, but it compresses an already tight runway to prepare a new-look New Zealand side for a demanding home opener.
For Rennie, the balancing act is delicate. The All Blacks will want their likely captain fresh and firing - yet Savea arriving on the back of a championship run, rather than a semi-final exit, may prove the better outcome for a player set to carry the weight of expectation into 2026.
