The countdown to Dave Rennie's first All Blacks squad of the season is on, and the Super Rugby Pacific finals are shaping up as the final audition. New Zealand's new head coach will name a 34-man group on June 22 at the Feilding Yellows Rugby Club, with a demanding July ahead: France in Christchurch, Italy in Wellington and Ireland in Auckland.
It is a schedule with little margin for error, and form in the knockout rounds is expected to carry real weight. The thinking is straightforward — do-or-die finals tend to bring the best out of players, and Rennie's staff will be watching closely as the contenders are whittled down.
At halfback, Cameron Roigard looks an obvious cornerstone, his blend of running threat and tempo suited to the counter-attacking identity Rennie is building. The first-five picture is more open. Ruben Love has emerged as a genuine frontrunner to start at No 10, though the experience of Beauden Barrett is likely to keep the veteran in the conversation despite a patchy season by his own lofty standards.
Out wide, Rieko Ioane is expected to feature even after a year short on his best, while Anton Lienert-Brown returns to the mix following a sabbatical in Japan, adding midfield steel and versatility.
The selection will also be shaped by who is unavailable. Will Jordan is sidelined through injury, Richie Mo'unga remains out of the frame for the July window, Scott Barrett is out, and the long-term loss of Caleb Tangitau has thinned the back-three options. Those absences open the door for fresh faces.
Among the uncapped names being floated are locks Jamie Hannah and Naitoa Ah Kuoi, who could benefit from the second-row uncertainty, along with first-five alternative Josh Jacomb. For a coach keen to establish a physical, ball-in-hand style, the temptation to blood younger players with high ceilings will be real.
The broader debate centres on how heavily Rennie leans on Super Rugby form versus proven Test pedigree. Selecting experienced names carrying indifferent seasons sits a little awkwardly against a form-first message, and the back row in particular looks set to spark argument.
All of it remains projection until June 22. But with France, Italy and Ireland waiting, Rennie's first squad will offer the clearest signal yet of the direction he intends to take the All Blacks — and which players he trusts to get them there.
