All Blacks captain Ardie Savea stood down with immediate effect

Monday, 27 July 2026 at 08:51

bySteven Smith

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea has been stood down with immediate effect after head coach Dave Rennie confirmed the star back-rower will miss the start of New Zealand's tour of South Africa.

The decision comes as Rennie named a 44-man squad for the trip, with Savea set to join the group later after being granted an extended break following an extraordinary run of rugby over the past 18 months.

While the move is only temporary, it means the All Blacks will have a different captain for the opening fixtures of the tour before Savea returns ahead of the blockbuster Test series against the Springboks.

Why Ardie Savea has been stood down

Rennie revealed the decision was made to ensure Savea is physically and mentally refreshed for one of the biggest challenges in world rugby.

Since January 2025, Savea has barely had a break. He featured for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby Pacific before linking up with the All Blacks for the international season. He then headed to Japan to play for Kobe before returning to captain New Zealand throughout the Nations Championship.

Rather than continue that relentless schedule, the coaching staff felt now was the ideal opportunity to give their skipper time away from the game.

Speaking after announcing his squad, Rennie said:

"Ardie has been training and playing since January 2025. He had that season there, then went away with the All Blacks, came to Kobe and then straight into the Nations Championship. So, we need to find a window where we can freshen him up.

"This seemed like an obvious time, so it was a pretty simple decision."

Dave Rennie explains decision

The All Blacks boss admitted Savea would happily have continued playing but insisted the move was made with the long-term picture in mind.

"It's a decision that we've made on what we think's best for him. Ardie would plug on, but it comes to a head at some stage, and it's such a big series.

"Freshening him up prior to those four Tests was essential. We could have left him out of the last three and tried to freshen him up that way, but it was important to us, and it was important to him to play. We think this is a really good compromise.

"He could have come on tour, and we might only have played him in one of those games, but we felt just getting his head out of footy and getting him away a little bit. We trust him to do the work and turn up in good nick.

"He will arrive 10 days before the first Test, so plenty of time, we think."

All Blacks Handed NIGHTMARE Route to 2027 Rugby World Cup Final

The All Blacks have been handed a potentially brutal route to the 2027 Rugby World Cup final after being drawn alongside hosts Australia in one of the tournament’s toughest pools.

With the competition expanding to 24 teams and introducing a Round of 16 for the first time, New Zealand can already map out their possible path to the Webb Ellis Cup — and it is packed with danger.

Pool A: A Trans-Tasman Showdown

New Zealand have been drawn in Pool A with Australia, creating one of the marquee clashes of the group stage. The All Blacks and Wallabies are expected to battle for top spot, with the pool winner earning a potentially more favourable route through the knockout stages.

Under the tournament format, the top two teams from each pool automatically qualify for the Round of 16, while the four best third-placed teams across all pools also advance.

For New Zealand, the objective will be simple: finish first in Pool A.

Round of 16: A Third-Placed Opponent Awaits

If the All Blacks top Pool A, they will face one of the tournament's best third-placed teams in the Round of 16.

Based on the draw, that opponent would come from Pools C, E or F. Possible challengers could include:

Samoa, USA or Japan (Pool E)
Wales or Tonga (Pool F)
One of the emerging contenders from Pool C

On paper, this should represent a manageable first knockout assignment for New Zealand.

Quarter-Final: Potential Clash with South Africa

The bracket reveals the first major obstacle on New Zealand's path.

Should the All Blacks win Pool A and progress through the Round of 16, they are likely to face the winner of Pool B in the quarter-finals. Defending champions South Africa are overwhelming favourites to top that group, which also contains Italy, Georgia and Romania.

That means the Rugby Championship rivals could be set for another World Cup knockout classic, with the Springboks standing between New Zealand and the final four.

Given South Africa's recent dominance and World Cup pedigree, many observers view this as one of the most anticipated potential quarter-finals of the tournament.

Semi-Final: France Looms Large

If New Zealand overcome South Africa, the likely semi-final opponent would emerge from the opposite side of the bracket containing Pool E.

France are strong favourites to win Pool E, which also includes Japan, Samoa and the United States.

Les Bleus are expected to navigate their side of the draw and could set up a blockbuster semi-final against the All Blacks. A meeting between two of world rugby's most talented squads would undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the tournament.

Potential Final Opponents

Should New Zealand reach the final, several heavyweight nations could await.

The opposite half of the draw is expected to be led by:

Ireland
Scotland
Argentina
England

England's route appears favourable if they top Pool F, while Ireland and Scotland will again meet in the pool stage before potentially making deep runs into the knockout rounds.

Argentina, meanwhile, remain one of the dark horses after their impressive performances in recent World Cups.

Predicted Route to the Final

Assuming the major nations win their pools, the All Blacks' most likely pathway would be:

Pool Stage

Australia
Other Pool A opponents

Round of 16

Best third-placed qualifier (from Pools C, E or F)

Quarter-Final

South Africa (Pool B winner)

Semi-Final

France (Pool E winner)

Final

Ireland, England, Scotland or Argentina

Quiz: Name these 10 retro rugby players

From jaw-dropping tries to unforgettable moments (and yes, some questionable haircuts), these players defined a golden era of the game. If their names don’t instantly come to mind, we suggest a quick trip to YouTube to jog your memory. Trust us, it’s worth it.

Ready to test your knowledge? Let’s see if you’ve still got it. Good luck!