Who are the THREE Uncapped players in the All Blacks squad to tour South Africa and USA?

The seven-week tour will take New Zealand across South Africa and the United States, featuring four matches against South African franchises and a four-Test series against the Springboks. With eight fixtures scheduled across six demanding weeks, Rennie has stressed that every member of the enlarged squad will be required to play a role.

The trio arrive through very different pathways, but each offers something distinctive. Lauaki is an athletic, two-sided prop from the Hurricanes’ formidable front-row production line, Tupou Ta’eiloa is a destructive No.8 with a rare physical profile, while Jacomb provides composure and versatility across the playmaking positions. Now, all three have the chance to turn a first All Blacks call-up into an unforgettable Test debut.

Siale Lauaki’s selection may have surprised some after he made only three starts during the Hurricanes’ Super Rugby Pacific title-winning campaign, but the 23-year-old has long been regarded as one of New Zealand rugby’s most exciting front-row prospects. Standing at 6ft 4in and weighing 125kg, Lauaki combines immense size with unusual mobility, sharp footwork and impressive handling skills.

The Wellington prop has also developed the versatility to operate on either side of the scrum, while his physicality in defence and ability to win collisions give him an attractive all-round skill set. Having represented New Zealand U20s and made three appearances for the All Blacks XV, Lauaki is not arriving entirely untested. His patience behind an experienced Hurricanes front row has also been noted by those around him.

With four Hurricanes props included in the touring squad, Lauaki is the latest product of one of Super Rugby’s most productive front-row systems. Rennie’s selection suggests the coaches see a player capable of becoming a long-term All Black.

Few players bring the same physical point of difference as Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa. The 22-year-old has developed into one of Super Rugby Pacific’s most destructive ball carriers, combining a powerful frame with the footwork and acceleration to beat defenders in open space with Moana Pasifika.

His ability was evident long before his professional breakthrough. A remarkable schoolboy try for Otago Boys’ High School, in which he fended off nine defenders, went viral and offered an early glimpse of the carrying threat that has since become his trademark. Tupou Ta’eiloa went on to captain the school’s First XV before building his senior career with Southland and the now defunct Super Rugby outfit.

After leading Super Rugby Pacific for carries during his breakthrough 2025 season, he returned as an even more influential performer in 2026. His 45 tackle busts were among the competition’s best, while his defensive accuracy, breakdown work and ability to win collisions demonstrate that he is far more than a one-dimensional wrecking ball.

Rennie described the powerful back-rower as offering a “genuine point of difference”, and with Ardie Savea the only established specialist No.8 in the touring group, Tupou Ta’eiloa could provide a unique weapon against the Springboks.

Josh Jacomb’s route into the All Blacks squad has been built through persistence, versatility and a series of outstanding performances for Taranaki. The 25-year-old playmaker can operate at fly-half or full-back and has already gained valuable international experience through the All Blacks XV, featuring against Georgia in 2024 before touring Europe in 2025.

Jacomb’s reputation rose significantly during the 2025 NPC campaign. He finished as the competition’s second-highest points scorer and received the Duane Monkley Medal at the New Zealand Rugby Awards. His extraordinary 30-point display against Auckland, which included a hat-trick of tries, set a new Taranaki top-division record and surpassed the previous mark held by Beauden Barrett.

Opportunities with the Chiefs have been limited by the presence of Damian McKenzie, but Rennie clearly values Jacomb’s composure and ability to cover multiple positions. His immediate route into the matchday side may be complicated by the depth at No.10, with Barrett confirmed to start against the Stormers after impressing the new head coach in training.

However, the All Blacks’ disrupted travel schedule has forced Rennie to select several matchday squads well in advance, potentially creating opportunities across the demanding tour. With four fly-halves in the 44-man group and eight matches to navigate, Jacomb’s versatility could prove invaluable — and a first Test cap may be closer than many expected.