The big All Blacks selection talking points ahead of Scotland
Wednesday, 5 November 2025
There will be changes - that’s a given on the back of injuries to brothers Scott and Jordie Barrett.
Neither will feature on the team sheet to face Scotland when All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson’s team is made public at 9pm on Thursday night (NZT).
While captain Scott Barrett (gash to the leg) is expected to feature again before the season is over, Jordie is returning home due to knee and ankle injuries, sustained against Ireland in Chicago.
With changes in the midfield and second row guaranteed, here’s this week’s big All Blacks selection talking points.
Midfield
Jordie Barrett’s season is over, making it all the more surprising the medical team strapped up his leg in Chicago and allowed him to attempt to play on.
The good news is the All Blacks aren’t short of midfield options, starting with the combination - Quinn Tupaea and Leicester Fainga’anuku - that finished the victory over Ireland to kickoff the tour.
The All Blacks could also ask Anton Lienert-Brown to play either No 12 or centre, while Billy Proctor and Rieko Ioane are other potential options in the No 13 jersey.
Barrett’s injury, sustained early in Chicago, also denied the coaches a second look at Tupaea at centre after he impressed there against the Wallabies in Bledisloe II.
Should they still be intrigued to see him play in the No 13 jersey, a Chiefs combination of Lienert-Brown-Tupaea could be in order.
Having confirmed on Wednesday morning Barrett was returning to New Zealand, the All Blacks have so far refrained from calling in injury cover.
Lock
The All Blacks can’t take a trick in the second row.
Having already lost Patrick Tuipulotu and Tupou Vaa’i ahead of their bid for a first Grand Slam since 2010, captain Scott Barrett will miss the Scotland test after sustaining a gash to his leg in Chicago.
That leaves rookie Fabian Holland (10 tests) as the most experienced lock left standing, followed by Josh Lord (nine) and Sam Darry (six).
The All Blacks have added Blues and All Blacks XV lock Josh Beehre to their squad as cover.
Expect him to remain just that, leaving the other three to be named in the 23 to play in Edinburgh on Sunday morning.
Holland and Lord, who was called into action early in Chicago after Barrett went down, are expected to start, leaving Darry to be named in an All Blacks 23 for the first time since October last year, when he started against Japan in Yokohama.
Loose forwards
Much like the midfield, the loose forwards mix remains a contentious area when it comes to selections.
The (8-6) Peter Lakai, Ardie Savea and Simon Parker combination did a job the past two tests, but do the selectors believe this is the trio to move forward with?
If so, they’ll surely get another run against Scotland ahead of next week’s humdinger against England at Twickenham.
Wallace Sititi, excellent off the bench in the Windy City, Du’Plessis Kirifi, who last played vs the Boks on September 13, Luke Jacobson and Samipeni Finau are the other loose forwards in the squad.
Arguably the best loose forward not named Savea during Super Rugby, Jacobson must be wondering what he must do to get a crack.
Will there be any unforced changes?
Perhaps one or two, but don’t be surprised if not.
After all, Robertson is desperate to finish the year with a Grand Slam, and he doesn’t need told the talent-laden Scotts sense this is arguably their best opportunity to break their duck against the All Blacks.
In other words, now isn’t the time to make changes for the sake of giving barely utilised players a run.
That said, there might be a temptation to give hooker George Bell a test on the back of his brilliant NPC campaign with Canterbury, be it in the No 2 jersey or off the bench.
There would also be no harm in turning to Jacobson, Kirifi or Finau if they want to mix up the loose forwards.
Possible All Blacks team to face Scotland: Will Jordan, Leroy Carter, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Quinn Tupaea, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Cam Roigard, Peter Lakai, Ardie Savea (capt), Simon Parker, Fabian Holland, Josh Lord, Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: George Bell, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Sam Darry, Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Rieko Ioane, Damian McKenzie