Why did Du’Plessis Kirifi not make the All Blacks squad for Nations Championship?

Tuesday, 23 June 2026

ANALYSIS: 'Du'Plessis Kirifi deserved better.''

Countless Hurricanes' supporters would have uttered those four words - and possibly added a few oaths to ram the point home - when they discovered Kirifi had been snubbed by All Blacks selectors Dave Rennie, Graham Henry and Neil Barnes on Monday.

Was it a bombshell decision? It depends who you ask.

Bolted-on members of the Kirifi fan club will take a lot of convincing that the inspirational opensider flanker didn't get a raw deal.

Being left out of the 34-man squad for the three Nations Championship tests in July means Kirifi will remain at home while his 11 team-mates from the Hurricanes join the national squad under new All Blacks coach Rennie.

Sport can produce intoxicating highs and gut-twisting lows. Kirifi knows all about that.

On Saturday night he and fellow Hurricanes co-captain Jordie Barrett lifted the Super Rugby Pacific trophy after the massive win over the Chiefs in the final in the Cake Tin in Wellington.

Unlike Barrett, however, Kirifi had nothing to celebrate when he later took a call from All Blacks coach Rennie to say he had missed out on the squad to play France, Italy and Ireland in New Zealand.

It will be of no comfort to Kirifi to be told he wasn't the only one who had reason to feel aggrieved at missing the matches in Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland.

Some others - such as midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown - could be termed as fortunate to get the call-up to Rennie's squad.

Biggest losers

1 Du'Plessis Kirifi

Being a specialist No 7 has probably counted against Kirifi.

All six loose forwards picked for the Nations Championship can play several positions, and with captain Ardie Savea likely to start openside flanker, Kirifi's only chance of being in the match-day 23 was on the bench.

Peter Lakai, Luke Jacobson and the uncapped Anton Segner could also be lining-up to play at openside flanker if Savea is asked to play at No 8.

Kirifi's chances of making the 44-man squad for the tour of South Africa in August and September shouldn't be dismissed. He is a quality player who is accurate when making steals in rucks, and tackles like a mad dog chasing a rabbit.

It could be argued that Kirifi couldn't have done much more to make this squad.

His biggest issue could come back to versatility. If Rennie wants men who can fill several roles in the back row in South Africa, the candidates are lining up.

Blokes such as Ethan Blackadder, who can operate in all three roles, might be pushing for an air ticket to the Republic.

2 Noah Hotham

Preferred as the starting No 9 for the majority of the Crusaders' season, Hotham was solid and appeared to be in the running to earn a re-call after injury spiked his chances of joining the All Blacks on the northern tour last year.

No chance.

Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima and Kyle Preston have been selected as the halfbacks.

Roigard was an automatic selection. Ratima, who also toured the northern hemisphere last year, was used as a back-up to Xavier Roe at the Chiefs earlier in the year before being the preferred No 9.

Ratima didn't set the world on fire. Yet he did enough to sway the selectors.

Preston, who spent the season with the Crusaders on the bench behind Hotham and Louis Chapman, can kick well off both feet and is tough.

The Blues' Finlay Christie was a controversial pick by Scott Robertson for the northern tour last year, and hasn't done enough to break into this squad.

3 Rieko Ioane

A sabbatical to Irish club Leinster ended with Ioane winning a trophy at the weekend.

Leinster beat the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship final and Ioane, playing at centre, signed-off with one of his sharpest performances for the Dublin-based outfit by scoring an impressive try.

When he picked up the phone in Ireland, however, Ioane didn't get the news he wanted from Rennie.

He hasn't been invited to join the squad for the Nations Championship tests.

Ioane, who has played 88 tests since 2016, is still only 29. His ability to play at centre and wing is likely to mean he will be considered for the tour of South Africa later in the year.

Rennie said as much after naming his squad in Feilding.

4 Timoci Tavatavanawai

The Highlanders second five-eighth and inspirational leader was one of the hardest workers in a team which struggled against the heavyweights in Super Rugby Pacific.

Tavatavanawai was one of the top line-breakers and although he may have lost some pace, he can also play on the wing.

With lock Fabian Holland injured, loosehead prop Ethan de Groot was the only Highlanders player picked in the national squad.

Crusaders captain and No 12 David Havili, who can also operate at fullback, could also be considered unlucky. He may be called in for the trip to South Africa where his leadership could be vital in the midweek games.

5 Christian Lio-Willie

Another back rower who can play No 8 and blindside flanker.

Lio-Willie was one of the Crusaders best this year. He carried the ball hard, got off the ground quickly and kept searching for work.

Those attributes must have impressed Rennie. But no space has been found for Lio-Willie in this squad.

WINNERS

1 Anton Lienert-Brown

Experience isn't an issue for Lienert-Brown. He's played 88 tests, two World Cups and can cover both midfield roles.

Despite his heavyeight CV, his selection hasn't pleased a number of fans who would have rather seen Tavatavanawai or Havili rewarded.

Lienert-Brown didn't play for the Chiefs this year because he was working under the watchful eye of Rennie and alongside Savea at the Kobe Kobelco Steelers club in Japan.

Last year Lienert-Brown was very good for the Chiefs, which persuaded Robertson to select him ahead of Havili. Tavatavanawai made his debut under the former All Blacks coach, but was injured playing for Tasman in the NPC.

Lienert-Brown joins Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea and Billy Proctor as the midfielders in this squad.

2 Xavier Numia

The uncapped Hurricanes loosehead prop deserved his call-up.

His rise probably spells the end of the road for veteran Ofa Tu'ungafasi, who can play both sides of the scrum.

Tu'ungafasi has been one of the unsung heroes of the All Blacks over the last decade and has played 68 tests.

The 34-year-old exhibited his bravery and resolve when he returned from a serious neck injury. His form this year, however, suggested his best days may be behind him.

3 Fehi Fineanganofo and Josh Moorby

It makes sense to lump the two Hurricanes wings together - both are uncapped - after they each scored a record 17 tries this year.

Fineanganofo appears set to wriggle his way out of his Newcastle contract, if all goes to plan.

As Rennie noted after the squad was named, Fineanganofo will be given space to sort that out. Fineanganofo is contracted to NZ Rugby until after the NPC.

Assuming he does get out of his deal with the English club, he appears likely to feature in the plans for the World Cup in Australia next year.

Moorby, who can cover wing and fullback, was outstanding for the Hurricanes this year. He returned from France to add energy and timing to a backline that loved feeding him the pill on the fringes.

4 Anton Segner

German born-and-raised Segner was excellent for a Blues side that was all over the shop.

The versatile loose forward functions well at the front of the lineout and makes inroads at the breakdown.

Despite the wheels falling off the Blues wagon late in the year, Segner was never going to hoist the white flag.

Pugnacious and fit, he may get minutes off the bench in the July tests before being used as a starter in the midweek games in South Africa.