All Blacks great Christian Cullen calls for Josh Moorby to get the callup to Dave Rennie’s squad
Tuesday, 26 May 2026
It’s 30 years since a certain gifted All Black began carving up opposition defences in the yellow and black No 15 jersey.
Now, here was Christian Cullen getting all animated - as those Athletic Park crowds used to every time he touched the ball - about the latest Hurricane to demand inclusion in an All Blacks squad.
“Moorby, he’d look pretty good in a black jersey wouldn’t he? As a winger or fullback he’s just got an eye for the tryline… his work rate is massive, he gets himself into really good spots to get the ball, second touches, I think he’s playing really well,” Cullen said on Sky Sport’s post-match analysis on Saturday night.
Indeed, Josh Moorby could barely have done more to catch the eyes of new coach Dave Rennie and his co-selectors Graham Henry and Neil Barnes as they pencil in 34 names to be read out by NZ Rugby chair David Kirk at Feilding Yellows Rugby Club on Monday, June 22.
The question now is - where does the 27-year-old from Te Awamutu fit in?
The season-ending achilles injury to Highlanders speedster Caleb Tangitau, and the impending departure to Newcastle of Moorby’s fellow Hurricanes try machine Fehi Fineanganofo certainly opens the door wider for a utility wing-fullback of Moorby’s ilk. Even if he may not have the express speed of the aforementioned duo.
Will Jordan is an obvious inclusion in that first starting XV against France on July 4, either at 14 or 15 which is up for debate. Former gun All Blacks wing/fullback Jeff Wilson on Sky had Jordan at 14 and Damian McKenzie at 15 in his team, with Ruben Love at No 10.
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But aside from Jordan, who’s battled injury in recent weeks, no wing/fullback utility players offer as much as Moorby at the minute, with that versatility a big tick for his chances of squeezing into the 34.
When he latched on to the final pass after a Devan Flanders break in the second minute of the Hurricanes’ 45-28 win on Saturday, Moorby moved to 13 tries for the season, second only to Fineanganofo’s record-equalling 16 as he sat out a game for the first time.
Then there was that run that got Cullen so excited as Moorby shrugged off five defenders to send Du’Plessis Kirifi away in the 15th minute.
“Moorbs was probably one of our best tonight in his 50th (game), amazing work rate and line breaking. He’s so consistent,” coach Clark Laidlaw said.
Moorby finished with 14 carries over 170m and seven defenders beaten - the highest from either side over those last two categories.
He’s played the most minutes for the Hurricanes this season - 964 in 12 starts - and sat out the Blues game due to a minor niggle. Add “durable” to that list of adjectives, as summed up by Hurricanes assistant Cory Jane when asked about Moorby’s All Blacks chances.
“Now they’ve got new coaches, who knows what they’re looking at. If you’re looking for somebody who has got a massive work rate and massive engine… he’s durable and doesn’t get injured very often and understands where to be when the ball is there, which is awesome.”
This year’s form isn’t a news flash by any means. Moorby, remember, was similarly influential when the Hurricanes topped the ladder in 2024 before signing with French Top-14 club Montpellier.
As Jane said, Moorby didn’t enjoy France as much as he’d hoped and returned a year early to chase his All Blacks dream. Before departing, Moorby told the Waikato Times: “Obviously in myself I believe I can still do it if I come back. So there’s always that bit of drive left in me that there might be a little bit of something there, a bit of unturned rock.”
The well travelled Moorby - who spanned the country with NPC starts for Southland, Northland and his home province Waikato - will get another chance to get people chattering on Friday night against the Crusaders under the roof, potentially in a lethal back-three alongside Fineanganofo and Kini Naholo, as Laidlaw assesses his walking wounded with top spot already secure for the playoffs.