Nations Championship: All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has plenty to ponder ahead of Ireland challenge
Monday, 13 July 2026
Dave Rennie has some big decisions to make this week after challenging his All Blacks to lift to a level for their third and final Nations Championship outing in July that has eluded them through a pair of scratchy bonus-point victories thus far.
Rennie’s All Blacks, equal top with the Springboks in the southern pool, followed their opening 34-32 victory over France in Christchurch with a mixed-bag 47-17 romp over Italy in the capital on Saturday, sealed with a four-try outburst in the first quarter of an hour of the second spell.
But it was not, on balance, a complete performance from the New Zealanders on a night when Will Jordan strode into rugby history with a hat-trick of tries. They struggled through the first 40, leading just 14-10 at halftime, and then buttoned off over the run home after shooting out to a 40-10 advantage with still 26 minutes remaining.
They will need to be much better, warned the new coach, when they put their 32-year, 52-test unbeaten streak at Eden Park on the line against an Ireland team in Auckland also flying high after going two-from-two through the first two weeks of the new inter-hemisphere competition. They rolled past Japan 36-20 in Newcastle on Saturday after outlasting the Walklabies, 33-31, on opening night.
Rennie will have calls to make in his back three, midfield, loose trio and at tighthead prop as he mulls his strongest possible lineup to face the Irish. He will also have a bit to think about as he continues an ongoing process of establishing a bench unit that can make some real impact in the closing stages of tests.
Josh Moorby’s impressive performance on Saturday, in 49 minutes off the pine, puts the Hurricanes dazzler in the frame for a role against the Irish. Presuming Rennie sticks with Damian McKenzie at the back – the jury remains out on his status as the All Blacks’ fullback-elect – it shapes as a tossup between Caleb Clarke and Moorby for the other wing spot alongside Jordan. Leroy Carter is likely a non-starter after picking up an AC joint issue against Italy, though Fehi Fineanganofo could also come into contention if his shoulder is better.
Centre has also developed into an intriguing duel between Billy Proctor, who ran hard and effectively on Saturday, and made all but one of his 11 tackles, and Quinn Tupaea. It’s a coin-toss call, with both contenders in compelling form. It will also be interesting to see whether new No 10 Ruben Love has done enough to merit a third straight start.
Up front, it’s likely Rennie brings the dynamic Peter Lakai back into his starting loose trio after Wallace Sititi had some serious handling lapses on Saturday, while Tyrel Lomax probably did enough in a powerful 48 minutes to nail down the top tighthead role.
The bench remains a work in progress, and Rennie will likely go back to the likes of Asafo Aumua, Fletcher Newell, Beauden Barrett and maybe even Patrick Tuipulotu as he searches for a group capable of providing the impact required.
The new coach expressed some satisfaction about strides made in week two, but also cautioned that what we’ve seen thus far will likely not be good enough against a strong, seasoned and efficient Irish outfit. It’s also likely a must-win outing for the New Zealanders to keep pace with the ominous Boks in the race for top spot in the southern pool.
The All Blacks were better defensively against a committed but limited Italian outfit, and their opening to the second half hinted at the explosive attacking firepower that lies within.
“We knew in the first half they would be full of energy and would fill the field and be harder to break down, but in the second half we were able to play at a tempo they struggled with,” said Rennie. “It was disappointing we didn’t ram that home in the last 20-odd minutes. It’s a pass mark, but we’ll need to be better next week.
“It was nice having an extra seven days to prepare and get a little bit of repetition in. When we got that right we were a real handful. I’m pleased with the strides we’re starting to make defensively. But they’re a great side, Ireland, and pretty confident on the back of their win in Australia. It will be a good challenge for us.
“The Irish are a very smart defensive side and we’re going to have to force them to make decisions. You’ve got to look like a ball-carrier when you’re going short and backdoor, and at times in the first half we looked like a distributor. It’s little things to tidy up. We’re creating a lot, but we’ve just got to be better.”
Assistant coach Tana Umaga said on Sunday that Ireland would bring a sense of belief and confidence the Italians lacked. They have lost their last three to the New Zealanders, but are riding a two-game win streak in this country, on the back of their dramatic close out of the 2022 series from 1-0 down.
“They come over here with a mindset of having nothing to fear,” he said. “It’s something we need to be wary of. We have to give them the utmost respect because they’ve earned it and they continue to earn it.”