Nations Championship: All Blacks eye Irish challenge as Scott Barrett ruled out of tour

Tuesday, 14 July 2026

Former skipper and veteran lock Scott Barrett has been ruled out of the South African tour.

While former skipper Scott Barrett’s rugby year goes from bad to worse, All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has given a strong nod that the fortunes of both Rieko Ioane and Fabian Holland could be headed in a much more positive direction

As Rennie kicked off preparations for Saturday’s potentially pivotal Nations Championship July finale against Ireland at Eden Park, with Ioane called in to provide outside backs cover, he provided an important update on what lies beyond that in the form of the eight-game, four test ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ tour to South Africa and Baltimore.

The All Blacks coach confirmed he’ll name a squad of 44 for that, most likely on Monday, July 27, and that they had pretty much already decided on their additional 10, likely to comprise six forwards and four backs, though possibly a 7-3 split. The final makeup will be nailed down next week when new injuries and recovery latest would be factored in.

But Barrett, the 89-test lock who was Scott Robertson’s captain for 2024 and ‘25, would not be among those heading to the republic. The burly middle Barrett brother has sat out all of this year on a stay-at-home sabbatical and then with a back issue that required surgery, and The Post understands he will not take the field at all in ‘26.

Sources also indicate the hard-nosed second-rower is having a serious rethink on his rugby future, and has at least one lucrative offer from Japan on the table.

The uncertainty over Barrett’s short and longer-term future places more importance on Holland who is working back from a dislocated shoulder suffered in the Super Rugby pre-season. The 23-year-old Netherlands-born monster could be a key figure in South Africa if he can recapture his breakthrough form of last year, with his power and physicality an ideal foil for the brutal Boks pack.

The news was better around crocked lock Fabian Holland who should be in the mix for the Boks.

“We’ve picked a potential group and it will depend on how guys get through,” said Rennie of his prospective touring contingent. “Scott Barrett won’t be available for the South African tour, but Fabian is a chance. He’ll have a hitout for Otago early, before we name the team.

“Fabian’s rehab has been excellent, he’s in good nick, we’ve got video footage of what he’s been doing, and it will be nice for him to get some game-time for Otago, and then hopefully he’ll be available.”

Rennie has rocked with a second row of Sam Darry, Josh Lord, Tupou Vaa’i and young fill-in Jamie Hannah through the first two tests of July, though he confirmed veteran home-town lock Patrick Tuipulotu (alongside loose forward Luke Jacobson, who went off at halftime on Saturday with calf cramps) would be available this week.

Ioane comes into the group preparing in Auckland after wing Leroy Carter picked up an AC joint injury in the 47-17 victory over Italy in the capital, and Hurricanes speedster Fehi Fineanganofo missed that contest with shoulder problems. The 88-test Blues utility back has returned from a one-season sabbatical with Leinster in Ireland.

Ioane’s callup suggests he should be among the 10 additions for South Africa, possibly alongside backline prospects such as Noah Hotham, Richie Mo’unga (whose status remains uncertain), Timoci Tavatavanawai and Leicester Fainga’anuku (who could be a hybrid back-forward) and the likes of Du’Plessis Kirifi, Holland, Hannah, Ethan Blackadder, Ollie Norris, Ofa Tu’ungafasi and George Bell up front.

Rennie gave his All Blacks a tentative pass-mark ahead of a pivotal clash against the Irish they will likely need to win to keep pace with the Boks at the top of the southern pool of the new inter-hemisphere competition. They were shaky defensively in the first-up 34-32 victory over the French in Christchurch, and produced maybe 20 minutes of quality rugby after halftime in a seven-try effort against the Italians.

“There is a lot of competition for places,” said Rennie of a tight selection process this week. “Based on performances over the last couple weeks, we’ll make some calls around that. There will be some really unlucky people missing out because guys have fronted pretty well.”

Left wing, centre, No 6 and prop shape as the toughest of the calls, and it will be interesting to see whether the coach rolls out Ruben Love for a third straight start at No 10.

Rennie also spoke about tactical tweaks required, particularly around some judicious kicking to break up defensive lines.

“Ireland are a very good defensive side who are going to kick a lot of ball and apply pressure through that,” he added. “We’re going to have to balance our game out. If it’s on we’re going to play, but ideally we’re kicking on the front-foot and maybe in the wide channels.”

There’s a lot on the line, too, in what’s become an engaging rivalry. The All Blacks are riding a three-test win streak, but lost their last two against the Irish in New Zealand (in 2022), and will be desperate to add to that 52-test unbeaten run at their Auckland fortress.

“A lot of our guys have played the Irish a lot and know a lot about them,” added the All Blacks coach. “And, of course they command a lot of respect through what they’ve achieved. We know what’s coming, so we’re going to have to be good in a lot of areas.”