WELLINGTON — Ardie Savea has been named captain of the New Zealand All Blacks squad for the Nations Championship. Head coach Dave Rennie selected the squad as his first appointment since taking the role at the start of the year.

Savea assumes the captaincy from Scott Barrett, who is unavailable for selection due to a back injury. Barrett had captained the All Blacks in 11 tests after becoming captain in 2024 under former head coach Scott Robertson. Savea has previously captained the All Blacks 13 times and has been playing in Japan for the Kobe Steelers.

Rennie included four uncapped players in the squad: Fehi Fineanganofo, Xavier Numia, Josh Moorby, and Anton Segner. Fineanganofo set a Super Rugby Pacific try-scoring record with 17 tries this season, and he is due to join the Newcastle club in England next season. Segner was born in Germany, played for Germany at the under-16 level, and took up a six-month scholarship at Nelson College in New Zealand. He captained the Nelson College first XV, played for the Christchurch-based Crusaders at age group level, and for the Tasman Makos in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship before signing for the Blues in 2021. Segner has also played for New Zealand at secondary schools and under-20 levels.

Rennie stated, "Congratulations also to our new All Blacks captain, Ardie Savea, who we know will do an outstanding job of leading this team on and off-field. Ardie is highly respected by his teammates and cares deeply about the black jersey." Savea remarked, "To serve this team, its people and its fans is one of the greatest honours in sport." He said he believes the role is about "empowering everyone in the group to be the best that they can be - from the leadership, to the players and wider staff."

Eleven players from the Hurricanes are included in the squad. Prop Tamaiti Williams, lock Fabian Holland, and Leicester Fainga'anuku are unavailable for selection. Assistant coach Neil Barnes and former All Blacks World Cup-winning coach Graeme Henry also participated in the squad selection. Ruben Love will compete for the No. 10 jersey with Damian McKenzie and 35-year-old Beauden Barrett, who is also included in the squad. Other squad members include Asafo Aumua, Pasilio Tosi, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett, Billy Proctor, and Quinn Tupaea. Lienert-Brown returns from Japan. Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima, and Kyle Preston are included at scrumhalf, with Preston chosen ahead of his Crusaders teammate Noah Hotham.

Rennie also commented on the new players, stating, "Special congratulations must go to our four uncapped players. These men have each had an outstanding Super Rugby season and fully deserve their place in the squad. It will be a massively proud time for their families, friends and team mates."

New Zealand's upcoming matches include games against France in Christchurch on July 4, Italy in Wellington on July 11, and Ireland in Auckland on July 18. Later in the year, New Zealand will play South Africa in a four-Test series.