All Blacks Coach Dave Rennie: Jerseys Earned

New All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has made his stance clear: the famous black jersey will be earned on current form, with no automatic selections for incumbents. Speaking in recent interviews, Rennie stressed alignment across the program and the need for players to perform week-in, week-out in Super Rugby Pacific. This comes as Ruben Love makes a strong injury return for the Hurricanes in Round 5, while tickets for the July 2026 home Tests go on sale soon — building excitement for Rennie’s first campaign.

All Blacks Coach Dave Rennie: No Free Jerseys – Form Rules

Rennie told media he will pick purely on merit: “We’ll select based on form. The jersey has to be earned.” This no-favorites approach signals a reset after 2025 challenges and Robertson’s tenure. Rennie starts full-time in June after finishing with Kobe Steelers in Japan, giving him time to finalize his coaching group and observe Super Rugby talent closely.

Ruben Love Back for Hurricanes – All Blacks Watch

All Black fullback Ruben Love returns from ankle injury, named in the Hurricanes starting XV for Round 5 (vs Western Force, Friday March 13 at McLean Park, Napier). His comeback adds depth and competition in the backline — exactly what Rennie wants to evaluate ahead of the July series against France, Italy and Ireland.

Super Rugby Pacific Round 5: Key Matches This Weekend

Round 5 delivers more selection clues:

Friday 13 March: Hurricanes vs Western Force (Napier) – Ruben Love starts
Saturday 14 March: Fijian Drua vs Brumbies, Crusaders vs Highlanders (Christchurch), Reds vs Waratahs

Watch for standouts like Damian McKenzie (Chiefs), Cortez Ratima, and young forwards pushing for All Blacks consideration under the new regime.

July 2026 Home Tests: Tickets Released Soon

NZ Rugby recently announced ticket release details for the July home series:

4 July: France – One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch (7:10pm NZST)
11 July: Italy – Sky Stadium, Wellington (5:10pm NZST)
18 July: Ireland – Eden Park, Auckland (TBC)

Pre-sale registration is open — expect high demand for the Christchurch opener in the new stadium. Full details and links on our All Blacks 2026 Tickets page.