Powerful Moana Pasifika Number eight Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa and championship-winning Hurricanes prop Siale Lauaki have been added to the 44-man All Blacks squad to tour South Africa next month.
The bruising loose forward and versatile prop are among three new caps added to the original 34-member All Blacks squad picked for the recent Nations Championship Southern Series under new head coach Dave Rennie.
As well as Ta’eiloa and Lauaki, Chiefs five-eighth Josh Jacomb has earned a call-up and they’ve been bolstered by the return of of All Blacks Ollie Norris, George Bell, Fabian Holland, Ethan Blackadder, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Rieko Ioane and Emoni Narawa.
Blessed with devastating power and pace, 22-year-old Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa could rightly be described as the bolter in the squad.
An uncompromising ball runner who toured South Africa with New Zealand Under 19 in 2022, he was picked up by Southland in 2023 and graduated to Super Rugby with Moana Pasifika in 2025, coming under the wings of Ardie Savea and coach Tana Umaga.
In an electrifying debut season, the number eight made a total of 13 appearances, scored seven tries, played 943 minutes – the most of any player in the squad, topped Super Rugby Pacific’s leaderboard for carries (205), and was named Moana’s Rookie of the Year and Best Defensive Player. Signed to New Zealand Rugby, he has carried his incredible form into 2026.
Standing 1.94m, imposing 23-year-old Siale Lauaki can play both sides of the scrum, and is part of the new wave of young players making an impact on the rugby world.
In his final year at St Patrick’s College (Town) in 2021, he made the NZ Schools side for the second time and was also named College Sport Wellington Sportsman of the Year.
He made his Super Rugby debut for the Hurricanes in 2024 and, alongside some of his fellow All Blacks, was part of the formidable Hurricanes front row which helped secure the 2026 Super Rugby title. He toured Europe with the All Blacks XV in 2025.
All players will get Game time
All Blacks coach Rennie congratulated the selected players and said all 44 would be required to play in the tour.
“This tour will challenge us and demand the very best of us. We have selected a squad that we know is up to the challenge. It’s a balanced blend of experienced Test players and a cohort of younger players who will be keen to work hard and showcase their skillset on tour.
“We are thrilled for those players who will have the opportunity to pull on the All Blacks jersey for the first time, and welcome back those who are returning to the group.
“With eight matches in six weeks, including a four-Test series against the Springboks, this would have to be the toughest tour in rugby. Every player will be required to play their part across this tour, whether it’s preparing to play or helping their mates prepare.”
Rennie says it will be an intense seven weeks of touring but an excellent opportunity to pit themselves against the current benchmark team in world rugby.
“And to build connections with each other in a way that only a tour of this scale can do. What we learn about ourselves on and off-field will set us up well for the Rugby World Cup in 2027,” Rennie says.
Ardie gets a Rest
Rennie says the “franchise games” will provide an opportunity for other leaders in the group to step as Captain, before Ardie Savea arrives in South Africa ahead of the first Test match on August 23.
The All Blacks will kick off the tour in Cape Town on 7 August (local time) against the Stormers, who finished near the top of the United Rugby Championship (URC) regular season standings. They will play the Sharks at the “Shark Tank” (Kings Park Stadium) in Durban four days later and then head to Pretoria to take on URC grand finalists, the Bulls, on 15 August.
“Ardie has carried a massive workload in the last couple of years and we think it is best for him to have an extended break so he can come back ready to lead us into the Test series.
We have a number of excellent leaders in our squad who will embrace the chance to captain the side,” Rennie says.
The first Test against the Springboks is on 22 August at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park, followed by the final franchise game against the Lions at the same venue on 25 August. The second and third Tests will be at DHL Stadium in Capetown and FNB Stadium in Johannesburg respectively. Both teams will then travel to America to play the fourth and final Test in Baltimore, Maryland – the first time the rivals have played each other on US soil.
The Full All Blacks squad (by age/team/region/caps) is:
Forwards (25)
Hookers
Asafo Aumua (29 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 22)
Codie Taylor (35 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 109)
Samisoni Taukei’aho (28 / Chiefs / Waikato / 44)
George Bell (24 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 4)
Props
Ethan De Groot (27 / Highlanders / Southland / 43)
George Bower (34 / Crusaders / Otago / 26)
Xavier Numia (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 2)
Ollie Norris (26 / Chiefs / Waikato / 3)
Tyrel Lomax (30 / Hurricanes / Tasman / 51)
Fletcher Newell (26 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 37)
Pasilio Tosi (27 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 17)
Siale Lauaki * (23 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 0)
Locks
Tupou Vaa’i (26 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 47)
Patrick Tuipulotu (33 / Blues / Auckland / 57)
Josh Lord (25 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 15)
Sam Darry (26 / Blues / Canterbury / 10)
Fabian Holland (23 / Highlanders / Otago / 12)
Loose Forwards
Peter Lakai (23 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 10)
Simon Parker (26 / Chiefs / Northland / 8)
Ethan Blackadder (31 / Crusaders / Tasman / 14)
Luke Jacobson (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 27)
Anton Segner (25 / Blues / Auckland / 2)
Ardie Savea (32 / Moana Pasifika / Wellington / 109) (Captain)
Wallace Sititi (23 / Chiefs / North Harbour / 21)
Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa * (22 / Moana Pasifika / Southland / 0)
Backs (19)
Halfbacks
Cameron Roigard (25 / Hurricanes / Counties Manukau / 20)
Cortez Ratima (25 / Chiefs / Waikato / 24)
Kyle Preston (26 / Crusaders / Wellington / 1)
First Five-Eighths
Ruben Love (25 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 8)
Beauden Barrett (35 / Blues / Taranaki / 144)
Damian McKenzie (31 / Chiefs / Waikato / 77)
Josh Jacomb * (25 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 0)
Midfielders
Jordie Barrett (29 / Hurricanes / Taranaki / 81)
Quinn Tupaea (27 / Chiefs / Waikato / 26)
Billy Proctor (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 13)
Anton Lienert-Brown (31 / Chiefs / Waikato / 90)
Timoci Tavatavanawai (28 / Highlanders / Tasman / 2)
Outside Backs
Caleb Clarke (27 / Blues / Auckland / 35)
Fehi Fineanganofo (23 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 1)
Leroy Carter (27 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 7)
Josh Moorby (28 / Hurricanes / Waikato / 2)
Will Jordan (28 / Crusaders / Tasman / 57)
Rieko Ioane (29 / Blues / Auckland / 88)
Emoni Narawa (27 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 4)
Unavailable due to injury: Tamaiti Williams, Scott Barrett and Leicester Fainga’anuku.
