The new era of the All Blacks is taking shape, and it involves a very familiar face. Sir Graham Henry returns as a selector, bringing a veteran's eye and a legacy of leadership to the group. In this press conference, Dave Rennie breaks down why he brought the World Cup-winning coach back into the fold and how their first conversations have already sparked a massive list of potential talent. From juggling coaching roles in Japan to the future of Brodie Retallick and the search for the next All Blacks captain, no stone is left unturned. Dave talks about the "middle tier" talent drain and whether New Zealand Rugby can afford to lose players to massive overseas contracts. Image Credit: Crusaders Leciester Fainga'anuku during the Reds v Crusaders, Super Rugby Pacific match, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia. Saturday, 11 April 2026, (Photo by Tertius Pickard / action press) All Blacks Brodie Retallick in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Group A stage match between New Zealand and Uruguay at the Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France, Thursday, October 05, 2023 (Photo by Lynne Cameron / action press)
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i was a razor fan but eveytime i hear rennie talk he really is the right coach
The adults are back in the room.
He does sound like an All Blacks head coach doesn’t he
Brought back Gilbert Enoka, Ted as selector, this is great from Dave Rennie. Now bring back Darren Shand as manager and all is right with the world.
Wow this is awesome this what the All Blacks needed
This is a brilliant move
TED! 🔥🔥🔥🔥 absolute goat!
I am a massive Boks Fan, but this man is stressing me out. I think and believe Rienie is World world Class.
Henry commenting a couple of weeks ago about the lack of fitness, which makes him excellent for the job.
Never have I wanted to beat the boks more than I do now. This would be almost as sweet as a WC. And every time I hear Rennie speak I get a little bit more confident.
Calling Brodie Retallick the best lock in the world in 2026 is a massive call. Cool to hear he's already got a pecking order for 10 in his head, no doubt that could change as he wants to see who performs under pressure.
I'm loving all these Non-Cantabrian selections. Sir Graham Henry... this is getting serious now.
I love that he can actually string multiple sentences together that make sense, unlike CTE Robertson.
Game on for the Bokke. Excited as a South African to see a very good All Blacks team in SA soon.
All the best Dave Rennie. Let's see what happens.
Got a lot of faith in him it's NZR I worry about especially Lancaster another politician
What ever you do don’t have ALB or D havilli in the team
Good to see common sense
Geez, isn’t it just a different scene with Dave compared to Razor! None of that spastic combative behavior. He just tells the truth, is thoughtful, considered and wise. He is perfectly poised to be where he is. My faith in AB’s has risen 100%
We all loved Brodie Retallick but he's retired from AB rugby.