Following Scott Robertson’s team announcement for the All Blacks’ highly anticipated clash in Chicago against Ireland, we select our winners and losers.
Winners
Caleb Clarke
It took a while for Robertson to bring him back into the fold after injury but, when he did, the wing impressed in Auckland and gets another chance in Chicago. Clarke didn’t see out the whole game against the Wallabies at Eden Park, going off with a worrying injury that forced him to miss the Perth Test, but thankfully he has recovered for their November opener.
The All Blacks’ aerial problems have been heavily discussed in 2025 but having the Blues star in that back three should help alleviate those issues. Clarke enjoyed a breakout year in 2024 where his work under the high ball was absolutely outstanding and Robertson will hope he is similarly effective in Chicago as Ireland will challenge them in that area.
Quinn Tupaea
As we stated prior to the Perth Test, while Robertson suggested that Billy Proctor was only being rested, should Tupaea produce a blockbuster display, it would be incredibly difficult to drop him. And that is exactly what has happened with the head coach rewarding form. You feel sorry for the Hurricanes man but the All Blacks boss simply could not take the Chiefs star out of the team after his two-try performance against the Wallabies.
Although the New Zealand backline still lacked some fluidity, the centre partnership between him and Barrett appeared far more balanced, while Tupaea looked to make things happen throughout his time on the field, which has been in stark contrast to Proctor and Rieko Ioane.
Ethan de Groot
Tamaiti Williams is the form loosehead in New Zealand, with De Groot not quite hitting the heights of their 2023 Rugby World Cup final run, but his selection still shows how highly the Highlanders prop is rated by Robertson.
He perhaps doesn’t provide the explosiveness around the field that Williams does but the 27-year-old remains an excellent scrummager and will give them the platform for the replacement front-rowers, including Williams, to wreak havoc in the second period.
Peter Lakai
Like Clarke, New Zealand’s head honcho was not immediately knocking on Lakai’s door after the back-rower returned from injury, but he has played himself into the XV after impressing in the final two Rugby Championship encounters.
With Wallace Sititi struggling to recapture his form from 2024, Lakai was handed a chance to start in Perth and he has done enough to retain his place, where he combines with Ardie Savea and Simon Parker in the loose trio.
Josh Lord
An injury crisis at lock has rather ironically opened the door for the talented 24-year-old. Lord has always been highly rated within New Zealand but injuries have often curtailed his progress but, with Tupou Vaa’i and Patrick Tuipulotu out of action, the Chiefs second-row comes into the squad and takes his place on the bench ready to make an impact.
Losers
Damian McKenzie
It is not a surprise that the livewire playmaker is back on the bench but it shows that Beauden Barrett is still the fly-half most trusted by Robertson for these big games. Once again, McKenzie simply did not do enough when handed his opportunity in Perth to convince the All Blacks coaches that he deserves to be the first choice 10 going forward.
New Zealand’s head honcho has given him plenty of chances to prove himself but it is quite clear that Barrett remains the better Test pivot. When McKenzie guided the All Blacks to a superb win in Ireland last year, many wondered whether that was the turning point, but it hasn’t proved to be the case.
Wallace Sititi
The young back-rower was the biggest positive for the All Blacks in 2024, winning the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in the process, but injuries have disrupted his campaign in 2025 and he doesn’t look quite match fit.
Sititi is certainly trying to find his way back into form but, at the moment, Lakai deserves that number eight spot. The 23-year-old ultimately has to make do with a place on the bench with New Zealand hoping that he can do some damage in the second half.
Billy Proctor
As mentioned above, Proctor was only meant to be rested for the second Bledisloe Cup Test, so Robertson’s decision to omit him from the 23 will hit hard. Granted, the head coach has to reward form, and Tupaea’s display in Perth was the best from an All Blacks outside centre since the 2023 World Cup, but the Hurricanes star might be feeling rather betrayed at the moment.
He may get some chances over the course of the next month but, with the All Blacks having a tough schedule in the form of Scotland and England, that seems unlikely if, as appears to be the case, Tupaea has indeed usurped Proctor in the pecking order.
Rieko Ioane
Proctor can at least be thankful that he is in a better spot than Ioane. While the 28-year-old is a more likely bench option, given his ability to cover wing and centre, it is telling that Robertson has opted for Leicester Fainga’anuku in that role this weekend.
Ioane’s decline has been stark but, in truth, it is not that surprising. He has not played particularly well since the 2023 World Cup and the All Blacks boss remained loyal until finally making the call to drop him ahead of the Springboks clash in Wellington.
Ruben Love
Has the misfortune of having Barrett and McKenzie in front of him as playmakers who cover 10 and 15, but All Blacks fans are desperate to see him get more of an opportunity. Love has impressed during his brief stint in Test rugby but supporters would like to see Robertson be braver and give him more game time. At the moment, he is reluctant to do so.
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