Following the announcement of Scott Robertson’s All Blacks matchday squad to face Los Pumas in Argentina, we pick out our winners and losers.
The coaching staff has backed an experienced team for the Rugby Championship opener with several first-choice players returning to the run-on team.
Without further ado, here are our winners and losers.
Winners
Fabian Holland
Robertson has made nine changes from the team that defeated France in the third Test match between the two sides, but one man has remained a fixture in the All Blacks starting XV throughout the year – Fabian Holland.
The Netherlands-born lock qualified for New Zealand through residence and realised his dream of representing the All Blacks when he ran out in the black jersey against Les Bleus in the opening game of the year.
The 22-year-old looked right at home in the pack and produced three compelling performances in the series, and richly deserves the opportunity to make his Rugby Championship debut against an aggressive and passionate Los Pumas’ outfit.
Holland made a good account of himself against France, who still had a rather strong pack throughout the series despite sending an understrength squad to New Zealand, but he will be aware that he faces a different beast on Saturday.
Tupou Vaa’i
It took some time for Tupou Vaa’i to really stamp his mark on the All Blacks squad, but 2024 was effectively his breakthrough year. He was outstanding in the engine room alongside Scott Barrett, who returns from injury this week to skipper the side, but the 25-year-old’s rise has yet to stall.
While his shift to blindside flanker failed in the Rugby World Cup opener against France in 2023, Robertson was not afraid to give it another crack in 2025, and he reaped the rewards against a massive Les Bleus forward pack.
With a similar task awaiting New Zealand in the form of Argentina, the head coach has returned to the selection of Vaa’i on the flank to combat the massive humans that the blue and white pack possess, as well as the plethora of lineout threats.
The Chiefs forward has emphatically proved that he can play on the side of the scrum at the highest level so far this year, but will need to do so again this weekend with the All Blacks hardly short on back-row options.
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Billy Proctor
Billy Proctor only earned one more Test cap last year after debuting against Fiji, but he is certainly making up for lost time 12 months on.
While he had his flaws against France, he managed to show his true qualities and strengths, and duly keeps Rieko Ioane on the wing as his new partnership with Jordie Barrett will be further tested, this time on foreign soil.
Proctor has the skillset to be a regular in the All Blacks starting XV and will be put to tasks with the talents that Argentina have in the centres with the likes of Santiago Chocobares and Lucio Cinti.
Finlay Christie
Injuries create opportunities, and for Finlay Christie, it may well be one last hurrah in the black jersey with a reported move to the newly Red Bull-backed Premiership club Newcastle.
The Blues stalwart fell out of favour with Robertson after underwhelming performances last July, which was paired by the rise of Cortez Ratima and the return of Cameron Roigard. With the latter sidelined along with Noah Hotham, Christie was effectively in a two-horse race with Kyle Preston for a place in the matchday 23 and won it.
If Christie hasn’t signed on the dotted line with the Red Bull outfit, perhaps this match could catapult the scrum-half back up the pecking order, after being a mainstay under former head coach Ian Foster, and convince him to remain and fight for his position.
Beauden Barrett
Following the news that Richie Mo’unga will be returning to New Zealand shores ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Beauden Barrett has been given the first opportunity to stamp his mark in the starting fly-half role. Not that he really needs to have proven his world-class qualities in 136 previous appearances in the iconic black jersey.
Still, there is a real to and fro between Barrett and Damian McKenzie for the number 10 jumper, with the latter getting an extended run in the role during the earlier stages of 2024 while the former finished off the year in the position.
The veteran playmaker was superb once again in July and has the chance to continue in that vein against Argentina, and will be well aware of McKenzie breathing down his neck.
Du’Plessis Kirifi
After a try-scoring first start in the All Blacks jersey, Du’Plessis Kirifi has convinced the coaching staff that no change was needed in the number seven jersey to tackle Argentina.
Kirifi was repeatedly overlooked by the Test set-up despite his superb Super Rugby form season after season, but he has finally got a shot at the highest level. Robertson could have quite easily opted for a bigger frame in his back-row in the form of Simon Parker for this game, but Kirifi has clearly made an impact not only on the pitch but on the coaching team, too.
Losers
Kyle Preston
As mentioned above, it was effectively a two-horse race for the replacement scrum-half role between Christie and breakout star Kyle Preston.
During his first year in charge, Robertson was accused of having a Crusaders bias, but that is clearly not the case this time around as he favours the Blues man over the ‘Saders star.
Still, one could easily see the logic in selecting Preston instead, considering the rumours swirling around Christie’s future in New Zealand.
Simon Parker
The other uncapped player in the All Blacks squad who failed to get the nod for the Rugby Championship opener against Los Pumas. Simon Parker’s call-up to the touring team came as somewhat of a shock, but the reasoning behind his selection was perfectly reasonable.
An imposing frame in the loose trio, the Chiefs star has the ability to play blindside flanker and at number eight, and would perfectly fit the bill in the starting lineup, paving the way for Ardie Savea to remain on the side of the scrum.
However, the coaching staff clearly believe that another week in training, at least, is needed for the 25-year-old, who also fails to make the bench.
Peter Lakai
Another player who shot to stardom in 2024, Peter Lakai missed the July internationals through injury and featured in the NPC last week.
The 22-year-old could have easily slotted right back into the mix, particularly on the bench, but Robertson and his coaching team have instead opted for the lock/blindside hybrid Samipeni Finau.
Injured duo
While the All Blacks have been boosted by the fitness of Beauden and Scott Barrett, they are still without the services of forwards Tamaiti Williams (knee) and Wallace Sititi (ankle).
The duo were outstanding last year for the men in black and are truly world-class operators. It’s clearly evident that Robertson is keen to kickstart New Zealand’s Rugby Championship campaign off on a high and would have loved to have had the pair at his disposal, but it is not to be.
Snubbed centres
While the continued partnership of Jordie Barrett and Billy Proctor is perfectly understandable, the omissions of Quinn Tupaea and Timoci Tavatavanawai are far more puzzling.
Anton Lienert-Brown is a veteran of 85 Test caps, a proven quality in both midfield positions, but his form has been indifferent of late. Argentina have produced magnificent results against New Zealand in recent times, but the All Blacks are still seen as favourites in this fixture. However, this selection in particular hints at nerves from the coaching ticket.
Unleashing battering ram Tavatavanawai in the latter stages of the match would have been a huge asset for the All Blacks, while selecting Tupaea would cover both midfield positions too.
Selecting Lienert-Brown is a conservative call from the coaching team and points to him being an insurance policy for Proctor.
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