All Blacks stars have welcomed the “fresh perspective” Dave Rennie will bring to the team after he was named head coach on Wednesday.

The 62-year-old will return to New Zealand ahead of the Nations Championship in July, having spent the past nine years working abroad.

Rennie led the Chiefs between 2012 and 2017 but he believes that being away from that environment for the best part of a decade will prove beneficial.

No bias from Rennie

Unlike Scott Robertson, who stepped straight from the Crusaders into the All Blacks role, there will be no perceived biases with the new head honcho.

Robertson’s links with the Christchurch-based outfit proved to be a problem and, according to reports, did not sit well with the Auckland-based bigwigs.

That should not be an issue for Rennie, who insists that every selection will be form-based, and it has certainly focused the minds of current All Blacks.

While Cam Roigard has only recently established himself as a certainty in the XV, he ended 2025 clearly ahead of his New Zealand scrum-half rivals.

Roigard has worked tirelessly to get into the All Blacks side, but he intimated that there might have to be a slight mindset shift with the new head coach.

“I feel like that perspective or opinion of me being the first picked or one of the few or whatever – it’s very fresh for me,” he told reporters.

“My whole career, I’ve been trying to prove [myself] and earn my way into a team.

“There’s obviously particular players that in terms of a leadership role expected to, I guess, be in the All Black side. I guess others have to earn their right.

“From a fresh perspective, it’s great. There’s no agendas, because everyone’s got to earn their spot. They’ve got to perform.

“From an All Black perspective, you want the All Blacks players playing their best footy for the All Blacks. If we’re picking on form, then there’s no reason why we can’t get that.

“I guess it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds come June or July.”

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Codie Taylor’s view

On the other side of the experience spectrum is Codie Taylor, who has played over 100 Tests and remains the country’s number one hooker.

There comes a point where someone like Taylor could take his position for granted, even if it’s subconsciously, but the arrival of Rennie will make sure the 34-year-old is performing at a high level.

“You’re like, ‘Oh yep, I’m going to have to play well to earn the right’. And rightly so, the black jersey demands that,” Taylor said.

“I’ve heard a lot of good things around who he is as a man, what he demands from his players and his team.”

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