Injuries have disrupted Fainga’anuku’s season, but selection in the Northern Tour squad perhaps sheds some light on how the All Blacks plan to use the versatile figure.
Leicester Fainga’anuku last played for the All Blacks against Wales on the 2025 end of year tour. Photo / Photosport
While covering several spots in the line-up is an asset for the side to be able to call upon should they find themselves in a position where they need to pivot, Fainga’anuku seems likely destined for a specialist role on the bench. That sort of role will allow the All Blacks to explore a 6-2 split with Fainga’anuku as cover for both the loose forwards and the backs, with Rennie confirming he sees the Crusaders utility man as a pure hybrid player.
“We would have been keen for Leicester to go to Africa, which gives you real flexibility on the bench,” Rennie said.
“It’s not just throwing someone in, he’s shown at Super level that he can do the job really well and the challenge for him was often getting your head around all the detail and maybe seven is not quite as challenging because the lineout options and other things are simpler.
“It gives you massive flexibility, you can name a 5-3 bench but it’s generally a 6-2 and he can definitely make [an] impact in all of those spots.”
But while many expected Fainga’anuku to earn his place back in the All Blacks squad at some point, a return for Lio-Willie was perhaps less predictable.
Lio-Willie, who has made the odd appearance on the blindside but has operated almost exclusively as a No 8 through his professional career, made three starts in 2025 but has not featured in an All Blacks squad this year.
Christian Lio-Willie last play for the All Blacks on the 2025 Northern Tour. Photo / Photosport
The 28-year-old was favoured for a recall over the likes of Semisi Ta’eiloa and Du’Plessis Kirifi, with Ta’eiloa earning selection for the tour of South Africa and Kirifi called in as an injury replacement for the second Bledisloe Cup test.
“He had a really good Super season as well. We had him in a non-finalist camp and there was serious discussions about taking him to Africa but we decided that we had others who we thought might provide a bit more of a point of difference,” Rennie said of Lio-Willie.
“But again, he’s had an excellent NPC, he’s really tough, he’s got a big engine, got a really high skill set and suits the type of game that we’re trying to play. So yeah, really excited for him. He’s performed well after the disappointment of missing out.”
Like the loose forwards, there was some surprise in the locking selections with Jamie Hannah included as the fifth option over Sam Darry and Patrick Tuipulotu.
It’s not a shocking selection by any means. The All Blacks have indicated all year that they have liked what they’ve seen from the Canterbury lock. While this is the first time the 23-year-old has been included in an All Blacks squad proper after thrice being called in as an injury replacement.
“He’s unlucky because he’s played a lot of good footy for us and that was a message to him. We’ve just got amazing depth in that position all of a sudden,” Rennie said of Darry missing out.
“Obviously with Scooter [Scott Barrett] coming back and then the quality of the other locks that we’ve got there, we really like Jamie, good athlete, really good lineout forward, runs the lineout well but he’s got a bit of a dark side around carry, clean, tackle.
All Blacks lock Jamie Hannah has been an injury replacement three times this season. Photo / Photosport
“So yeah, look, it’s tough on Sam. It’d be probably the most competitive spot in our side and he’s really unlucky to miss out.”
Tuipulotu missed the Bledisloe Cup series due to injury and although he was back running he was yet to do any contact work. Rennie said while the 33-year-old was technically available, they decided Hannah was the right option for this tour.
Rennie has already used more than 50 players across tests and tour games in South Africa, with Lio-Willie set to add to that count should he get a run.
It was always likely to be a big number with a 44-man squad selected for the South African tour, however injuries have opened the door for more players to enter the test arena and try to work their way into the thinking of more permanent selections with the World Cup looming on the horizon.
“It’s one thing that did excite me about the role was the chance to go to Africa and have a captured audience for seven weeks and learn a lot about the boys,” Rennie said.
“We’re in a good spot in regard to understanding all the layers within the players across the country and you look at NPC has been a brilliant competition and there’s more players surfacing there so it’s not like the group that’s going to the UK is guaranteed to go to a World Cup.
“I think we take 33 maybe to a World Cup. We would have used 50-odd players at this stage so there’ll be good players missing out.”
All Blacks 36-man squad for Northern Tour
Hookers: Codie Taylor (c), Asafo Aumua, George Bell
Loosehead props: Ethan de Groot, George Bower, Xavier Numia.
Tighthead props: Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi, Saula Ma’u (new test cap).
Locks: Scott Barrett, Josh Lord, Fabian Holland, Jamie Hannah, Tupou Vaa’i.
Loose forwards: Anton Segner, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Ethan Blackadder, Christian Lio-Willie, Peter Lakai, Wallace Sititi.
Halfbacks: Cam Roigard, Kyle Preston, Cortez Ratima.
First five-eighths: Richie Mo’unga, Damian McKenzie, Josh Jacomb (new test cap).
Midfielders: Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Anton Lienert-Brown.
Outside backs: Rieko Ioane, Chay Fihaki, Fehi Fineanganofo, Josh Moorby, Will Jordan, Beauden Barrett.
Unavailable: Samisoni Taukei’aho (calf), Shannon Frizell (knee), Tyrel Lomax (neck), Leroy Carter (ankle), Ruben Love (ankle), Ardie Savea (shoulder), Luke Jacobson (elbow), Caleb Clarke (shoulder), Ollie Norris (knee), Simon Parker (personal reasons).
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.