Ardie Savea is the \u201cperfect candidate\u201d to lead the All Blacks\u2019 Rugby World Cup title bid, according to legendary full-back Mils Muliaina.<\/p>\n
Dave Rennie has been tasked with getting New Zealand back on track for Australia 2027 after replacing Scott Robertson as the All Blacks<\/a> head coach, which has spurred the debate around who should captain the side.<\/p>\n Scott Barrett, who took up a sabbatical opportunity and has subsequently missed the entirety of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season so far, was the man entrusted with the responsibility during Robertson\u2019s regime, with Savea stepping up when the lock was unavailable.<\/p>\n However, the middle Barrett brother has come under scrutiny throughout his time as the All Blacks captain and many believe that it\u2019s time for change, including Muliaina and fellow legend Jeff Wilson.<\/p>\n Who should Dave Rennie pick to captain the All Blacks<\/p>\n Earlier this year, the pair both put Codie Taylor forward as their preferred choice to skipper the side under Rennie, but Muliaina has since had a change of heart.<\/p>\n \u201cInitially, my thoughts were that Codie Taylor would be a wonderful, great captain. Having thought about that now and as time has evolved, I think Ardie is the perfect candidate,\u201d he said on Sky Sport NZ\u2019s Breakdown show<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOne, he has an existing relationship already with Dave Rennie, and then it\u2019s what he has done in the Moana Pasifika jersey. Dave Rennie has got 18 months, and he\u2019s there to win the Rugby World Cup, and if you\u2019re there for a short period of time, considering what Ardie did for Moana Pasifika and how he sort of did it, he\u2019s your captain.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s already got you a lot of guys around him. You got Tana Umaga coming around, and there\u2019s an existing relationship there, but rather than beating around the bush and making him a co-captain, I think you go out and, from the get-go, make Ardie Savea<\/a> the captain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Difficult season\u2019 awaits All Blacks as Jeff Wilson exposes \u2018no experience or depth\u2019 for four Springboks Tests<\/a><\/p>\n Does it really matter who gets the title?<\/p>\n Savea is currently working with Rennie at the Kobe Steelers in Japan and was Umaga\u2019s choice as Moana\u2019s captain during his 2025 stint at the club. While Muliaina has changed his tune, Wilson has not and still believes that Crusaders hooker Taylor is the right man for the job.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m on the record saying that Codie Taylor should be the captain. I\u2019m going to stay; that hasn\u2019t changed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n 2011 Rugby World Cup-winning fly-half Stephen Donald weighed in on the debate, arguing that the conversation and role is \u2018overhyped\u2019 and it doesn\u2019t really matter who is given the title.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be fair, and this might be unpopular, but isn\u2019t it overhyped? I\u2019m just not convinced it really matters. We were lucky enough to play with a guy who was beyond comparison as far as a captain goes in Richie McCaw, but I\u2019ve never played with anyone close to that sort of captain, and he ticks those boxes,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you think you\u2019ve got a Taylor, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, and the likes all in one forward pack, does it really matter who runs out first, and you\u2019ve got an experienced 10, and you\u2019ve got one of the world\u2019s best nines? I\u2019m not sure it matters.\u201d<\/p>\n Sir Steve Hansen urges Dave Rennie to pinch \u2018one or two things\u2019 from Springboks but All Blacks shouldn\u2019t \u2018copy\u2019 Rassie Erasmus<\/a><\/p>\n