Dave Rennie says that this weekend\u2019s All Blacks team has been the \u2018hardest selection\u2019 to date but one call has left Justin Marshall baffled.<\/p>\n
New Zealand will be out to defend their Eden Park unbeaten streak against the Wallabies in the opening Bledisloe Cup Test match, and Rennie has made several intriguing calls for the showdown.<\/p>\n
Scott Barrett and Shannon Frizell have been thrown back into the mix, with the former included in the starting XV while the latter has been named on the bench.<\/p>\n
Richie Mo\u2019unga has been ruled out of the clash, which has resulted in Damian McKenzie starting at fly-half whilst Beauden Barrett starts a Test<\/a> match for the first time this year.<\/p>\n However, the selection that has puzzled Marshall the most is the omission of 2025 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year, Fabian Holland.<\/p>\n Fabian Holland\u2019s omission<\/p>\n Scott Barrett partners Josh Lord on his return to the All Blacks<\/a> jersey, with Tupou Vaa\u2019i named at blindside flanker. With three second-rowers effectively included in the squad, Rennie and his staff had the opportunity to select two loose forwards on the bench, which they took in the form of Frizell and Anton Segner. That meant that there was no place in the team for Holland, who dropped out despite his strong performances during the Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry tour.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a real melon scratcher, to be fair. I\u2019m not sure why they\u2019ve come up with leaving him completely out of the 23,\u201d he said on Sky Sport NZ\u2019s Breakdown.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe they want to get Scott Barrett, get him some minutes; equally, Josh Lord, get him some game time, but to leave him completely out.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, maybe it\u2019s because they wanted to go for that double loosie split on the bench where they can move Tupou Vaa\u2019i into the second-row. So he might be a victim of that, given that maybe there are other reasons for him not starting. So it\u2019s a bizarre one.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really was one I think you just almost had penned in as a genuine starter. So that\u2019s a surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n All Blacks team: Dave Rennie makes big fly-half call after Richie Mo\u2019unga injury while former captain returns for Bledisloe Cup opener<\/a><\/p>\n On the return of Barrett at lock, he added: \u201cIt\u2019s another challenge being put in front of another Barrett, and you tend to think a guy like Scott Barrett, who has been All Black captain but is a world-class lock in his own right, you know, regardless of whether he\u2019s got the captain\u2019s armband or not, and he will see this as an opportunity as well.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, people are already saying, \u2018Where is Fabian Holland, is Tupou Vaa\u2019i still a lock and not a loosie?\u2019 So everybody\u2019s got something to play for, but he\u2019ll realise he\u2019s playing for his jersey.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you know you\u2019re out there, and you\u2019re playing for your jersey, and there are others that are pushing you, it brings the best out in you. I just feel that this is the type of thing that Scooter needs. This opportunity to go out and say, \u2018I am good, and I\u2019m going to put pressure on you to select me every week\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n All Blacks team: Winners and losers as Dave Rennie denies standout a \u2018fair shot\u2019 while \u2018world-class\u2019 forward pays the price for Springboks failings<\/a><\/p>\n Reaction to the Wallabies\u2019 team named<\/p>\n Marshall also weighed in on Les Kiss\u2019 Wallabies<\/a> team named for the clash. The head coach has made just one change to his starting XV with Hunter Paisami ruled out through suspension.<\/p>\n The former scrum-half believes that Australia will challenge the All Blacks but can\u2019t see them bringing an end to New Zealand\u2019s unbeaten streak at Eden Park.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is a team that can challenge the All Blacks for sure. There\u2019s a lot more consistency in the Wallabies selection than there is in the All Blacks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n