Following Scott Robertson’s selection for the All Blacks’ second Test against France in Wellington, here are our key winners and losers.
New Zealand’s head coach has been forced into two changes in the starting line-up with Patrick Tuipulotu and Caleb Clarke coming in for the injured Scott Barrett and Sevu Reece respectively.
Robertson has also decided to bring Timoci Tavatavanawai onto the bench in place of Quinn Tupaea, with the Highlanders star in line for his debut.
So without further ado, here are our winners and losers.
Winners
Ardie Savea
After Scott Barrett’s injury, the world-class back-row was handed the captaincy and he will follow in the footsteps of the likes of Richie McCaw and Sam Cane by skippering the side from openside flanker.
Savea has done the role before under Robertson, receiving the honour after Barrett missed two games last season, but some believe that he should be handed the responsibility on a permanent basis. He’s certainly one who leads more by his actions than his words, but when he speaks his team-mates listen.
Rieko Ioane
Scott Robertson is determined to keep the out-of-form Blues back in the side, this time shifting the 28-year-old to the right wing, but he will need a big display at some point. For All Blacks fans, they will say it has to come this weekend, with Ioane continuing to struggle for performances, whether at club or international level.
Despite being moved from centre last weekend after an underwhelming 12 months for both the Blues and New Zealand, Robertson continues to place his trust in the speedster, but perhaps a break is needed for Ioane to recapture his top level. He definitely needs to have a massive game on Saturday.
Billy Proctor
Has been backed by many to take the role at centre and was finally given an opportunity by head coach Robertson last weekend. However, it did not go to plan as Proctor, despite being physical and abrasive, made a few errors and didn’t quite offer what most were hoping for.
Still, the Hurricanes star quite rightly gets another go and from an All Blacks perspective, hopefully they get to see his playmaking capabilities at his home ground in Wellington. He is an excellent all-round player and the head coach has given him a chance to show that.
Caleb Clarke
Enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2024 but was dropped for the first Test of the year after enduring a torrid campaign at the Blues. It was not necessarily Clarke’s fault, however, with the Auckland outfit’s game plan not getting the best out of the wings, and he will hope that playing for the national team can release the shackles.
One area he may improve the side is under the high ball as the All Blacks struggled with France’s kicking game in Dunedin. Clarke has been one of the best aerially for New Zealand and that skill set could be vital, from both a defensive and attacking standpoint.
Timoci Tavatavanawai
Congratulations to the powerhouse centre, who will likely make his Test debut after being named on the bench for the second French clash. Tavatavanawai has been in exceptional form for the Highlanders this season after being moved from the wing by head coach Jamie Joseph and thoroughly deserves his shot.
Unsurprisingly, after being dubbed ‘Ma’a Nonu on steroids’ by Justin Marshall, he is a powerhouse back, but there is much more to his game than that. He is of course a hefty unit and uses that to get over the gain line, but Tavatavanawai is equally an incredibly smart player who often appears at the right place at the right time, while he is also magnificent defensively and a true leader having co-captained the ‘Landers. A very exciting prospect.
Losers
Scott Barrett and Sevu Reece
Unfortunately for both players, they will miss this weekend’s encounter after picking up injuries in the victory over France in Dunedin. Reece lasted just one minute after sustaining a concussion while Barrett was forced off midway through the second period due to a calf issue.
The captain will miss the rest of the mid-year series but a complete timeframe for his recovery has not been confirmed and whether his absence will extend into the Rugby Championship. As for Reece, he is undergoing return-to-play protocols and will be available once that stand-down period has been completed.
Samipeni Finau
There was a shock last week when Tupou Vaa’i was switched to blindside and duly chosen ahead of his Chiefs team-mate, with many expecting Finau to slot in there following the injuries to Wallace Sititi and Luke Jacobson.
Vaa’i, who was exceptional at lock for the All Blacks last year, did not exactly convince at flanker against France either but Robertson evidently does not wholly trust Finau just yet. He did not have his finest Super Rugby Pacific season in 2025, despite finding his form towards the end of the campaign, and there has also been some issues with his discipline following a number of needless penalties.
Damian McKenzie
The livewire back played 79 minutes of the first Test after Reece’s injury and had an opportunity to combine with Beauden Barrett in that dual playmaker role, but the results were mixed and McKenzie was unable to force his way into the starting line-up for Test two.
Barrett was never going to be dropped from fly-half after being one of New Zealand’s best performers in the narrow win over Les Blues and McKenzie will therefore take the bench role once again. The experienced Blues star has certainly got the upper hand in the battle for the number 10 jersey.
Quinn Tupaea and Anton Lienert-Brown
The inclusion of Tavatavanawai has come at a cost for Tupaea, who has dropped out of the 23 after making the bench for the first Test. His time will come but, at the moment, he will have to play a waiting game as Robertson assesses his options ahead of the Rugby Championship.
Lienert-Brown will hope to be one of those still in the mix but, despite recovering from an injury sustained in Super Rugby, he has not made the 23 this weekend. With Tavatavanawai emerging this season and Tupaea in fine form, and able to cover both 12 and 13, the 30-year-old has a battle to remain a regular in the 23.
Emoni Narawa
Probably the unluckiest player in New Zealand at the moment and misses out once again despite Reece’s absence. He was initially named as injury cover but that didn’t stop Christian Lio-Willie from starting and Narawa would have been in contention for that right wing spot.
Will Jordan was another option but Robertson quite rightly sees him as the long-term full-back, leaving Narawa as the only player in the squad to have featured regularly in the number 14 slot, but the head coach instead decided to shift Ioane. It’s a slightly bemusing decision given that the 25-year-old has been the form wing in 2025.