The Wallabies are doing battle with the Lions as we speak, but for New Zealand rugby fans, well, we have to wait four more years before we get to take a crack at them.
Provided everyone stays fit and healthy, I’ve come up with a starting XV to take on the Lions when they do make the trip over.
Plenty of the team already have Test Match experience which is a great sign for New Zealand rugby and how they’re bringing talent through the ranks. The French series was a great example of blooding new players, and I think we’ll see a lot of those players in the four years’ time.
Without further ado, your 2029 All Blacks XV to take on the British & Irish Lions.
Loose Head: Tamaiti Williams (24)
Starting off strong with Tamaiti Williams in at loose head. He’s already got 18 caps under his belt and will be a man who carries a lot of experience with him by the time 2029 rolls around.
The Crusaders’ front rower was described as one of the best loose heads in the world by Scott Robertson. If he can stay healthy, he could be one of the greatest front rowers to pull on the black jersey.
Hooker: George Bell (23)
George Bell has just the three caps to his name and wasn’t selected in the most recent squad, with Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho, and Brodie McAlister selected ahead of him.
Fast forward four years, and Codie Taylor will have hung up the boots, and both Taukei’aho and McAlister will be into their 30s. Bell, who will be 27 by then, should be our first option hooker. He’s got all the makings to be Codie Taylor’s successor with his dynamic skillset.
Tight Head Prop: Fletcher Newell (25)
To round off the front row, Fletcher Newell comes in as our tight head. An all-Crusader front three seems the likely option based on their most recent Super Rugby campaign. The talent and youth the Saders have is a testament to how good that organisation is at pumping out representative players.
Something that hurts as a Hurricanes fan but is great from a New Zealand rugby perspective, especially when considering we’ll need our best squad possible to take on the might of the Lions.
Lock: Fabian Holland (22)
Fabian Holland was a huge standout in the French series, playing a full 80 minutes in all three matches and didn’t look out of place once.
This comes off the back of a huge Super Rugby campaign; Holland, in my eyes, is set to become a 100 Test player. There are big shoes to fill when it comes to the locking department, but Holland has the motor and the drive it would seem to follow in those footsteps of Retallick, Whitelock & Scott Barrett.
Lock: Tupou Vaa’i (25)
Already a machine and a genuine standout in the side. He has a massive motor on him and will play a huge role in the engine room going forward if we can keep him in NZ.
He had some great minutes in the loosie’s but with the talent and depth we already that department, we can keep him in the number five jersey.
Blindside Flanker: Peter Lakai (22)
Recognised as a future star from his early days. Lakai has impressed at every level. Having done two stints with the NZ Under 20’s, he’s always stood out amongst the rest, and it’s easy to see why.
His power and agility are what allowed him to step up for the Hurricanes when Ardie Savea was unavailable. Much like the Crusaders when it comes to front rowers, the Canes continue to produce Test-quality flankers and Lakai has the potential to be NZ’s number six of the future.
Openside Flanker: Ardie Savea (c) (31)
By the time the Lions touch down in New Zealand, Ardie will be 35 years old, going on 36 later in the year.
Now this is a bold call, still having Ardie in the squad at this age. When you think about Richie McCaw retiring at the age of 34 after lifting the 2015 World Cup you’d think Ardie will be just about done.
I agree, however, he constantly shows that he is the beating heart of the current NZ side, and he’s only got better with age. Yes, he’ll start to slow down, but we’ll need his leadership if we want to win this series.
Number Eight: Wallace Sititi (22)
No brainer here.
Wallace Sititi burst onto the international scene when he was the youngest player named in the 2024 squad at just 21. He went toe-to-toe with a huge Springbok pack and has never looked back.
He went on to win the 2024 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year and has the makings to be New Zealand’s next great number 8.
Halfback: Cam Roigard (24)
I was watching poetry in motion when Aaron Smith was in town for the French series and joining in during some of the practice runs. At 36, he’s still got it, and I’m hoping we’ll get similar output from the Hurricanes halfback.
Cam Roigard, at just 24, has had one of the biggest impacts a halfback could have.
His passing and his kicking games are top-tier, but where he really stands out is his speed, power and agility, as well as his ability to not only spot the gaps but also make the most of them.
First Five: Ruben Love (24)
There’s been lots of talk surrounding Ruben Love. Is he good enough? What position should he play? Is he even a fly-half?
I believe he’ll be our number 10 in the future. The Canes were at their best this season when Love was running the cutter, and remember, he’s only played a handful of games where he is the one in control.
As he learns and gets more experience under his belt, Love has all the potential to be our next Beauden Barrett.
Left Wing: Kyren Taumoefolau (22)
Kyren Taumoefolau had a breakout season this year for Moana Pasifika. Feeding off and following someone into battle like Ardie Savea can only be a good thing for a player’s development.
There is a lot of competition in NZ when it comes to our wingers. Sevu Reece (28) and Rieko Ioane (28) will still be floating around, but the likelihood is that when they’re nearing the end of their respective careers, they’ll head overseas and earn a bit of pocket money.
Taumoefolau scored 9 tries on the wing this season and looks as though he’ll be one of the next NZ wingers to put on the black jersey in the coming years.
Second Five: Jordie Barrett (28)
When I drafted this squad initially, I didn’t consider Jordie Barrett. It took me by surprise to learn that Jordie is still only 28 years old. It feels like he’s been 28 for years now.
But anytime Jordie is available for selection, he’s got to be one of the first names on the team sheet.
We all know how good he is, and I’m hoping that in four more years, that 12 jersey will still be his. It will be a big ask for the likes of Quinn Tupaea (26), Tavatavanawai (27) and Riley Higgins (22) to earn a regular starting spot.
Centre: Xavi Taele (20)
We are lucky that we have so much quality in the midfield in New Zealand, and I think that only benefits someone like Xavi Taele.
The youngest player in my squad, Taele, debuted for the Blues this year, earning six caps. He impressed enough to be selected in the Māori All Blacks squad. He didn’t feature, but just being in and around these setups will help with his development.
He’ll be hoping for a big NPC season with Auckland this year and try and earn some more playing time when Super Rugby comes around next season.
He’ll be 24 by the time the tour rolls around. Still very young by international rugby standards, but he impressed enough to earn my vote of confidence.
Right Wing: Cody Vai (21)
Cody Vai is the second youngest to make the squad. He went straight into the All Blacks Sevens side as injury cover once he finished high school.
He did not feature in this year’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign because he’s been busy carving up the Sevens league. Generally speaking, a talent like Cody will likely make the permanent shift over to 15s like a young Rieko Ioane did in 2015/16.
Fullback: Will Jordan (27)
Need I explain myself?
The soon-to-be top try scorer ever for New Zealand is hopefully here to stay for a long time. If he goes overseas, I’d highly recommend the NZRU to change the eligibility rules.