All Blacks’ 2026: Richie Mo’unga’s return could define Scott Robertson’s Springboks campaign
Scott Robertson said the All Blacks “turned a corner” in 2025 – and he would, wouldn’t he? However, the bend they rounded seems only to have revealed more corners.
Robertson’s All Blacks have done little to convince that the ordinary fare and curious inconsistency of 2024 improved this season: no Rugby Championship or Grand Slam.
He and others talked earnestly about 19 new All Blacks created in the past two years after the 2023 exodus. Yes, but only six (Fabian Holland, Wallace Sititi, Simon Parker, Billy Proctor, Leroy Carter and Cortez Ratima) enjoyed game time consistent with advancing their experience and careers at this level. Only two, Holland and Sititi, have strong first-team claims.
That six might be eight if Pasilio Tosi and Peter Lakai step up, although the 19 included prop Tevita Mafileo who didn’t get on the field so, technically, isn’t an All Black yet. The other 10 (George Bell, Ruben Love, Sam Darry, Noah Hotham, Ollie Norris, DuPlessis Kirifi, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Christian Lio-Willie, Brodie McAlister and Kyle Preston) had little game time for various reasons.
Which leads to four words underlining that 2026 will be one of the toughest seasons faced by any All Black team, Robertson’s in particular: Richie Mo’unga and South Africa.
The latter have maintained a winning regime threatening to overhaul even the 2010-2017 All Blacks’ unofficial title of the most dominant team in world rugby history. Mo’unga is supposedly not eligible for the tour of South Africa because of his Japan stint, but I’d bet Elon Musk’s US$87 billion pay package he’ll be on the plane for that daunting assignment.
Daunting is also the word for the All Blacks’ entire 2026 itinerary – four tests against the Springboks plus four matches against their top franchises; seven tests as part of the new Nations Championship (including France, Ireland and England), and two Bledisloe Cup tests. That’s 13 tests in all, only four at home.
Mo’unga’s arrival will either fix or fuzzy the issue of the All Blacks’ often misfiring backline and stuttering attack. No criticism of the Japan club competition, but it’s not the best preparation for the Boks. Mo’unga’s extremely likely elevation to first-choice first five-eighths also begs the question of what happens to Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie and Will Jordan.
The midfield is still not settled and, presuming Jordan stays at fullback and Leicester Fainga’anuku moves into midfield, new talent on the wing will be needed after what appeared to be a fond farewell tour for Rieko Ioane and Sevu Reece.
However, the increased depth after the past two years is necessary. The 1996 “Incomparables”, the first (and only) All Blacks to win a series in South Africa since hostilities commenced in 1921, had only three uncapped players in their 36-man squad. Coach John Hart divided it cleanly into midweek and test teams, with games against provincial teams between tests.
That dulled the effective Springbok tactic, perfected over decades, of building the All Blacks up with hospitality and flattery and wearing them down with fierce provincial competition while freshening key players for the tests.
That can’t be Robertson’s strategy – his team plays the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls as warm-ups and then the dangerous Lions in between the first two tests. One of the four tests is being played outside South Africa at a money-spinning neutral venue yet to be announced.
In 1996, the All Blacks also played in South Africa at Newlands as part of the earlier Rugby Championship (the All Blacks won), but it had previously been agreed that test would not count as part of the three-test tour series. It’s not yet clear whether the 2026 “neutral” clash will be accorded the same distinction. Regardless, this tour will be unlike anything Robertson’s men have faced, perhaps an even harder quest than the World Cup (where three wins in a row from the quarter-finals secure that trophy).
Sean Fitzpatrick, skipper in 1996, talked afterwards about the pressure and fanatical support for the Boks often being translated into abuse of the All Blacks. They lost only one test and won all provincial encounters except against Griqualand West, when an injury-time try to Glen Osborne was needed to draw.
Victory in South Africa next year will need a settled, steeled, winning team and the kind of grit shown by first five-eighths Simon Culhane, who was called in to replace injured Andrew Mehrtens. He not only played nervelessly, but stirred hearts with one driving tackle on giant Bok flanker Andre Venter.
The All Black team that won the third 1996 test is worth listing: Craig Dowd, Fitzpatrick, and Olo Brown up front; Ian Jones and Robin Brooke at lock; Michael Jones, Josh Kronfeld and Zinzan Brooke in the loose. Justin Marshall, Mehrtens, Walter Little, Frank Bunce, Jeff Wilson, Osborne (in for an injured and unwell Jonah Lomu) and Christian Cullen – a lot of greats.
So the 2026 home tests against France, Italy and Ireland will be hugely important, with the Bledisloe and northern tests coming after the South African tour. Not much time, then, for Robertson and co to deal with unsolved issues: the coaching system and assistants; captaincy/leadership; puzzling inconsistency, particularly against top sides; the midfield; blindside flanker; the back three. This also assumes top players are available and injury-free.
Let’s finish on an optimistic note: whatever happens in South Africa, 2026 will be enormously difficult – but ideal preparation for the World Cup in Australia in 2027. Fingers crossed.
Paul Lewis writes about rugby, cricket, league, football, yachting, golf, the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.