All Blacks captain and Crusaders star Scott Barrett will sit out most of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season after exercising a clause in his contract to take a non-playing sabbatical.
Wallace Sititi has been rewarded for a strong performance against Ireland by being named to start at blindside flanker for the All Blacks against Scotland.
New Zealand are vowing to go in for the kill and lay down a World Cup marker in the much-anticipated Pacific Championships final showdown against Samoa.
All Blacks midfielder Jordie Barrett has been ruled out for the rest of the northern hemisphere tour, while brother Scott is sidelined for the test in Edinburgh, both due to injury.
All Blacks first-five Beauden Barrett has offered to help Tadhg Beirne fight a potential ban, after the Irish lock was red-carded for an incident early in their test match in Chicago.
The All Blacks mounted a spirited comeback to defeat Ireland 26-13 in front of a sell-out crowd of 61,840 fans in the Windy City (Chicago, not Wellington).