Mealamu 'really happy' with naming of Ardie Savea as ABs captain

Former All Blacks legend Maiavatele Keven Mealamu believes Ardie Savea's performance as a player will go up a notch, after the former Moana Pasifika captain was named to lead the All Blacks.

Mealamu, who played 132 Test matches for the All Blacks during his international career spanning from 2002 to 2015, was at the announcement as a New Zealand Rugby Board member.

He told RNZ Pacific after the announcement that Savea as captain is exciting for New Zealand rugby in general and for Pasifika as a whole.

"I think Ardie has been a great leader," Mealamu said.

"We've been able to watch him play as an All Black, as well and his work on the field does the talking. He is a servant leader and has the respect of his players as well.

"I think he'll walk in well and just keep doing what he's been doing in the past. Really happy for him to be named as the captain, I don't think we'll see anything different, other than his best as we always do."

Mealamu also praised the four new debutants - Anton Segner, Xavier Numia, Fehi Fineanganofo and Josh Moorby, adding the four deserve their call-ups as they had proven themselves.

"It was really exciting, actually, seeing a couple of our new debutantes here today, and all when you look at them as well, they all deserve it," he said.

"I'm really happy with the team. I'm looking forward to seeing them getting together, and what they can do on the field."

Head coach David Rennie told the media at the event Savea is a leader who commands respect because of his humility and professionalism.

"Yeah, I'm really excited about it," Rennie - who coached Savea at Kobe in the Japanese League in the past five months - said.

"Such a good man, deeply cares, very experienced, highly respected.

"I reckon Ardie, he's not a massive talker, so he'll lead through his actions, and certainly our recent time in Kobe, we made him captain for one game and he just played through the roof.

"So, he'll do a good job leading the guys, and he'll lead through his actions."

Savea said he was humbled by the faith of his coaches.

He said being of Pasifika heritage, the call was humbling both for him and his family, and he is proud to be leading a team that has Pasifika influence across the board.

"It's a huge honor," he said.

"I'm nervous, but I'm really excited as well.

"I know with me, the more pressure, the more responsibility I have, the more I turn to my faith in the Lord, and, and I know special things can happen."

He said the All Blacks is a Pasifika team, connected by the ocean that surrounds the islands and New Zealand.

"It's beautiful," he said.

"You know, we represent a certain group of people, our people, but, like I said, we're all Pacific - whether you're brown, white, whatever, we're all Pacific, and we're from the Pacific - the Pacific Ocean connects us all.

"So, I guess the next 17 months, it's about us, not only the team, but the country and people coming together and trying to win."

Debutants delighted

One of the newcomers is 2026 Super Rugby Pacific joint top try-scorer Fine Fineanganofo, who is of Tongan heritage.

"Well, what we know is he's available until November, so we've picked him on that basis," Rennie said.

"Obviously, with a guy like Caleb Tangitau, who is unavailable, so we're not blocking the path of a good young kid coming through, so he deserves it."

When pressed on whether there are moves to keep Fineanganofo here in New Zealand, Rennie said: "We'll see how that pans out."

A former Auckland Grammar student, Fineanganofo said he will leave the future to his management to deal with while he focuses on his All Blacks opportunity.

"It's pretty special for me and my family," he said of his selection.

"It's kind of just been a dream, and yeah, just want to make my family proud."

Meanwhile, Oriental Rongotai club stalwart Xaver Numia is another Pasifika heritage player named in the squad for the first time.

Having helped the Hurricanes win the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific title at the weekend, Numia said the new of his selection was icing on the cake for him.

"Pretty surreal for me," he said.

"I was pretty lost for words, to be honest, when I got the phone call, and the first people I called were obviously my parents. I shed a few tears with them.

"My main focus was just trying to perform the best I could for the Hurricanes, just enjoying my rugby, and I guess just being unapologetically myself."

Other players of Pasifika heritage include Crusaders prop George Bower, Blues winger Caleb Clarke and captain Patrick Tuipulotu, Chiefs trio Tupou Vaa'i, Wallace Sititi and Samisoni Taukei'aho, and the Hurricanes front rowers Numia, Asafo Aumua and Pasilio Tosi.

The squad will begin their preparation for the Nations Championship in Wellington on Wednesday.

The July schedule see them meet France in Christchurch on 4 July, Italy in Wellington on 11 July, and Ireland in Auckland on 18 July.

All Blacks squad: Outside backs: Leroy Carter, Caleb Clarke, Fehi Fineanganofo, Will Jordan, Josh Moorby;

Midfield: Jordie Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown, Billy Proctor, Quinn Tupaea;

First-fives: Beauden Barrett, Ruben Love, Damian McKenzie;

Halfbacks: Kyle Preston, Cortez Ratima, Cam Roigard;

Loose forwards: Luke Jacobson, Peter Lakai, Simon Parker, Ardie Savea, Anton Segner, Wallace Sititi; Locks: Sam Darry, Josh Lord, Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa'I; Props: George Bower, Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Xavier Numia, Pasilio Tosi; Hookers: Asafo Aumua, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Codie Taylor.