Ardie Savea is the “perfect candidate” to lead the All Blacks’ Rugby World Cup title bid, according to legendary full-back Mils Muliaina.
Dave Rennie has been tasked with getting New Zealand back on track for Australia 2027 after replacing Scott Robertson as the All Blacks head coach, which has spurred the debate around who should captain the side.
Scott Barrett, who took up a sabbatical opportunity and has subsequently missed the entirety of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season so far, was the man entrusted with the responsibility during Robertson’s regime, with Savea stepping up when the lock was unavailable.
However, the middle Barrett brother has come under scrutiny throughout his time as the All Blacks captain and many believe that it’s time for change, including Muliaina and fellow legend Jeff Wilson.
Earlier this year, the pair both put Codie Taylor forward as their preferred choice to skipper the side under Rennie, but Muliaina has since had a change of heart.
“Initially, my thoughts were that Codie Taylor would be a wonderful, great captain. Having thought about that now and as time has evolved, I think Ardie is the perfect candidate,” he said on Sky Sport NZ’s Breakdown show.
“One, he has an existing relationship already with Dave Rennie, and then it’s what he has done in the Moana Pasifika jersey. Dave Rennie has got 18 months, and he’s there to win the Rugby World Cup, and if you’re there for a short period of time, considering what Ardie did for Moana Pasifika and how he sort of did it, he’s your captain.
“He’s already got you a lot of guys around him. You got Tana Umaga coming around, and there’s an existing relationship there, but rather than beating around the bush and making him a co-captain, I think you go out and, from the get-go, make Ardie Savea the captain.”
Savea is currently working with Rennie at the Kobe Steelers in Japan and was Umaga’s choice as Moana’s captain during his 2025 stint at the club. While Muliaina has changed his tune, Wilson has not and still believes that Crusaders hooker Taylor is the right man for the job.
“I’m on the record saying that Codie Taylor should be the captain. I’m going to stay; that hasn’t changed,” he said.
2011 Rugby World Cup-winning fly-half Stephen Donald weighed in on the debate, arguing that the conversation and role is ‘overhyped’ and it doesn’t really matter who is given the title.
“To be fair, and this might be unpopular, but isn’t it overhyped? I’m just not convinced it really matters. We were lucky enough to play with a guy who was beyond comparison as far as a captain goes in Richie McCaw, but I’ve never played with anyone close to that sort of captain, and he ticks those boxes,” he remarked.
“When you think you’ve got a Taylor, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, and the likes all in one forward pack, does it really matter who runs out first, and you’ve got an experienced 10, and you’ve got one of the world’s best nines? I’m not sure it matters.”
Wilson disagreed: “It matters massively for this group because they’re going through a lot of change in a short period of time, and they have 18 months to get it right. If you don’t pick the right person to lead that, you’re going to fail.”
Muliaina concluded the debate, adding further weight behind Savea getting the gig.
“He’s matured into that role. For a long time, he’s sort of not wanted it; now he’s gone offshore, and I go back to my point about what he did for Moana Pasifika,” he said.
“We have only got 18 months, and if you’re going to go out there and try and win the Rugby World Cup, that’s the guy that should be leading, and let’s not beat around the bush. Let’s just put him as the captain. Who knows what’s going to happen to him after the Rugby World Cup? Why not just make him captain? You’ve seen what he’s done for Moana Pasifika, put him in there.”
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