Why the All Blacks aren't risking Ruben Love for Bledisloe blockbusters

However you slice it, it's been a mega 2026 from Love. He started at flyhalf in the last five Super Rugby matches on the way to the Hurricanes' title, then in all three Nations Championship matches in July and finally the opening three tests of the bruising Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour in South Africa.

Coming out on the other side, the young talent has emerged as the Kiwi's number one option at flyhalf. But when speaking to Rugby Pass, Rennie revealed that Love has basically been playing with an ankle injury for most of the year.

“Yeah, well, I mean, it was only confirmed yesterday, the fact that he wasn’t going to be available," he said.

"He sort of nursed it a little bit through Super Rugby. He’s tough, Ruben. He was probably struggling a little bit in Africa, but while he was getting a bit of medical attention, he wouldn’t be talking much about it, and so yeah, it’s certainly serious enough for him to not be available.

“He can probably run at 70%, but that’s not great for him, not great for us. So we can’t put a timeline on it yet, and that’ll become clearer over the next week or so.”

But the All Blacks are not short of options at flyhalf. Richie Mo'unga played in the final Test of the Greatest Rivalry in Baltimore, while Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie and Josh Jacomb were all part of the tour to the Republic.

The opening Bledisloe Cup Test against their perennial rivals kicks off on 10 October at fortress Eden Park in Auckland, where the All Blacks have not lost since 1994.