Dave Rennie arrived at the press conference with one clear focus: preparing the All Blacks for a demanding battle against the Sharks. When asked about team selection, he explained that the process had been relatively straightforward, although several injury concerns had shaped the final lineup. Tyrel Lomax and Xavier Numia were expected to recover, while Will Jordan's minor back issue meant he would miss the match and return for the next challenge. Cody was also being managed with the following game in mind.