All Blacks Squad Named For Rugby World Cup

In Napier on Monday, All Black selectors Ian Foster, Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt have revealed their 33-man squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

The squad has an 18 forwards and 15 backs split, totaling three hookers, six props, four locks, five loose forwards, three halfbacks, three first five-eighths, four midfielders and five outside backs. Foster has also named Samipeni Finau, Brad Weber and George Bell as an injury cover set of players to travel to France, but train away from the squad.

The All Blacks next match is a warm up test against South Africa at Twickenham on 26th August, ahead of their opening match against France at the Rugby World Cup on 8th September.

Forwards:

Hookers:

Dane Coles, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Codie Taylor

Props:

Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Nepo Laulala, Fletcher Newell, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Tamaiti Williams

Locks:

Scott Barrett 
Brodie Retallick 
Tupou Vaa’i 
Samuel Whitelock 

Loose Forwards:

Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Luke Jacobson, Dalton Papali’i, Ardie Savea 

Backs:

Halfbacks:

Finlay Christie 
Cam Roigard 
Aaron Smith 


First Five-Eighths:

Beauden Barrett 
Damian McKenzie
Richie Mo'unga

Midfielders:

Jordie Barrett, David Havili, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown 


Outside Backs:

Caleb Clarke, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Will Jordan, Emoni Narawa, Mark Telea 

All Blacks Named To Face South Africa

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named his side to face South Africa in their Rugby Championship match in Townsville on Saturday night. 

In the forward pack, there are multiple changes with Nepo Laulala and Codie Taylor in at prop and hooker, Scott Barrett and Brodie Retallick paired at lock, Akira Ioane at blindside and Luke Jacobson at number eight, while prop Joe Moody and captain Ardie Savea are the only ones retained from last week.

In the backs, Jordie Barrett retains his place at fullback, with brother Beauden in at first five, and Rieko Ioane in paired with David Havili in the centres with Anton Liernert Brown out with a hamstring strain.

New Zealand All Blacks: 

Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, George Bridge, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Luke Jacobson, Ardie Savea (c), Akira Ioane, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. 

Reserves: 

Samisoni Taukei’aho, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ethan Blackadder, Brad Weber, Damian McKenzie, Quinn Tupaea.

Super Rugby Pacific 2022 Announced

New Zealand Rugby has confirmed details of Super Rugby Pacific that will start in February 2020, and will be jointly run by NZ Rugby and Rugby Australia.

Replacing the old format of sides from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina, the new competition will contain a total of twelve teams, with New Zealand and Australia both having five teams each, and new sides the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika. 

The competition will start on 18th February 2022, and have an eight-team playoff series with a final on 18th June. Each side will play a total of 14 matches, with 7 of those based at home, and they will play eight teams once and three local teams twice. The 12 teams are the Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs, Crusaders, Fijian Drua, Highlanders, Hurricanes, Melbourne Rebels, Moana Pasifika, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds and Western Force

North v South Rugby Clash Delayed.

The North versus South rugby clash initially scheduled for August 28th at Eden Park in Auckland has been delayed until September 5th due to Covid-19 restrictions in the Auckland region. If there are any further delay's the match will potentially be cancelled as crowds are not allowed until alert level one is reached. The North versus South rugby squads selected by All Blacks coach Ian Foster, Grant Fox and John Plumtree are below.

NORTH SQUAD

Hookers:

Asafo Aumua (Wellington), Ash Dixon (Hawke's Bay) and Kurt Eklund (Auckland).

Props: Alex Fidow (Wellington), Ayden Johnstone (Waikato), Angus Ta'avao (Auckland), Karl Tu'inukuafe (North Harbour) and Ofa Tuungafasi (Auckland).
Locks: Scott Scrafton (Auckland), Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland and captain) and Tupou Vaa'i (Taranaki).
Loose forwards: Lachlan Boshier (Taranaki), Akira Ioane (Auckland), Dalton Papalii (Auckland), Ardie Savea (Wellington) and Hoskins Sotutu (Auckland).
Halfbacks: TJ Perenara (Wellington), Aaron Smith (Manawatu) and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Taranaki).
First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett (Taranaki).

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Midfielders: Rieko Ioane (Auckland), Anton Lienert-Brown (Waikato) and Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wellington).
Outside backs: Caleb Clarke (Auckland), Mitchell Hunt (Auckland), Damian McKenzie (Waikato), Sevu Reece (Waikato) and Mark Telea (North Harbour).

SOUTH SQUAD

Hookers:
Liam Coltman (Otago), Andrew Makalio (Tasman) and Codie Taylor (Canterbury).
Props: George Bower (Otago), Alex Hodgman (Canterbury), Nepo Laulala (Canterbury), Tyrel Lomax (Tasman) and Joe Moody (Canterbury).
Locks: Mitchell Dunshea (Canterbury), Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Southland) and Samuel Whitelock (Canterbury and captain).

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Loose forwards: Tom Christie (Canterbury), Shannon Frizell (Tasman), Dillon Hunt (Otago), Reed Prinsep (Canterbury) and Tom Sanders (Canterbury).
Halfbacks: Finlay Christie (Tasman), Mitchell Drummond (Canterbury) and Brad Weber (Otago).
First five-eighths: Josh Ioane (Otago) and Richie Mo'unga (Canterbury).
Midfielders: Braydon Ennor (Canterbury), Leicester Faingaanuku (Tasman), Jack Goodhue (Canterbury) and Sio Tomkinson (Otago)
Outside backs: Jordie Barrett (Canterbury), George Bridge (Canterbury) and Will Jordan (Tasman).

Several players were unavailable for selection due to injury, including Hurricanes Dane Coles and Ngani Laumape, Crusader captain Scott Barrett, and All Black Captain Sam Cane.