High-profile All Blacks return to squad for Rugby Championship

By Christopher Reive

Sam Cane, Will Jordan and David Havili will be back in black for the upcoming Rugby Championship.

Among the 36 men named in Scott Robertson’s All Blacks squad for the upcoming tournament, the trio were all called in for a potential first taste of test rugby this season. Cane (back) and Jordan (shoulder) have been out injured for an extended period this season, while Havili has been in and out of the casualty ward and was limited to nine appearances for the Crusaders during the Super Rugby Pacific season.

Additionally, Hurricanes fullback Ruben Love has received his maiden call-up into the New Zealand squad, following on from a strong season of Super Rugby. Love was overlooked in the first All Blacks squad of the year – instead named as injury cover for the tests against England.

He’ll join the likes of Noah Hotham and Sam Darry as players not in the first squad of the year who are set to play a part; the latter two making their test debuts in the side’s comfortable 47-5 win over Fiji in San Diego last week as injury cover.

“It was a tough squad to select because everyone has owned their opportunities. Continuity is important, but it’s also important to reward performance,” coach Robertson said.

“Sam Cane, Will and David bring a lot of experience and leadership to the group and Ruben, Noah and Sam Darry have taken their chance in the environment. It will be a special moment for Ruben being selected for the first time. He’s worked hard in the background and will be ready when his opportunity comes.”

Hotham’s retention comes at the expense of 23-test All Black Finlay Christie, with fellow rookie Cortez Ratima (two tests) and veteran TJ Perenara (81) named as the other two halfbacks. While it was an injury to Perenara that initially saw Hotham get an opportunity at test level, he is expected to be fit for the Rugby Championship and has been the country’s form halfback this year.

Scott Barrett retains the captaincy, however he is being monitored as he recovers from a finger injury suffered in the win over Fiji. Josh Lord has been called in to cover for the injured lock. Patrick Tuipulotu, who Darry was called into the San Diego test as injury cover for, has also retained his place in the squad.

Barrett is expected to miss at least the first test, with vice-captain Ardie Savea likely to step into the captaincy role in his absence.

Rookies Pasilio Tosi, Wallace Sititi, Billy Proctor and George Bell have also retained their places in the squad after making each making their mark with the opportunities afforded to them over the course of the All Blacks’ season so far.

That will continue when their Rugby Championship campaign begins against Argentina in Wellington on August 10, followed by a second match against the same opponents in Auckland on August 17. The All Blacks then head to South Africa to face the Springboks in Johannesburg on September 1 and in Cape Town on September 8.

All Blacks squad

Hookers
Asafo Aumua (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 9)
Codie Taylor (33 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 87)
George Bell (22 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 1)

Props
Ethan De Groot (26 / Highlanders / Southland / 25)
Tyrel Lomax (28 / Hurricanes / Tasman / 34)
Fletcher Newell (24 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 16)
Pasilio Tosi (26 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 1)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (32 / Blues / Northland / 59)
Tamaiti Williams (23 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 8)

Locks
Scott Barrett (30 / Crusaders / Taranaki / 72) (Captain)
Tupou Vaa’i (24 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 28)
Patrick Tuipulotu (31 / Blues / Auckland / 45)
Sam Darry (24 / Blues / Canterbury / 1)

Loose Forwards
Ethan Blackadder (29 / Crusaders / Tasman / 11)
Sam Cane (32 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 95)
Samipeni Finau (25 / Chiefs / Waikato / 3)
Luke Jacobson (27 / Chiefs / Waikato / 21)
Dalton Papali’i (26 / Blues / Counties Manukau / 34)
Ardie Savea (30 / Moana Pasifika / Wellington / 84) (Vice Captain)
Wallace Sititi (21 / Chiefs / North Harbour / 1)

Halfbacks
Noah Hotham (21 / Crusaders / Tasman / 1)
TJ Perenara (32 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 81)
Cortez Ratima (23 / Chiefs / Waikato / 2)

First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (33 / Blues / Taranaki / 126)
Damian McKenzie (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 50)

Midfielders
Jordie Barrett (27 / Hurricanes / Taranaki / 60) (Vice Captain)
David Havili (29 / Crusaders / Tasman / 27)
Rieko Ioane (27 / Blues / Auckland / 71)
Anton Lienert-Brown (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 73)
Billy Proctor (25 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 1)

Outside backs
Caleb Clarke (25 / Blues / Auckland / 21)
Will Jordan (26 / Crusaders / Tasman / 31)
Ruben Love (23 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 0)
Stephen Perofeta (27 / Blues / Taranaki / 5)
Sevu Reece (27 / Crusaders / Southland / 26)
Mark Tele’a (27 / Blues / North Harbour/ 11)
INJURY COVER: Josh Lord (23 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 4)

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission