The All Blacks have named their squad for the upcoming Northern Tour, with just one change from their Rugby Championship roster.
Cam Roigard has returned from a knee injury, creating a selection dilemma at halfback for the coaches. Head Coach Scott Robertson expressed excitement over Roigard’s form and highlighted the performances of Cortez Ratima and TJ Perenara, which earned them spots in the squad.
Noah Hotham, meanwhile, will join the All Blacks XV squad to gain valuable playing time. Robertson emphasised the importance of continuing to develop the team’s style of play while maintaining a balance between experienced and emerging talent.
As part of the tour preparations, some players from the All Blacks XV squad will travel with the main team to Japan to gain additional experience.
This will allow part of the All Blacks squad to arrive early in England to focus on their test matches against Northern Hemisphere teams. The tour will begin on October 26 in Japan, followed by matches against England, Ireland, France, and Italy throughout November. The All Blacks squad will depart for Japan on October 17.
Squad
The 36-strong squad is: (Age / Super Rugby Club / Province / Test Caps)
Forwards (20)
Hookers
Asafo Aumua (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 15)
Codie Taylor (33 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 93)
George Bell (22 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 1)
Props
Ethan De Groot (26 / Highlanders / Southland / 28)
Tyrel Lomax (28 / Hurricanes / Tasman / 40)
Fletcher Newell (24 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 20)
Pasilio Tosi (26 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 3)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (32 / Blues / Northland / 63)
Tamaiti Williams (24 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 14)
Locks
Scott Barrett (30 / Crusaders / Taranaki / 76) (Captain)
Tupou Vaa’i (24 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 34)
Patrick Tuipulotu (31 / Blues / Auckland / 46)
Sam Darry (24 / Blues / Canterbury / 5)
Loose forwards
Ethan Blackadder (29 / Crusaders / Tasman / 15)
Sam Cane (32 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 100)
Samipeni Finau (25 / Chiefs / Waikato / 4)
Luke Jacobson (27 / Chiefs / Waikato / 24)
Dalton Papali’i (26 / Blues / Counties Manukau / 36)
Ardie Savea (30 / Moana Pasifika / Wellington / 90) (Vice Captain)
Wallace Sititi (22 / Chiefs / North Harbour / 5)
Backs (16)
Halfbacks
Cam Roigard (23 / Hurricanes / Counties Manukau / 5)
TJ Perenara (32 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 87)
Cortez Ratima (23 / Chiefs / Waikato / 8)
First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (33 / Blues / Taranaki / 131)
Damian McKenzie (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 56)
Mid-fielders
Jordie Barrett (27 / Hurricanes / Taranaki / 65) (Vice Captain)
David Havili (29 / Crusaders / Tasman / 28)
Rieko Ioane (27 / Blues / Auckland / 77)
Anton Lienert-Brown (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 79)
Billy Proctor (25 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 1)
Outside backs
Caleb Clarke (25 / Blues / Auckland / 25)
Will Jordan (26 / Crusaders / Tasman / 37)
Ruben Love (23 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 0)*
Stephen Perofeta (27 / Blues / Taranaki / 5)
Sevu Reece (27 / Crusaders / Southland / 30)
Mark Tele’a (27 / Blues / North Harbour/ 15)
Squad for the final tour of the year ☝🏼🔥 pic.twitter.com/SNB9ZmaIYN
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 7, 2024
