The All Blacks will begin their tour of South Africa without captain Ardie Savea, with coach Dave Rennie opting to rest the influential loose forward after an uninterrupted 18-month playing schedule.
Savea will rejoin the squad 10 days before the opening Test, while veteran hooker Codie Taylor has been appointed tour captain despite carrying an injury concern.
Rennie also handed maiden call-ups to Siale Lauaki, Semisi Ta’eiloa and Josh Jacomb, praising Ta’eiloa’s physical presence and describing the selections as career-defining moments.
The coach acknowledged the disappointment of players who missed out, including Du Plessis Kirifi, and said the squad had drawn inspiration from the All Blacks’ historic 1996 series victory in South Africa as they prepare for another demanding challenge against the Springboks.
Squad
Hookers
- Asafo Aumua (29 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 22)
- Codie Taylor (35 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 109)
- Samisoni Taukei’aho (28 / Chiefs / Waikato / 44)
- George Bell (24 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 4)
Props
- Ethan De Groot (27 / Highlanders / Southland / 43)
- George Bower (34 / Crusaders / Otago / 26)
- Xavier Numia (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 2)
- Ollie Norris (26 / Chiefs / Waikato / 3)
- Tyrel Lomax (30 / Hurricanes / Tasman / 51)
- Fletcher Newell (26 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 37)
- Pasilio Tosi (27 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 17)
- Siale Lauaki * (23 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 0)
Locks
- Tupou Vaa’i (26 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 47)
- Patrick Tuipulotu (33 / Blues / Auckland / 57)
- Josh Lord (25 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 15)
- Sam Darry (26 / Blues / Canterbury / 10)
- Fabian Holland (23 / Highlanders / Otago / 12)
Loose Forwards
- Peter Lakai (23 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 10)
- Simon Parker (26 / Chiefs / Northland / 8)
- Ethan Blackadder (31 / Crusaders / Tasman / 14)
- Luke Jacobson (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 27)
- Anton Segner (25 / Blues / Auckland / 2)
- Ardie Savea (32 / Moana Pasifika / Wellington / 109) (Captain)
- Wallace Sititi (23 / Chiefs / North Harbour / 21)
- Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa * (22 / Moana Pasifika / Southland / 0)
Halfbacks
- Cameron Roigard (25 / Hurricanes / Counties Manukau / 20)
- Cortez Ratima (25 / Chiefs / Waikato / 24)
- Kyle Preston (26 / Crusaders / Wellington / 1)
First Five-Eighths
- Ruben Love (25 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 8)
- Beauden Barrett (35 / Blues / Taranaki / 144)
- Damian McKenzie (31 / Chiefs / Waikato / 77)
- Josh Jacomb * (25 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 0)
Midfielders
- Jordie Barrett (29 / Hurricanes / Taranaki / 81)
- Quinn Tupaea (27 / Chiefs / Waikato / 26)
- Billy Proctor (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 13)
- Anton Lienert-Brown (31 / Chiefs / Waikato / 90)
- Timoci Tavatavanawai (28 / Highlanders / Tasman / 2)
Outside Backs
- Caleb Clarke (27 / Blues / Auckland / 35)
- Fehi Fineanganofo (23 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 1)
- Leroy Carter (27 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 7)
- Josh Moorby (28 / Hurricanes / Waikato / 2)
- Will Jordan (28 / Crusaders / Tasman / 57)
- Rieko Ioane (29 / Blues / Auckland / 88)
- Emoni Narawa (27 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 4)
