2023 All Blacks Squad Naming

Your first All Blacks squad of 2023

All Blacks selectors Ian Foster, Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt have announced a squad of 36 players for the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship.

The 36-strong squad is as follows: (age, Super Rugby club, province, Test caps).
* denotes new caps

Hookers:
Codie Taylor (32, Crusaders / Canterbury, 76)
Dane Coles (36, Hurricanes / Wellington, 84)
Samisoni Taukei’aho (25, Chiefs / Waikato, 24)

Props:
Ethan de Groot (24, Highlanders / Southland, 13)
Fletcher Newell (23, Crusaders / Canterbury, 6)
Nepo Laulala (31, Blues / Counties Manukau, 45)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (31, Blues / Northland, 50)
Tamaiti Williams (22, Crusaders / Canterbury, *)
Tyrel Lomax (27, Hurricanes / Tasman, 23)

Locks:
Brodie Retallick (32, Chiefs / Hawkes Bay, 100)
Josh Lord (22, Chiefs / Taranaki, 2)
Samuel Whitelock (34, Crusaders / Canterbury, 143)
Scott Barrett (29, Crusaders / Taranaki, 58)
Tupou Vaa’i (23, Chiefs / Taranaki, 18)

Loose forwards:
Ardie Savea (29, Hurricanes / Wellington, 70)
Dalton Papali’i (25, Blues / Counties Manukau, 22)
Luke Jacobson (26, Chiefs / Waikato, 12)
Sam Cane (captain) (31, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 86)
Samipeni Finau (24, Chiefs / Waikato, *)
Shannon Frizell (29, Highlanders / Tasman, 25)

Halfbacks:
Aaron Smith (34, Highlanders / Manawatu, 114)
Finlay Christie (27, Blues / Tasman, 14)
Cam Roigard (22, Hurricanes / Counties Manukau, *)

First-five eighths:
Beauden Barrett (32, Blues / Taranaki, 112)
Damian McKenzie (28, Chiefs / Waikato, 40)
Richie Mo’unga (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 44)

Midfielders:
Anton Lienert-Brown (28, Chiefs / Waikato, 60)
Jordie Barrett (26, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 48)
Rieko Ioane (26, Blues / Auckland, 59)
Braydon Ennor (25, Crusaders / Canterbury, 6)
Dallas McLeod (24, Crusaders / Canterbury, *)

Outside backs:
Caleb Clarke (24, Blues / Auckland, 15)
Emoni Narawa (23, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, *)
Leicester Fainga’anuku (23, Crusaders / Tasman, 2)
Mark Telea (26, Blues / North Harbour, 2)
Will Jordan (25, Crusaders / Tasman, 21)

Note: Shaun Stevenson (26, Chiefs / North Harbour, *) has been added as injury cover for Mark Telea for the start of the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship.

Unavailable due to injury: Angus Ta’avao, Ethan Blackadder, Cullen Grace, David Havili, Joe Moody, George Bower, Patrick Tuipulotu, Quinn Tupaea, Sevu Reece, TJ Perenara.

In naming his first squad of the year, All Blacks coach Ian Foster highlighted that the upcoming Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship is vital preparation for the Rugby World Cup later this year.

“We are very excited about the group we have selected,” Foster said. “The Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship is a vital piece in our preparation for the World Cup later in the year. It’s a key opportunity to get our game ready so we can enter the global tournament with confidence.”

Foster has also announced that Sam Cane will return as captain of the All Blacks.

“Sam has proven himself as a great leader of our team despite having had a disrupted couple of seasons leading into this one,” said Foster. “We have total belief that he is the right man to lead us.”

The selectors also congratulated the five uncapped players – Cam Roigard, Dallas McLeod, Emoni Narawa, Samipeni Finau and Tamaiti Williams – who have impressed in DHL Super Rugby Pacific.

“This is very special day for them and their families who I’m sure will be extremely proud of their achievements,” Foster said. “We have a new group of exciting players who will be keen to make a difference in the All Black jersey.”

A number of other capped All Blacks and emerging players will be given the opportunity to gain valuable experience on tour with the All Blacks XV. The squad will play two matches in Japan next month, boosting the depth in New Zealand’s talent pool as the Rugby World Cup approaches.

The All Blacks will begin their preapartions with a training camp at Mount Maunganui from June 21-23 for the non DHL Super Rugby Pacific finalists. The full squad will assemble in Auckland on June 27, before travelling to Mendoza for the opening Test of the year against Argentina on Saturday July 8th.

FIXTURES:

WEEK 1 vs. ARGENTINA. Saturday 8 July, 4:10PM (7:10AM, Sunday 9 July NZT), Estadio Malvinas, MENDOZA

WEEK 2 vs. SOUTH AFRICA. Saturday 15 July, 7.05PM, Go Media Stadium Mt Smart, AUCKLAND

WEEK 3 vs. AUSTRALIA. Saturday 29 July, 7.45PM (9:45PM NZT), Melbourne Cricket Ground, MELBOURNE

WEEK 4 vs. AUSTRALIA. Saturday 5 August, 2.35PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium, DUNEDIN

UNCAPPED PLAYER PROFILES:

Emoni Narawa

POSITION Outside back

BORN 13/7/1999

WEIGHT 98kg

HEIGHT 1.84m

PROVINCE Bay of Plenty

SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC Chiefs

Fijian-born wing Emoni Narawa thrived in the Chiefs’ Super Rugby Pacific environment in 2023. The side’s attacking approach allowed him many opportunities to use his speed, and he shared in some great tries during the campaign.

He has had to wait his time. Coming out of Hamilton Boys’ High School, he made his first-class debut for Bay of Plenty when Chiefs’ coach Clayton McMillan was involved, and in 37 appearances for the union, he has scored 24 tries. His first Super Rugby home was with the Blues in 2020-21, but he made only seven appearances. Transferring to the Chiefs in 2022, he hasn’t looked back. Playing either at fullback or on the wing, he scored five tries in nine games.

In 2023, his game blossomed due to work put in during the off-season and he was a regular starter. One of the fastest players with the ball in hand, he has complemented the skills of the players inside him.

Cam Roigard

POSITION Halfback

BORN 16/11/2000

WEIGHT 88kg

HEIGHT 1.83m

PROVINCE Counties Manukau

SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC Hurricanes

Cameron Roigard began his association with the Hurricanes as a replacement player during their 2020 pre-season programme. But such was the work ethic and dedication he showed his contract was extended for the 2020 campaign. He didn’t play but took his experience training with the side back to Pukekohe, where he debuted for Counties Manukau in the 2020 National Provincial Championship. He returned to Wellington for Super Rugby Pacific and debuted against the Crusaders.

While his opportunities were restricted as he played in the shadows of All Black TJ Perenara and the experienced Jamie Booth, Roigard showed enough to be named a member of the All Blacks XV in 2022, substituting for Perenara against Ireland A. With Perenara suffering an Achilles’ tendon injury when called into the All Blacks to play England, Roigard found himself with the chance for more starts with the Hurricanes, something he achieved with significant effect with some outstanding play in Super Rugby Pacific 2023.

Shaun Stevenson

POSITION Outside back

BORN 14/11/1996

WEIGHT 100kg

HEIGHT 1.9m

PROVINCE North Harbour

SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC Chiefs

Shaun Stevenson had an outstanding season for the Chiefs, one of the leading try scorers in Super Rugby Pacific in 2023. He played for the 2016 New Zealand Under-20s after being an NZ Secondary Schools selection in 2014. Around the first-class scene since making his provincial debut for Waikato in 2015, Stevenson has matured into a consistently high-performing player, whether at fullback or on the wing.

While he returned to his home region of North Harbour in 2017, the impression he made with Waikato saw the Chiefs sign him for Super Rugby, and he has remained with them. By 2022, he started to reap the benefits of his persistence when playing outstanding games for the Māori All Blacks, for whom he has played 12 games since 2017, and being selected for the All Blacks’ XV that toured in Ireland and England in 2022.

Coming into the 2023 season, he played from the outset with a high degree of confidence and in partnership with the Chiefs’ high-quality backline, he scored some outstanding tries and featured at the top of the tryscoring lists.

Tamaiti Williams

POSITION Prop

BORN 10/8/2000

WEIGHT 140kg

HEIGHT 1.96m

PROVINCE Canterbury

SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC Crusaders

Whangarei-born Tamaiti Williams burst onto the national scene when debuting for Canterbury in the National Provincial Championship in 2020. A year after he represented New Zealand Under-20 at the Junior World Championships, the Crusaders soon secured him, where he became part of a solid scrummaging unit including several All Blacks.

After debuting for Canterbury in 2020, his strong displays resulted in his selection for the Māori All Blacks. In 2022 he was included in the All Blacks XV, playing against the Ireland XV and the Barbarians on their tour.

A product of St Kentigern College in Auckland, he had an outstanding season for the Crusaders during their 2023 campaign. A strong scrummager, he has sound skills with the ball in hand and is dangerous close to the line.

Dallas McLeod

POSITION Midfield/outside back

BORN 30/04/1999

WEIGHT 101kg

HEIGHT 190cm

PROVINCE Canterbury

SUPER RUGBY Pacific Crusaders

Centre Dallas McLeod was selected in the Crusaders for the 2020 season after an impressive debut season with Canterbury in the Mitre 10 Cup.

McLeod was a key member of the Canterbury Under 19 squad and was Vice Captain for the New Zealand side in the 2019 Under 20 World Championship in Argentina.

His skill and versatility are what has grabbed the selectors attention, as he can play outside or mid-field back positions.

Samipeni Finau

POSITION Loose forward

BORN 10/05/1999

WEIGHT 115kg

HEIGHT 1.93m

PROVINCE Waikato

SUPER RUGBY Pacific Chiefs

Born in Tonga, dynamic young loose forward Samipeni Finau played much of his rugby at fullback before switching to the loose forwards.

Finau was selected for the 2017 New Zealand Secondary Barbarians team in 2017 after an impressive season at St Peters School in Cambridge.

After playing for Waikato in the 2020 NPC, Finau made his Super Rugby debut for the Chiefs in 2021 starting alongside Sam Cane and Luke Jacobson.

His speed and power off the side of the scrum made him a formidable player and he’s impressed his Chiefs team-mates with his versatility and his talent.

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