All Blacks confirm touring squad

Fresh off winning their Bledisloe Cup match against Australia, New Zealand have named a 36-strong playing squad to depart for the United States in a week’s time ahead of their historic test match against Ireland to be held at Chicago’s Soldier Field on November 5. The team is virtually unchanged from the group that topped the Rugby Championship and has now won a Tier 1 record 18 test matches consecutively. Only Cyprus has won more across all levels of World Rugby, with 24 wins on the trot between 2008 and 2014.

Casualties who will not make the trip include hookers Nathan Harris and James Parsons, while Sam Whitelock suffered an ankle injury against Australia and is a late withdrawal from the tour, replaced by uncapped Crusaders lock Scott Barrett, younger brother of star playmaker Beauden Barrett. Brodie Retallick is also under an injury cloud after suffering concussion from a wild elbow thrown by Dean Mumm that has seen the Wallaby flanker cited for foul play. If he does not recover sufficiently his place will go to another uncapped player, Tongan-born Vaea Fifita of the Hurricanes.

Highlanders hooker Liam Coltman has been selected after training with the team for the past few weeks, and 19-year-old Olympic 7s participant Rieko Ioane has also been included. His Blues teammate Steven Luatua has earned a recall having won the last of his 14 caps in October of 2014. Good from with Auckland during the Mitre 10 Cup has put him back in test contention as one of eight loose forwards selected, though he could also be used as lock cover should Retallick be forced to drop out.

A third Barrett will also make the trip, albeit in a training capacity. Jordie Barrett, 19, will travel as an ‘apprentice’, a role created to expose players of promise to All Blacks training without being part of the actual playing squad. Ardie Savea had the same opportunity in 2013 and is now a full member of the team. The youngest Barrett has turned heads with Canterbury in recent weeks, with the 1.95m (6’5″) utility back starring both in the midfield and at fullback.

The All Blacks will play Ireland a second time on November 19 in Dublin, with a stop in Rome to face the Azzurri in between. Their season comes to a close with a match at the Stade de France in Paris against Les Bleus. The US Eagles will play against the New Zealand Māori at Chicago’s Toyota Park the day before the match at Soldier Field as part of the Rugby Weekend festivities presented by AIG and USA Rugby.

FORWARDS
Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders), Charlie Faumuina (Blues), Owen Franks (Crusaders), Joe Moody (Crusaders), Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Blues), Dane Coles (Hurricanes), Codie Taylor (Crusaders), Liam Coltman (Highlanders), Scott Barrett (Crusaders), Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), Luke Romano (Crusaders), Patrick Tu’ipulotu (Blues), Sam Cane (Chiefs), Elliot Dixon (Highlanders), Jerome Kaino (Blues), Steven Luatua (Blues), Kieran Read (capt., Crusaders), Ardie Savea (Hurricanes), Liam Squire (Highlanders), Matt Todd (Crusaders)

BACKS
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Chiefs), TJ Perenara (Hurricanes), Aaron Smith (Highlanders), Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes), Aaron Cruden (Chiefs), Lima Sopoaga (Highlanders), Ryan Crotty (Crusaders), Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders), Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs), George Moala (Blues), Rieko Ioane (Blues), Waisake Naholo (Highlanders), Julian Savea (Hurricanes), Israel Dagg (Crusaders), Damian McKenzie (Chiefs), Ben Smith (Highlanders)

INJURED/UNAVAILABLE
Nathan Harris (Chiefs), James Parsons (Blues), Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), Sonny Bill Williams (Chiefs), Charlie Ngatai (Chiefs), Nehe Milner-Skudder (Hurricanes)

FIXTURES
Nov 5 – vs Ireland – Soldier Field, Chicago
Nov 12 – vs Italy – Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Nov 19 – vs Ireland – Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Nov 26 – vs France – Stade de France, Paris