ABS released to NPC teams

A dozen All Blacks squad members have been made available for national provincial championship duties this week.

Three players who featured in the 22-9 Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship victory over Australia at Westpac Stadium in Wellington last Saturday night are part of the group.

Prop Charlie Faumuina is set to turn out for Auckland against Southland in Invercargill on Friday, midfield back Seta Tamanivalu is at Taranaki’s disposal for their clash with Tasman in Nelson on Saturday and hooker James Parsons will line up for North Harbour against Wellington on the same day.

Auckland will also have the services of lock Patrick Tuipulotu, young prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi and sevens star Rieko Ioane, while first five-eighth Lima Sopoaga is available for Southland.

Elsewhere in the provincial competition, hooker Liam Coltman returns to the Otago squad for their matches against Northland on Wednesday and Bay of Plenty on Sunday.

Canterbury receive a similar boost to Auckland, with lock Luke Romano, hooker Codie Taylor and midfielder Ryan Crotty back for a clash with Northland on Saturday, while rising young utility back Damian Mckenzie re-enters the fray for Waikato’s encounter with Manawatu on Sunday.

Coltman, Tamanivalu and Mckenzie will reassemble with the All Blacks squad next weekend as injury replacement players and Parsons and Ioane will be released to their NPC teams.

The All Blacks squad is due to reassemble on Sunday in Hamilton to prepare for the Rugby Championship test against Argentina on September 10.