Four new caps in first All Blacks selection of 2019
Four new All Blacks were named in the first squad of the season last night, Chiefs and Waikato loose forward Luke Jacobson, Highlanders and Otago first five-eighth Josh Ioane and Crusaders and Canterbury back Braydon Ennor and Crusaders and Waikato outside back Sevu Reece getting the call-up for the Rugby Championship.
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen said: “On behalf of the selectors, we want to congratulate the four new All Blacks named today — Luke, Josh, Braydon and Sevu. They’ve all performed to very high levels this year and played some outstanding rugby. We also congratulate the returning All Blacks and commiserate with those players who haven’t been named. As always, history has shown us opportunities will arise.
“It’s really exciting bringing the team together and we’re all looking forward to starting the work towards this year’s goals. We’re going to try and do something that’s never been done before and that’s to win three Rugby World Cups in a row. However, that’s not a given. We’re going to have to be hungry for success and we’re going to have to work incredibly hard and smart to achieve this,” he said.
“Whilst recapturing the Rugby World Cup and the Bledisloe Cup are two of the end goals for the year, we have to deal with the here and now, which is getting ready to face two quality oppositions in Argentina and South Africa.”
Hansen said there were many positives in being able to name a larger squad for the first two matches in the Rugby Championship.
“First and foremost, it allows us to pick a very strong squad for what will be a challenging first test against Argentina in Buenos Aires, while at the same time giving most of the Crusaders players in the All Blacks a rest from what has been a very tough Super Rugby Finals campaign.
“For the new players, it allows us to meet them for the first time, introduce them to our environment and grow their understanding of their game and our game at international level”
Not considered for selection due to injury were Ryan Crotty, Scott Barrett, Tim Perry and Damian McKenzie. Liam Squire made himself unavailable as he felt he wasn’t ready to return to international rugby at this stage.