Rookie quartet named in All Blacks squad
SPORT Their winning run may have ended but the Chiefs have seven players in Steve Hansen’s first squad.
Seven Chiefs – including youngsters Tawera Kerr-barlow, Brodie Retallick, Ben Tameifuna and Sam Cane – have been named in an extended All Blacks squad ahead of the three-test series against Ireland.
The rookie quartet are joined by Aaron Cruden, Richard Kahui and Sonny Bill Williams – although Kahui’s participation appears unlikely after he dislocated his shoulder last night in Brisbane.
The All Blacks selectors – coach Steve Hansen, assistant coach Ian Foster and Grant Fox – have selected 35 players to attend two training camps ahead of the series. The first wider training group camp will be held in Auckland from Sunday to Tuesday, with the second camp in Wellington from May 27-29.
Halfback Kerr-barlow, lock Retallick, prop Tameifuna and flanker Cane are outside chances now to make their test debuts in the three matches against Ireland – in Auckland on June 9, Christchurch June 16 and in Hamilton on June 23.
All Blacks captain Richie Mccaw was one of 11 Crusaders named, along with Daniel Carter as the pair continue their comeback from injuries.
The squad includes plenty of young talent – Beauden Barrett, Julian Savea and Brad Shields from the Hurricanes, and halfback Aaron Smith from the Highlanders.
Hansen said the camps would give the All Blacks coaching and management team valuable time with a core group of test players – as well as a number of new wider training group members – ahead of the series against Ireland. ‘‘We have two aims with the selection of the players for the camps,’’ he said.
‘‘Our main aim is to begin to prepare a squad to win the series against Ireland; and secondly, it gives us the opportunity to introduce and work with some younger, talented players in the All Blacks environment.
‘‘In the wider training group we have a balance between proven test players, in-form Super Rugby players and some talented, young players. This includes 21 players from the Rugby World Cup squad and, notably, six players from the 2011 Junior World Championshipwinning New Zealand Under 20 team.
‘‘We will use the time in the camps to work on some of the protocols, expectations and disciplines that are needed to succeed in the All Blacks, plus it will also give us a little bit of training time to work on some new things which we hope to bring in for the tests against the Irish.’’
The 30-man All Blacks squad for the series will be named on Sunday 3 June.