All Blacks name five new faces in jumbo squad

World champions lined up for Tests against tough opposition

The All Blacks selectors gave their first hint of World Cup thinking Sunday, naming five new faces in an enlarged 41-man squad.

A final group of 31 to defend their world crown will be named at the end of August following the Rugby Championship Tests against South Africa, Australia and Argentina as well as a one-off Test with Samoa and an extra clash with Australia.

Head coach Steve Hansen indicated the huge squad would allow him to balance World Cup tapering with laying the foundations for next year when several senior players will have left and others may be seconded for Olympic Games duty.

Skipper Richie McCaw is one of several players including Dan Carter, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Keven Mealamu who are expected to retire or move overseas after the World Cup.

Well-planned

“As always, our planning is about today, tomorrow and the future. But our main priority now will be to get this group functioning as its own team as quickly as possible,” Hansen said.

“With only five games before the Rugby World Cup, it’s important that we get game plans and other aspects of our environment embedded as quickly as possible.”

Hansen has named 33 new All Blacks since they won the last World Cup in 2011 with the latest additions being Canterbury Crusaders hooker Codie Taylor, Wellington Hurricanes lock James Broadhurst and fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder, Otago Highlanders fly-half Lima Sopoaga and wing Waisake Naholo.

Hansen said the large squad gave the selectors an opportunity to see how the new players “cope at Test level”.

“This will allow us to make better decisions when it comes to selecting our Rugby World Cup team in August,” he added.