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Steve Hansen has named 11 uncapped players in his first squad as All Blacks rugby coach, favoring youth among 35 players who will attend training camps for June tests against Ireland.
Hansen, who succeeded Graham Henry as All Blacks coach after last year's Rugby World Cup, has included 21 Cup-winning players in the squad for the camps at Auckland from May 20 to 22 and Wellington from May 27-29.
The squad will be trimmed to 30 players on June 3, six days ahead of the first test of a three-match series against Ireland.
Hansen has named one of the youngest squads in recent All Blacks history as he seeks to rejuvenate the team after its World Cup victory. His squad includes six players who were members of last year's New Zealand under-20 team.
Several of the young players selected are in their first full seasons of Super 15 rugby.
They include 21-year-old Wellington Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett, who joins Dan Carter and Aaron Cruden among the squad's flyhalves; 20-year-old Waikato Chiefs flanker Sam Cane and 21-year-old Hurricanes backrower Brad Shields, 21-year-old Hurricanes winger Julian Savea - who has represented New Zealand at sevens - and 21-year-old Chiefs scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow.
Hansen has drafted a number of new tight forwards, including the Auckland Blues tighthead prop Charlie Faumuina, giant Chiefs prop Ben Tameifuna and locks Brodie Retallick of the Chiefs and Luke Romano of the Canterbury Crusaders.
Center Tamati Ellison has won a recall to the All Blacks squad after last playing for New Zealand in 2009. Ellison, who is the grandson of an All Black, returned to New Zealand to join to the Otago Highlanders this season after spending two years in Japan.
"We have two aims with the selection of the players for the camps," Hansen 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.
"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."
Hansen has retained confidence in World Cup All Blacks Piri Weepu, Keven Mealamu and Ali Williams despite their poor form for the Auckland Blues who are in 14th place after 12 rounds of the Super 15.
NEW ZEALAND SQUAD: Charlie Faumuina, Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu, Piri Weepu, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock; Sam Cane, Aaron Cruden, Richard Kahui, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Brodie Retallick, Ben Tameifuna, Sonny Bill Williams; Beauden Barrett, Cory Jane, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith, Victor Vito; Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Israel Dagg, Andy Ellis, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Luke Whitelock, Samuel Whitelock; Tamati Ellison, Andrew Hore, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Adam Thomson.
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Hansen, who succeeded Graham Henry as All Blacks coach after last year's Rugby World Cup, has included 21 Cup-winning players in the squad for the camps at Auckland from May 20 to 22 and Wellington from May 27-29.
The squad will be trimmed to 30 players on June 3, six days ahead of the first test of a three-match series against Ireland.
Hansen has named one of the youngest squads in recent All Blacks history as he seeks to rejuvenate the team after its World Cup victory. His squad includes six players who were members of last year's New Zealand under-20 team.
Several of the young players selected are in their first full seasons of Super 15 rugby.
They include 21-year-old Wellington Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett, who joins Dan Carter and Aaron Cruden among the squad's flyhalves; 20-year-old Waikato Chiefs flanker Sam Cane and 21-year-old Hurricanes backrower Brad Shields, 21-year-old Hurricanes winger Julian Savea - who has represented New Zealand at sevens - and 21-year-old Chiefs scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow.
Hansen has drafted a number of new tight forwards, including the Auckland Blues tighthead prop Charlie Faumuina, giant Chiefs prop Ben Tameifuna and locks Brodie Retallick of the Chiefs and Luke Romano of the Canterbury Crusaders.
Center Tamati Ellison has won a recall to the All Blacks squad after last playing for New Zealand in 2009. Ellison, who is the grandson of an All Black, returned to New Zealand to join to the Otago Highlanders this season after spending two years in Japan.
"We have two aims with the selection of the players for the camps," Hansen 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.
"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."
Hansen has retained confidence in World Cup All Blacks Piri Weepu, Keven Mealamu and Ali Williams despite their poor form for the Auckland Blues who are in 14th place after 12 rounds of the Super 15.
NEW ZEALAND SQUAD: Charlie Faumuina, Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu, Piri Weepu, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock; Sam Cane, Aaron Cruden, Richard Kahui, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Brodie Retallick, Ben Tameifuna, Sonny Bill Williams; Beauden Barrett, Cory Jane, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith, Victor Vito; Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Israel Dagg, Andy Ellis, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Luke Whitelock, Samuel Whitelock; Tamati Ellison, Andrew Hore, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Adam Thomson.
Added to existing topic: http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/...the-All-Black-Squad-for-the-june-tests/page14
Please delete admin
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