All Blacks to rely on experience as they reveal their World Cup hand
#RWC SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has named his 33-man squad for World Cup 2023 in France.
The squad was announced by former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw in Napier in front of almost 2000 locals who were impacted by cyclone Gabrielle, as well as first responders.
The squad features 18 forwards and 15 backs with the following positional breakdown: three hookers, six props, four locks, five loose forwards, three scrumhalves, three flyhalves, four midfielders and five outside backs.
The All Blacks will be captained by Sam Cane. Lock Samuel Whitelock will be going to his fourth tournament. Six players will be going to their third tournament, nine players will be going to their second Tournament, while 17 are going to their first.
With a combined 1493 Test caps, this is the All Blacks’ most experienced World Cup squad in history. Whitelock is the most capped player with 145 Test caps, while scrumhalf Cam Roigard is the newest All Black with one Test cap. The side has an average age of 27.
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Veteran lock Brodie Retallick has been named in the team, despite an injury scare at the weekend.
The lock Retallick, who has won 103 caps, went off in the first half of Saturday’s 23-20 home win over Australia with a knee injury.
“It’s a great privilege to both select and be selected for an All Blacks World Cup squad,” said head coach Ian Foster.
“We congratulate those 33 players selected. This group has grown in belief and is highly motivated to represent our country with pride in France, as we seek to be the first nation to win the World Cup four times.
“This year’s World Cup promises to be the most competitive yet and the pool draw means we have to be ready right from the outset. We have worked hard through the first part of our season and have made some strong progress through the Rugby Championship and the Bledisloe series. There is more growth to come and more is needed.
“This is a vastly experienced team but with over half the players going to their first RWC, it has a strong balance of youth and future planning.
“The challenge is to continue our growth through the game in London against South Africa, into our camp in Germany before arriving in Lyon with a clear focus on performance in each of our pool games.”
New Zealand face South Africa in a warm-up match in London on August 25 with their opening World Cup match against hosts France in Paris on September 8.
New Zealand will also play Italy, Namibia and Uruguay in Pool A.
New Zealand World Cup squad:
Forwards:
Props: Ethan de Groot, Fletcher Newell, Nepo Laulala, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax
Hookers: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Dane Coles,Codie Taylor
Locks: Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Samuel Whitelock, Tupou Vaa’i
Back row: Sam Cane (Captain), Ardie Savea, Shannon Frizell, Luke Jacobson, Dalton Papali’i
Backs:
Scrumhalves: Aaron Smith, Finlay Christie, Cam Roigard
Flyhalves: Richie Mo’unga, Damian McKenzie
Centres: Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown, David Havili
Wings: Mark Telea, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Caleb Clarke, Emoni Narawa
Fullbacks: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan
