Ian Foster’s reaction to the All Blacks’ disappointing finish to 2021 when losing on successive weekends away to Ireland and France has been to omit nine players who played for New Zealand last year while calling up six new caps in their 36-man squad for the forthcoming three-test series at home to Ireland.
TJ Perenara, who has been a regular member of All Blacks squads since 2014 and started their 29-20 defeat by Ireland in the Aviva Stadium last November, is perhaps the most notable omission. Livewire Highlanders’ scrumhalf Folau Fakatava from the Highlanders has been named along with Aaron Smith and Finlay Christie, meaning Brad Webber also misses out.
The other five potential debutants are the Blues’ Samoan-born centre Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who continues his upward trajectory since converting from rugby league last year, his Super Rugby team-mate Stephen Perofeta (utility back), Leicester Fainga’anuku (utility back) of the Crusaders as well as the Chiefs’ duo of Aidan Ross (prop) and Pita Gus Sowakula (number eight) are the newbies among the forwards.
“I had nine conversations yesterday with All Blacks from last year who weren’t named today and they were really tough,” Foster said. “They’re great men. You could feel the passion on the end of the phone. Each of them will have a desire to get back in here and we’ve got to make sure we give them the direction they need. There’s a lot of hurt there.
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“There’s enough eye to the future with six new players and there’s a little bit of pragmatism about it. It’s getting the balance between making sure we give the new players the best opportunity to play well by having experience around them.”
Tuivasa-Sheck only made the switch to the 15-man code with the intent of making the All Blacks squad for next year’s World Cup in France at the start of the year and his inclusion is another step towards that goal for the fleet-footed centre, albeit it remains to be seen if he features against Ireland.
“We’ve been delighted with his progress, particularly in the last four or five weeks,” Foster added.
“It’s a chance to get him in and have a look at him. While he’s earned his spot in there, there’s a lot to learn.”
Regarding the All Blacks’ choices at scrumhalf, Foster said: “We’ve had five ‘9s’ playing really well. So narrowing that down, we just feel that with Folau and Finlay, they offer something a bit different and a chance to see how we can incorporate that into an All Blacks game.”
The All Blacks think tank appear to have accentuated the need for power in their squad. The Fijian-born Chiefs loose forward Sowakula and the Tongan-born Crusaders wing Fainga’anuku add some further ballast.
Foster explained Luke Jacobson was a victim of being forced to play all three loose forward roles and that the All Blacks are keen to use Dalton Papalii and Tupou Vaa’i as blindside options which helped create the opening for Sowakula, of whom Foster said: “Pita Gus gives us that six-eight type role. He’s a big man, he carries hard, we think there’s more to his game at the contact than perhaps he’s shown. He can offload and step and we’d like to see more of that, but it’s a chance to put a big man into that space and test him at that next level.”
Loosehead prop Aidan Ross, one of eight Chiefs forwards included after their Pacific Rugby semi-final defeat by the Crusaders last Saturday, is rewarded for two years of strong scrummaging.
Sam Cane reassumes the captaincy after missing much of last year through injury while Damian McKenzie and Patrick Tuipulotu were ineligible after their sabbaticals in Japan and Joe Moody, Anton Lienert-Brown and Ethan Blackadder were ruled out through injury.
The series opens at Auckland’s Eden Park on July 2nd with further tests in Dunedin and Wellington following over the next two Saturdays, while Ireland will also play the Maori All Blacks in a tour match in Hamilton on June 29th and Wellington on July 12th.
“This will be the biggest home series since the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour for the All Blacks,” said Foster. “There are massive expectations all round and it will be immensely competitive.”
New Zealand’s 36-man squad
Forwards: Dane Coles (Hurricanes, Wellington), Codie Taylor (Crusaders, Canterbury), Samisoni Taukei’aho (Chiefs, Waikato), Aidan Ross (Chiefs, Bay of Plenty), George Bower (Crusaders, Otago), Nepo Laulala (Blues, Counties Manukau), Ofa Tuungafasi (Blues, Northland), Karl Tu’inukuafe (Blues, North Harbour), Angus Ta’avao (Chiefs, Auckland), Samuel Whitelock (Crusaders, Canterbury), Brodie Retallick (Chiefs, Hawke’s Bay), Scott Barrett (Crusaders, Taranaki), Josh Lord (Chiefs, Taranaki), Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs, Taranaki), Pita Gus Sowakula (Chiefs, Taranaki), Sam Cane (Chiefs, Bay of Plenty, c), Dalton Papalii (Blues, Counties Manukau), Ardie Savea (Hurricanes, Wellington), Akira Ioane (Blues, Auckland), Hoskins Sotutu (Blues, Counties Manukau)
Backs: Folau Fakatava (Highlanders, Hawke’s Bay), Aaron Smith (Highlanders, Manawatu), Finlay Christie (Blues, Tasman), Stephen Perofeta (Blues, Taranaki), Beauden Barrett (Blues, Taranaki), Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders, Canterbury), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Blues, Auckland), Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs, Waikato), Jack Goodhue (Crusaders, Northland), Rieko Ioane (Blues, Auckland), David Havili (Crusaders, Tasman), Leicester Fainga’anuku (Crusaders, Tasman), Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes, Taranaki), Will Jordan (Crusaders, Tasman), Caleb Clarke (Blues, Auckland), Sevu Reece (Crusaders, Tasman).
