The All Blacks team for the 2024 Northern Tour to Japan and Europe has been announced by head coach Scott Robertson and his co-selectors.
The 36-man Rugby Championship team has only one alteration from the Northern Tour roster: Cam Roigard, who is recovering from a knee injury he had during the Super Rugby season, presents the All Blacks coaches with a conundrum when it comes to choosing a halfback.
We are thrilled to have Cam back in the mix after watching him play well for the Counties over the weekend. All Blacks Head Coach Scott Robertson stated, Nathan Hotham will be included in the All Blacks XV squad to be announced tomorrow, where he will be able to gain some valuable playing time. Fellow halfbacks Cortez Ratima and TJ Perenara showed during the Rugby Championship that they deserve their spots in the squad.
To aid in their preparation and obtain more experience in the All Blacks environment, a few players from the All Blacks XV squad will travel to Japan alongside the 36-man roster. They will then reunite with the All Blacks XV squad to play Munster and Georgia in November.
Additionally, this will enable a group of All Blacks players to go to England two days ahead of schedule in order to concentrate on getting ready for the Northern Tour test matches.
The All Blacks squad will depart for Japan on 17 October and the fixtures are as follows:
- Saturday 26 October- All Blacks vs Japan, 6.50PM (NZST), Nissan Stadium, Yokohama
- Sunday 03 November – All Blacks vs England, 4.10AM (NZST), Twickenham Stadium, London
- Saturday 09 November – All Blacks vs Ireland, 9.10AM (NZST), Aviva Stadium, Dublin
- Sunday 17 November – All Blacks vs France, 9.10AM (NZST), Stade de France, Paris
- Sunday 24 November – All Blacks vs Italy, 9.10AM (NZST), Allianz Stadium, Turin
The 36-strong squad is: (Age / Super Rugby Club / Province / Test Caps)
Forwards (20)
Hookers
Asafo Aumua (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 15)
Codie Taylor (33 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 93)
George Bell (22 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 1)
Props
Ethan De Groot (26 / Highlanders / Southland / 28)
Tyrel Lomax (28 / Hurricanes / Tasman / 40)
Fletcher Newell (24 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 20)
Pasilio Tosi (26 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 3)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (32 / Blues / Northland / 63)
Tamaiti Williams (24 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 14)
Locks
Scott Barrett (30 / Crusaders / Taranaki / 76) (Captain)
Tupou Vaa’i (24 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 34)
Patrick Tuipulotu (31 / Blues / Auckland / 46)
Sam Darry (24 / Blues / Canterbury / 5)
Loose forwards
Ethan Blackadder (29 / Crusaders / Tasman / 15)
Sam Cane (32 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 100)
Samipeni Finau (25 / Chiefs / Waikato / 4)
Luke Jacobson (27 / Chiefs / Waikato / 24)
Dalton Papali’i (26 / Blues / Counties Manukau / 36)
Ardie Savea (30 / Moana Pasifika / Wellington / 90) (Vice Captain)
Wallace Sititi (22 / Chiefs / North Harbour / 5)
Backs (16)
Halfbacks
Cam Roigard (23 / Hurricanes / Counties Manukau / 5)
TJ Perenara (32 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 87)
Cortez Ratima (23 / Chiefs / Waikato / 8)
First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (33 / Blues / Taranaki / 131)
Damian McKenzie (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 56)
Mid-fielders
Jordie Barrett (27 / Hurricanes / Taranaki / 65) (Vice Captain)
David Havili (29 / Crusaders / Tasman / 28)
Rieko Ioane (27 / Blues / Auckland / 77)
Anton Lienert-Brown (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 79)
Billy Proctor (25 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 1)
Outside backs
Caleb Clarke (25 / Blues / Auckland / 25)
Will Jordan (26 / Crusaders / Tasman / 37)
Ruben Love (23 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 0)*
Stephen Perofeta (27 / Blues / Taranaki / 5)
Sevu Reece (27 / Crusaders / Southland / 30)
Mark Tele’a (27 / Blues / North Harbour/ 15)