All Blacks coach Ian Foster has unveiled the 33-man group he believes can bring a fourth Webb Ellis Trophy home to New Zealand.
Foster fronted the media on Monday afternoon in Napier alongside two-time World Cup winning captain Richie McCaw, who had the honour of revealing the names to the New Zealand public.
There were few surprises, as expected, with David Havili’s inclusion the only new face from the squad that contested the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup series.
Havili suffered a hamstring injury while playing for the Crusaders against the Waratahs in May, which ended his Super Rugby Pacific campaign. But he made a successful return to action in Tasman’s Mitre 10 Cup opener on the weekend, a 40-minute performance enough to convince the All Blacks selectors he was worthy of a ticket to France.
As a result, there was no place for Samipeni Finau, Shaun Stevenson or Dallas McLeod, with the All Blacks having carried a 36-man group into their unbeaten start to 2023. Braydon Ennor was another unlucky casualty, the Crusaders centre suffering an untimely knee injury in Bledisloe II on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Lock Brodie Retallick remains a concern after he picked up a knee injury in the 23-20 win over the Wallabies on Saturday, the veteran second-rower expected to miss the All Blacks blockbuster tournament opener against France on Sept. 8.
“Brodie’s knee is probably about six weeks (to heal),” Foster said. “But we are not 100% sure, whether it be round one or round two of the World Cup, we are not sure.
“But we really believe he has earned his selection and we can manage that.”
Despite calls for the inclusion of veteran scrum-half Brad Weber, Foster stuck solid behind both Finlay Christie and Cam Roigard as the back-up options to star No. 9 Aaron Smith.
There had also been speculation that veteran prop Joe Moody and back-rower Ethan Blackadder might also make the final cut, but Foster said a lack of recent rugby and their ongoing recovery from injuries meant the selectors had to look elsewhere.
The All Blacks have one final warm-up game, against the Springboks at a sold-out Twickenham in London on Aug. 25, to come before they face France in what will be the biggest Rugby World Cup opener on record.
They then face Namibia, Italy and Uruguay before a likely quarterfinal with either Ireland or South Africa, or potentially even the No. 5 ranked Scotland.
Weber, Finau and Crusaders hooker George Bell will also travel with the squad to London as injury cover.
“It’s a great privilege to both select and be selected for an All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad,” Foster said. “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 Rugby World Cup four times.
“This year’s Rugby World Cup promises to be the most competitive yet and the pool draw means we have to 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 vs South Africa, into our camp in Germany before arriving in Lyon with a clear focus on performance in each of our pool games.”
Foster will step down as All Blacks coach after the tournament no matter where his team finishes, with Scott Robertson already confirmed to take over in 2024.
NEW ZEALAND RUGBY WORLD CUP SQUAD:
Forwards: Codie Taylor, Dane Coles, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan de Groot, Fletcher Newell, Nepo Laulala, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i, Ardie Savea, Dalton Papalii, Luke Jacobson, Sam Cane (captain), Shannon Frizell
Backs: Aaron Smith, Finlay Christie, Cam Roigard, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Richie Mo’unga, David Havili, Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Caleb Clarke, Emoni Narawa, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Mark Telea, Will Jordan.