Uncapped 20 year old sensation makes All Blacks tour squad
New Zealand’s sensational u20 World Cup-winning hooker Asafo Aumua is one of four uncapped players in an All Blacks touring squad that against doesn’t feature winger Julian Savea.
The All Blacks selectors have rested none of the senior players who drew the series 1-all against the British and Irish Lions and retained the Rugby Championship and the Bledisloe Cup. The All Blacks were unbeaten in the Rugby Championship, but last weekend lost for just the second time in 19 Tests against the Wallabies.
The imposing lock Brodie Retalick won’t tour because of personal reasons. Retalick has missed the last three Tests against the Pumas, Springboks and Wallabies.
Savea, who only played in the third and final Test against the Lions, did not make the squad in any of the six Rugby Championship matches, nor the third and final Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane.
Savea, who has scored 46 tries in 54 Tests, misses out to uncapped Blues and North Harbour winger Matt Duffie.
Aumua scored a hattrick in New Zealand’s 67-17 u20 final win against England. He has also been outstanding playing for the Wellington Lions in New Zealand’s domestic championship.
The All Blacks will play Tests against France, Scotland and Wales and two matches against the Barbarians and a French Barbarians.
FULL SQUAD
Forwards:
Hookers
Asafo Aumua (20, Wellington, uncapped)
Dane Coles (30, Wellington, 55)
Nathan Harris (25, Bay of Plenty, 9)
Codie Taylor (26, Canterbury, 25)
Props
Wyatt Crockett (34, Canterbury, 68)
Kane Hames (29, Tasman, 6)
Nepo Laulala (26, Counties Manukau, 10)
Tim Perry (29, Tasman, uncapped)
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (26, Wellington, 1)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (25, Auckland, 11)
Locks
Scott Barrett (23, Taranaki, 14)
Luke Romano (31, Canterbury, 29)
Patrick Tuipulotu (24, Auckland, 15)
Samuel Whitelock (29, Canterbury, 93)
Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (25, Bay of Plenty, 50)
Vaea Fifita (25, Wellington, 3)
Jerome Kaino (34, Auckland, 74)
Kieran Read, captain (31, Counties Manukau, 107)
Ardie Savea (24, Wellington, 21)
Liam Squire (26, Tasman, 12)
Matt Todd (29, Canterbury, 10)
Backs:
Halfbacks
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (27, Waikato, 24)
TJ Perenara (25, Wellington, 39)
Aaron Smith (28, Manawatu, 68)
First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (26, Taranaki, 59)
Lima Sopoaga (26, Southland, 13)
Midfielders
Ryan Crotty (29, Canterbury, 32)
Jack Goodhue (22, Northland, uncapped)
Ngani Laumape (24, Manawatu, 4)
Anton Lienert-Brown (22, Waikato, 19)
Sonny Bill Williams (32, Counties Manukau, 43)
Outside backs
David Havili (22, Tasman, 3)
Matt Duffie (27, North Harbour, uncapped)
Rieko Ioane (20, Auckland, 10)
Damian McKenzie (22, Waikato, 9)
Waisake Naholo (26, Taranaki, 15)
Seta Tamanivalu (25, Taranaki, 3)
