All Blacks name Rugby World Cup 2023 squad

Mon, Aug 7, 2023, 5:26 AM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has confirmed a 33-player squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

It is the most experienced All Blacks squad in World Cup history, with just under 1500 caps across the squad.

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"It’s a great privilege to both select and be selected for an All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad,” said Foster in a statement.

"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 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."

Six players have been selected for their third tournament, with lock Sam Whitelock going to his fourth World Cup.

Sam Cane has retained the captaincy, with the Kiwis set to kick off their campaign against hosts France in Paris on September 8.

The All Blacks will stage their base in Napier over a three-day camp, eager to give back after cyclone Gabrielle.

"The support we have had for our games to date has been fantastic and we are greatly appreciative of it," Foster added.

"By naming this team in Napier and spending three days there in the community we simply want to acknowledge the tremendous adversity the communities of the East Coast have endured recently.

"We have felt helpless from afar and hope this small symbol of our support will assist in some small way."

All Blacks squad ( age, Super Rugby team, province and Test caps):

Forwards

Hookers

Dane Coles (36, Hurricanes / Wellington, 86)

Samisoni Taukei’aho (25, Chiefs / Waikato, 24)

Codie Taylor (32, Crusaders / Canterbury, 79)

Props

Ethan de Groot (25, Highlanders / Southland, 16)

Tyrel Lomax (27, Hurricanes / Tasman, 26)

Nepo Laulala  (31, Blues / Counties Manukau, 49)

Fletcher Newell (23, Crusaders / Canterbury, 7)

Ofa Tu’ungafasi (31, Blues / Northland, 53)

Tamaiti Williams (22, Crusaders / Canterbury, 2)

Locks

Scott Barrett (29, Crusaders / Taranaki, 61)

Brodie Retallick (32, Chiefs / Hawke's Bay, 103)

Tupou Vaa’i (23, Chiefs / Taranaki, 21)

Samuel Whitelock (34, Crusaders / Canterbury, 145)

Loose forwards

Sam Cane (31, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 89) – Captain

Shannon Frizell (29, Highlanders / Tasman, 28)

Luke Jacobson (26, Chiefs / Waikato, 14)

Dalton Papali’i (25, Blues / Counties Manukau, 25)

Ardie Savea (29, Hurricanes / Wellington, 74)

Backs:

Halfbacks

Finlay Christie (27, Blues / Tasman, 17)

Cam Roigard (22, Hurricanes / Counties Manukau, 1)

Aaron Smith (34, Highlanders / Manawatū, 118)

First five-eighths

Beauden Barrett (32, Blues / Taranaki, 115)

Damian McKenzie (28, Chiefs / Waikato, 42)

Richie Mo'unga (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 48)

Midfielders

Jordie Barrett (26, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 51)

David Havili (28, Crusaders / Tasman, 25)

Rieko Ioane (26, Blues / Auckland, 62)

Anton Lienert-Brown (28, Chiefs / Waikato, 62)

Outside backs

Caleb Clarke (24, Blues / Auckland, 18)

Leicester Fainga’anuku (23, Crusaders / Tasman, 3)

Will Jordan (25, Crusaders / Tasman, 24)

Emoni Narawa (24, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 1)

Mark Telea (26, Blues / North Harbour, 4)

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