All Blacks number eight Hoskins Sotutu has added to the all-star AUNZ Invitational XV squad set for next Saturday’s match against the British & Irish Lions.
The powerful Blues back-rower is joined by teammate AJ Lam, along with Queensland Reds duo Aidan Ross and Jeffery Toomaga-Allen.
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Sotutu has played 14 Tests for the All Blacks and was named Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year by New Zealand in 2024.
The honour came after guiding the Blues to the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific title, with Sotutu going on to play for the Barbarians against South Africa last month.
As for Lam, he scored in that Final win over the Chiefs, adding to the 20 tries to his name in 60 Super Rugby appearances.
The 26-year-old featured for the All Blacks XV against Japan in 2023, scoring in the 41-27 win alongside AUNZ teammate Ross.
Ross is coming off a standout debut for the Queensland Reds against the Lions on Wednesday.
Joining from the Chiefs, the NSW-born, two-cap All Black, spoke of his desire to play for the combined season last week.
"100 per cent, it'd be fun as,” he remarked.
"The chat's been about first and foremost enjoying the week as we start getting six-seven days out.
"We'll start tightening up the screws and trying to build something really special and do a job against (the Lions).”
Fellow Reds teammate Toomaga-Allen rounds out the side, a double international after featuring for Samoa and New Zealand.
The colourful front-rower has over 200 first-grade appearances across the Hurricanes, Wasps, Ulster and the Reds.
This latest quartet joins a squad headlined by previously announced Wallabies Marika Koroibete and Pete Samu, and All Blacks representatives Shannon Frizell and David Havili.
The AUNZ squad will begin assembling in Adelaide this weekend to begin preparations, with the final players to be announced in due course.
Hoskins Sotutu
AJ Lam
Aidan Ross
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
Marika Koroibete
Pete Samu
Brandon Paenga-Amosa
Ngani Laumape
Joshua Fusitu’a
Shannon Frizell
David Havili
Shaun Stevenson
Folau Fakatava
Head coach: Les Kiss
Assistant coaches: Ian Foster, Simon Cron, Zane Hilton
