All Blacks XV 2022

Bovidae

The All Blacks XV have called in an additional six players to join the squad, ahead of their inaugural Northern Tour against Ireland A (4 November) and Barbarians (13 November).
Cortez Ratima, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Shaun Stevenson, Josh Ioane, Tevita Mafileo and Tyrone Thompson will join the All Blacks XV in Auckland tomorrow morning. Replacing injured players and covering those called in to join the All Blacks.

https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-xv-bolster-squad-ahead-of-northern-tour/

Stargazer

The updated 25-strong All Blacks XV squad is as follows (age, Super Rugby club, province):

Forwards:

Props

Finlay Brewis (22, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Pouri Rakete-Stones (27, Hurricanes / Hawke's Bay)

Aidan Ross (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty)

Tamaiti Williams (22, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Tevita Mafileo (24, Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty)

Hookers

Brodie McAlister (25, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Tyrone Thompson (22, Chiefs / Hawke's Bay)

Locks

Josh Dickson (27, Highlanders / Otago)

Zach Gallagher (21, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Loose Forwards

Dominic Gardiner (21, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Billy Harmon (27, Highlanders / Canterbury)

Luke Jacobson (25, Chiefs / Waikato)

Christian Lio-Willie (24, Crusaders / Otago)

Marino Mikaele-Tu'u (24, Highlanders / Hawke's Bay)

Backs:

Halfbacks

TJ Perenara (30, Hurricanes / Wellington)

Cortez Ratima (21, Chiefs / Waikato)

Cam Roigard (21, Hurricanes / Counties Manukau)

First five-eighths

Josh Ioane (27, Chiefs / Otago)

Midfielders

Levi Aumua (28, Moana Pasifika / Ta$man)

Bryce Heem (33, Blues / Auckland)

Alex Nankivell (26, Chiefs / Ta$man)

Bailyn Sullivan (24, Hurricanes / Waikato)

Outside backs

AJ Lam (24, Blues / Auckland)

Ruben Love (21, Hurricanes / Wellington)

Shaun Stevenson (25, Chiefs / North Harbour)

Unavailable due to injury: George Bell, Bryn Gatland, Oli Jager and Angus Ta’avao

Asafo Aumua, Damian McKenzie, Mark Telea, Patrick Tuipulotu and Brad Weber have been called in from the All Blacks XV to join the All Blacks as a result of forced personnel changes. These players may re-join the All Blacks XV squad in Ireland, any updates to the squad will be worked through following All Blacks v Japan match this weekend.

Stargazer

Really chuffed that Rakete-Stones and Thompson have been added to the squad. Also Stevenson really deserving!
Surprised they've picked Ioane over Burke, but I guess the Crusaders quota has been more than filled with forwards.

pakman

Other than Mafileo, which of these props is a regular TH?

Stargazer

@pakman His first two seasons for Hawke's Bay (2017-2018), Rakete-Stones mostly played at TH. He changed to LH because that's where they needed him (same at the Canes); for Hawke's Bay, he sometimes still switches from LH to TH in the second half (btw, he was a hooker for Napier Boys'). Tamaiti Williams obviously can also play at both sides, but I don't know whether he has ever played there regularly.

cgrant

@pakman
I fear Tamaiti Williams will be used as a tight head where he looks uncomfortable. He is a far better LHP IMO. Ross and Brewis have never played on the tight head, as far as I know.

Frye

Asafo Aumua, Damian McKenzie, Mark Telea, Patrick Tuipulotu and Brad Weber have been called in from the All Blacks XV to join the All Blacks as a result of forced personnel changes. These players may re-join the All Blacks XV squad in Ireland, any updates to the squad will be worked through following All Blacks v Japan match this weekend.

Definitely gonna need these guys back.

And a couple of All Blacks as well probably looking at the propping stocks. With four tightheads I'm pretty sure they can spare one.

chimoaus

Have we simply run out of locks in NZ? What happens if one goes down early?

Bovidae

@chimoaus said in All Blacks XV:

Have we simply run out of locks in NZ? What happens if one goes down early?

Tuipulotu should move back to this team after the weekend. Relying on Gardiner to be a lock isn't wise.

NTA

@Machpants said in All Blacks XV:

So is this a eligibility capture team?

No, that's the ABs. :winking_face_with_tongue:

Crazy Horse

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:

@chimoaus said in All Blacks XV:

Have we simply run out of locks in NZ? What happens if one goes down early?

Tuipulotu should move back to this team after the weekend. Relying on Gardiner to be a lock isn't wise.

Agree. He is a but like Grace in that he is ok as a stop gap but he is not a long term lock. Canterbury seemed a bit underpowered when he played lock.

Nepia

@NTA said in All Blacks XV:

@Machpants said in All Blacks XV:

So is this a eligibility capture team?

No, that's the ABs. :winking_face_with_tongue:

You must be disappointed we managed to steal a Fijian from your wing farm.

mariner4life

@Nepia said in All Blacks XV:

your wing farm

the melbourne storm?

Stargazer

Also posted in another thread:

The All Blacks coach said Cane had suffered a fractured cheekbone in the match at National Stadium, while veteran hooker Coles has succumbed to a calf injury which had seen him a late scratching from Saturday’s test.

Canterbury and Highlanders loose forward Billy Harmon, and Wellington, Hurricanes, and six-test hooker Asafo Aumua – both of whom were part of the All Blacks XV squad – have been called up for the remaining tests against Wales, Scotland and England.

Foster also confirmed lock Patrick Tuipulotu and playmaker Damian McKenzie would rejoin the ABs XV squad, while winger Mark Telea – a late call-up after Leicester Fainga’anuku went home for family reasons – would stay on with the All Blacks as Will Jordan will stay on in New Zealand to get over his inner ear issue.

So the AB XVs lose Harmon and Aumua, meaning that the AB XV are left with two hookers (McAlister and Thompson). Either Aumua will still be available to them in case of injury (if he doesn't get game time for the ABs), or they'll call up another hooker. You'd think that Eklund or Marshall will be the frontrunners.

More interesting is the loose forward position. Of the loosies in this squad, Harmon was the only one who regularly plays at 7 (at least in Super Rugby). Will they call up a specialist 7? Tom Christie is probably the most likely selection if they want a specialist 7. Not sure who else.

Interestingly, that article doesn't say whether Weber will stay with the ABs or will rejoin the ABXV squad. I hope they keep him with the ABs, because the alternative would be TJP.

Bovidae

Kirifi should be the player to replace Harmon. Outplayed Christie in the NPC final and finished the season strongly. But Christie plays for Canterbury...

Tuipulotu might end up being back with the ABs once the AB XV tour is finished.

Crucial

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:

Kirifi should be the player to replace Harmon. Outplayed Christie in the NPC final and finished the season strongly. But Christie plays for Canterbury...

Tuipulotu might end up being back with the ABs once the AB XV tour is finished.

Will be quite the snub if Kirifi isnt called in IMO.

So if RTS and Ennor are joining that that mean they push aside the midfield already there?

Stargazer

@Bovidae Yeah, true, totally forgot about him.

Stargazer

@Crucial Not necessarily. There are only three outside backs in the squad.

Bovidae

@Crucial If I was Ireland A I'd be keen to face a RTS-Ennor midfield.

Canes4life

@Crucial said in All Blacks XV:

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:

Kirifi should be the player to replace Harmon. Outplayed Christie in the NPC final and finished the season strongly. But Christie plays for Canterbury...

Tuipulotu might end up being back with the ABs once the AB XV tour is finished.

Will be quite the snub if Kirifi isnt called in IMO.

So if RTS and Ennor are joining that that mean they push aside the midfield already there?

100% has to be Kirifi but with Ryan in there as a selector it will end up being Christie.

The Silver Fern

All Blacks XV 2022