All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has added three uncapped players to his squad for next month's four-Test series against world champions South Africa, expanding the group to 44 for a gruelling six-week tour.
Hurricanes prop Siale Lauaki, Moana Pasifika back-rower Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa and Chiefs fly-half Josh Jacomb are the newcomers, among 10 additions to the 34-man Nations Championship squad that beat France, Italy and Ireland earlier this year. All 34 players have been retained for the trip.
The rest of the reinforcements are seasoned campaigners: props Ollie Norris, hooker George Bell, lock Fabian Holland, back-rower Ethan Blackadder, centres Timoci Tavatavanawai and Rieko Ioane, and winger Emoni Narawa.
The tour marks a return to old-school touring, with eight matches in six weeks. New Zealand open against the Stormers in Cape Town on August 8, then face the Sharks in Durban (August 12), the Bulls in Pretoria (August 16) and the Lions in Johannesburg (August 26), with Tests against South Africa in Johannesburg (August 23), Cape Town (August 30), Johannesburg again (September 6) and Baltimore (September 13).
"With eight matches in six weeks, including a four-Test series against the Springboks, this would have to be the toughest tour in rugby," Rennie said. "It's a balanced blend of experienced Test players and a cohort of younger players who will be keen to work hard and showcase their skillset on tour."
Ardie Savea will captain the All Blacks in the Tests but will not arrive in South Africa until just before the first Test, with Rennie citing the back-rower's heavy workload over the past two years. Other captains are expected to be named for the franchise matches.
South Africa, ranked No. 1 in the world, will host the second-ranked All Blacks in a series billed as a revival of rugby's "greatest rivalry". The teams have met 110 times in Tests, with New Zealand winning 63, South Africa 43 and four draws. The All Blacks have won a Test series on South African soil only once, in 1996.
Sources
- AP News: https://apnews.com/article/rugby-new-zealand-south-africa-springboks-e6e47f507b597bfac9eb4315497dc061
