Pacific Power: All Blacks 2024 Squad For Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship Features 42% Pacific Island Players
The All Blacks Head Coach Scott Robertson has recently named the All Blacks squad for the 2024 Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship. A whopping 42% are Pacific Island Players!
Robertson stated “It was a tough squad to select because everyone has owned their opportunities. Continuity is important, but it’s also important to reward performance.”
The 15 Pacific Players include
Asafo Aumua: Samoa
Pasilio Tosi: Tongan
Ofa Tu’ungafasi: Tongan
Tupou Vaa’i: Tongan
Patrick Tuipulotu: Samoan
Samipeni Finau: Tongan
Dalton Papali’i:Samoan
Ardie Savea: Samoan
Wallace Sititi: Samoan
David Havili: Tongan
Rieko Ioane: Samoan
Caleb Clarke: Samoan
Stephen Perofeta: Samoan
Sevu Reece: Fijian
Mark Tele’a: Samoan
The Full Squad List below;
The 36-strong squad is: (age, Super Rugby club, province, Test caps)
* denotes new cap
Forwards (20)
Hookers
Asafo Aumua (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 9)
Codie Taylor (33 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 87)
George Bell (22 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 1)
Props
Ethan De Groot (26 / Highlanders / Southland / 25)
Tyrel Lomax (28 / Hurricanes / Tasman / 34)
Fletcher Newell (24 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 16)
Pasilio Tosi (26 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 1)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (32 / Blues / Northland / 59)
Tamaiti Williams (23 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 8)
Locks
Scott Barrett (30 / Crusaders / Taranaki / 72) (Captain)
Tupou Vaa’i (24 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 28)
Patrick Tuipulotu (31 / Blues / Auckland / 45)
Sam Darry (24 / Blues / Canterbury / 1)
Loose Forwards
Ethan Blackadder (29 / Crusaders / Tasman / 11)
Sam Cane (32 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 95)
Samipeni Finau (25 / Chiefs / Waikato / 3)
Luke Jacobson (27 / Chiefs / Waikato / 21)
Dalton Papali’i (26 / Blues / Counties Manukau / 34)
Ardie Savea (30 / Moana Pasifika / Wellington / 84) (Vice Captain)
Wallace Sititi (21 / Chiefs / North Harbour / 1)
Backs (16)
Halfbacks
Noah Hotham (21 / Crusaders / Tasman / 1)
TJ Perenara (32 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 81)
Cortez Ratima (23 / Chiefs / Waikato / 2)
First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (33 / Blues / Taranaki / 126)
Damian McKenzie (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 50)
Mid-fielders
Jordie Barrett (27 / Hurricanes / Taranaki / 60) (Vice Captain)
David Havili (29 / Crusaders / Tasman / 27)
Reiko Ioane (27 / Blues / Auckland / 71)
Anton Lienert-Brown (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 73)
Billy Proctor (25 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 1)
Outside backs
Caleb Clarke (25 / Blues / Auckland / 21)
Will Jordan (26 / Crusaders / Tasman / 31)
Ruben Love (23 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 0)*
Stephen Perofeta (27 / Blues / Taranaki / 5)
Sevu Reece (27 / Crusaders / Southland / 26)
Mark Tele’a (27 / Blues / North Harbour/ 11)
INJURY COVER: Josh Lord (23 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 4)