All Blacks name 33-man squad for Rugby World Cup 2023

 TEAM NEWS

All Blacks selectors Ian Foster, Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt have named the All Blacks squad for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.

The squad was announced by former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw in Napier on 7 August in front of almost 2,000 locals who were impacted by cyclone Gabrielle, as well as first responders. 

The All Blacks will be captained by Sam Cane. Lock Samuel Whitelock will be going to his fourth RWC tournament while six players - Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Codie Taylor, Dane Coles, Sam Cane - will be going to their third. Seventeen make their RWC debut.

Forwards

Hooker

Dane Coles (36, Super Rugby: Hurricanes / Province: Wellington, Caps: 86)
Samisoni Taukei’aho (25, Chiefs / Waikato, 24)
Codie Taylor (32, Crusaders / Canterbury, 79)

Prop

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)

Second row

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)

Back row

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

Scrum-half

Finlay Christie (27, Blues / Tasman, 17) 
Cam Roigard (22, Hurricanes / Counties Manukau, 1)
Aaron Smith (34, Highlanders / Manawatū, 118)

Fly-half

Beauden Barrett (32, Blues / Taranaki, 115) 
Damian McKenzie (28, Chiefs / Waikato, 42)
Richie Mo'unga (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 48) 

Centre

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)

Full-back / wing

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)

The All Blacks will kick off their Rugby World Cup campaign against hosts nation France in Paris on 8 September before further pool matches against Namibia in Toulouse (15 September), Italy in Lyon (29 September) and Uruguay in Lyon (Thursday 5 October).