All Blacks squad named for Steinlager Ultra Low Carb Series
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Scott Barrett has been named as the new All Blacks captain, with a 32-strong squad including five uncapped players announced today ahead of the 2024 Steinlager Ultra Low Carb Series.
The squad selected by All Blacks Head Coach Scott Robertson and his four assistant coaches Scott Hansen, Jason Holland, Leon MacDonald and Jason Ryan, will play two Tests against England in Dunedin and Auckland, and one against Fiji in San Diego.
The 32-strong Steinlager Ultra Low Carb Series squad is as follows: (age, Super Rugby club, province, Test caps)
* denotes new cap
Forwards (18)
Hookers
Asafo Aumua (27 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 6)
Codie Taylor (33 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 85)
George Bell* (22 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 0)
Props
Ethan De Groot (25 / Highlanders / Southland / 22)
Tyrel Lomax (28 / Hurricanes / Tasman / 32)
Fletcher Newell (24 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 13)
Pasilio Tosi* (25 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty / 0)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (32 / Blues / Northland / 57)
Tamaiti Williams (23 / Crusaders / Canterbury / 7)
Locks
Scott Barrett (30 / Crusaders / Taranaki / 69) (Captain)
Tupou Vaa’i (24 / Chiefs / Taranaki / 25)
Patrick Tuipulotu (31 / Blues / Auckland / 43)
Loose Forwards
Ethan Blackadder (29 / Crusaders / Tasman / 10)
Samipeni Finau (25 / Chiefs / Waikato / 1)
Luke Jacobson (27 / Chiefs / Waikato / 18)
Dalton Papali’i (26 / Blues / Counties Manukau / 32)
Ardie Savea (30 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 81) (Vice Captain)
Wallace Sititi* (21 / Chiefs / North Harbour / 0)
Backs (14)
Halfbacks
Finlay Christie (28 / Blues / Tasman / 21)
TJ Perenara (32 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 80)
Cortez Ratima* (23 / Chiefs / Waikato / 0)
First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (33 / Blues / Taranaki / 123)
Damian McKenzie (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 47)
Mid-fielders
Jordie Barrett (27 / Hurricanes / Taranaki / 57) (Vice Captain)
Rieko Ioane (27 / Blues / Auckland / 67)
Anton Lienert-Brown (29 / Chiefs / Waikato / 70)
Billy Proctor* (25 / Hurricanes / Wellington / 0)
Outside backs
Caleb Clarke (25 / Blues / Auckland / 20)
Emoni Narawa (24 / Chiefs / Bay of Plenty / 1)
Stephen Perofeta (27 / Blues / Taranaki / 3)
Sevu Reece (27 / Crusaders / Southland / 23)
Mark Tele’a (27 / Blues / North Harbour/ 9)
The following players were not considered due to injury: Sam Cane, Will Jordan, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Cam Roigard.
Scott Barrett, 30, will become the 81st man to captain the All Blacks in a Test should he add to the 69 Test caps he has earned since his debut against Ireland in 2016, and will be assisted by two Vice Captains in Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett.
“When you think of the leaders who have gone before you, it’s quite humbling to be asked to captain the All Blacks, so it’s not something I took lightly. It’s a big responsibility, but I have two great leaders beside me in Ardie and Jordie, and I know we’ll have the full backing of the coaches,” Barrett said.
Robertson said his long-standing relationship with Scott Barrett was a factor in his choice of captain.
“There are some great leaders in our group, but having that existing connection to Scott was important. He’s tactically astute, he leads from the front, and he’s got the respect of the players and coaches. Leadership is a shared responsibility and Ardie, Jordie and our wider leadership group will be crucial to how we come together and connect ahead of the first Test against England.
“As a coaching group, we are excited about the squad we’ve selected. We know it’s a group that can play the style of rugby we want the All Blacks to play in 2024.”
Robertson also congratulated the five uncapped players in the squad – hooker George Bell, prop Pasilio Tosi, halfback Cortez Ratima, centre Billy Proctor and loose forward Wallace Sititi, who at 21-years-old is the youngest player in the squad.
“It’s a proud moment for them and their families. They’ve earned their places through performance and consistency and it’s an exciting time in their careers. As coaches, we will get them ready so they can take their opportunity when it comes.”
The All Blacks Steinlager Low Carb Series squad will gather at NZCIS in Wellington for the first time on Wednesday 26 June where they’ll be joined by hundreds of junior rugby players and guests to officially launch the 2024 Test season.
Blues lock Sam Darry, Hurricanes outside back Ruben Love and the Crusaders pair of prop George Bower and midfielder David Havili will also assemble with the squad as cover.
2024 Ultra Low Carb Steinlager Series
Saturday 6 July
All Blacks vs England, 7.05PM (NZST), Forsyth Barr Stadium, DUNEDIN
Saturday 13 July
All Blacks vs England, 7.05PM (NZST), Eden Park, AUCKLAND
Saturday 20 July
All Blacks vs Fiji, 2.30PM (NZST), SnapDragon Stadium, SAN DIEGO
New All Blacks Player Profiles
George Bell* (22 / Crusaders / Canterbury)
At 183cm and107kg George Bell is a dynamic young hooker who grew up on a sheep and beef station in Otago. He first played for the Eastern Rugby Football Club in Waikouaiti and later became a boarder at John McGlashan College, where he excelled as an age-grade cricketer. A New Zealand U20 representative and Crusaders Academy member in 2022, Bell made his DHL Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Crusaders against the Western Force before he had played his first Bunnings Warehouse NPC match for Canterbury. In 2022 he was named the New Zealand Rugby Almanack Most Promising Player of the Year after standing out for Canterbury.
Billy Proctor* (25 / Hurricanes / Wellington)
Wellington born Billy Proctor’s talents were identified shortly after he left St Patrick’s College when he signed a five-year contract with the Hurricanes in 2019 and the investment has paid off. Proctor has become a mainstay of the Hurricanes backline in Super Rugby since his debut in 2019. Rugby talent and success run in the Proctor family, with his older brother Matt becoming All Black #1177 in 2018. Their father Phil was a New Zealand junior representative and played tighthead prop for Wellington. In 2020, Billy made his Māori All Blacks debut against Moana Pasifika in Hamilton.
Cortez Ratima* (23 / Chiefs / Waikato)
King Country-born halfback Cortez Ratima has been in irresistible form for the Chiefs in DHL Super Rugby Pacific in 2024. He was raised on a farm in Piopio before briefly attending New Plymouth Boys’ High School, then Hamilton Boys High School. Two years out of school he was playing in the Bunnings Warehouse NPC for Waikato, and in 2022 he made his Chiefs debut and was recognised with selection in the All Blacks XV squad for their Northern Tour.
Wallace Sititi* (21 / Chiefs / North Harbour)
Wallce Sititi plays his rugby in the same position as his father, former Manu Samoa and Hurricanes loose forward Semo, and his powerful play was a feature for the Chiefs during DHL Super Rugby Pacific. At 21 years old, Wallace is the youngest player named in the 2024 Steinlager Ultra Low Carb Series All Blacks squad. Wallace Sititi was deputy head boy at De La Salle College and captain of the first XV and captained the Blues U20 side in 2022, before being selected in the New Zealand U20 squad. He made his Bunnings Warehouse NPC debuted for North Harbour the same year, and joined the Chiefs wider training squad in 2023.
Pasilio Tosi* (25 / Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty)
Pasilio Tosi’s transformation from a loose forward to a prop has been a sensational success story. In 2018 Tosi spent two years playing for the Southland Stags, mostly as a No.8 before heading north to Bay of Plenty for the 2021 Bunnings Warehouse NPC season. He caught the eye of the Hurricanes who offered him his first Super Rugby contract in 2022. Born and raised in Levin, north of Wellington, Tosi attended Horowhenua College before spending three years in the Rotorua Boys’ High School first XV.
