All Blacks squad for 2016 All Blacks Northern Tour

The All Blacks selectors, Steve Hansen, Ian Foster and Grant Fox, have selected their squad for the Vista 2016 All Blacks Northern Tour to the USA and Europe for Tests against Ireland, Italy and France.

The squad features the selection of 19-year-old Auckland outside back Rieko Ioane, who spent time in the All Blacks wider training group this year. It also sees the return to the All Blacks squad of his Auckland teammate, 25-year-old loose forward Steven Luatua, who played 14 Tests in 2013-2014.

Otago hooker Liam Coltman, who has provided injury cover throughout the season, has also been selected in an official squad for the first time.

Forwards:

Hookers
Dane Coles (Wellington, 46)
Codie Taylor (Canterbury, 11)
Liam Coltman (Otago, uncapped)

Props
Wyatt Crockett (Canterbury, 55)
Charlie Faumuina (Auckland, 42)
Owen Franks (Canterbury, 87)
Joe Moody (Canterbury, 20)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Auckland, 2)

Locks
Brodie Retallick (Hawke’s Bay, 57)
Luke Romano (Canterbury, 26)
Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland, 10)
Samuel Whitelock (Canterbury, 82)

Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty, 37)
Elliot Dixon (Southland, 2)
Jerome Kaino (Auckland, 74)
Steven Luatua (Auckland, 14)
Kieran Read, captain (Canterbury, 94)       
Ardie Savea (Wellington, 9)
Liam Squire (Tasman, 6)
Matt Todd (Canterbury, 5)

Backs:

Halfbacks
Tawera Kerr–Barlow (Waikato, 24)      
TJ Perenara (Wellington, 26)
Aaron Smith (Manawatu, 54)

First five–eighths
Beauden Barrett (Taranaki, 46)
Aaron Cruden (Manawatu, 43)
Lima Sopoaga (Southland, 5)

Midfielders
Ryan Crotty (Canterbury, 24)
Malakai Fekitoa (Auckland, 20)
Anton Leinert-Brown (Waikato, 5)
George Moala (Auckland, 3)

Outside backs
Israel Dagg (Hawke’s Bay, 58)
Rieko Ioane (Auckland, uncapped)
Damian McKenzie (Waikato, 1)
Waisake Naholo (Taranaki, 8)
Julian Savea (Wellington, 49)
Ben Smith (Otago, 58)

Several players weren’t considered for selection due to injury, including hookers Nathan Harris and James Parsons, midfielders Sonny Bill Williams and Charlie Ngatai and outside back Nehe Milner-Skudder.

The Vista 2016 All Blacks Northern Tour

1.    vs IRELAND, Sat 5 Nov, Soldier Field, CHICAGO
2.    vs. ITALY, Sat 12 Nov, Stadio Olimpico, ROME
3.    vs. IRELAND, Sat 19 Nov, Aviva Stadium, DUBLIN
4.    vs. FRANCE, Sat 26 Nov, Stade de France, PARIS