All Blacks XV squad named

The 30-strong All Blacks XV squad was selected by the All Blacks coaching team of Ian Foster, Joe Schmidt and Jason Ryan for the 2023 Lipovitan-D Challenge Cup against Japan XV and Brave Blossoms.

The squad includes nine players with Test experience including Aidan Ross, Asafo Aumua, Akira Ioane, Pita Gus Sowakula, Brad Weber, Folau Fakatava, Stephen Perofeta, Brett Cameron and Jack Goodhue.

Following their inaugural Northern tour last year, Leon MacDonald has again been named as All Blacks XV Head Coach alongside Assistant Coaches Clayton McMillan and Scott Hansen.

The 30-strong All Blacks XV squad is as follows (age, Super Rugby club, province):

Props
Jermaine Ainsley (28, Highlanders, Otago)
Oli Jager (27, Crusaders, Canterbury)
Tevita Mafileo (25, Hurricanes, Bay of Plenty)
Xavier Numia (24, Hurricanes, Wellington)
Aidan Ross (27, Chiefs, Bay of Plenty)

Hookers
Asafo Aumua (26, Hurricanes, Wellington)
Ricky Riccitelli (28, Blues, Taranaki)
Tyrone Thompson (23, Chiefs, Wellington)

Locks
Naitoa Ah Kuoi (23, Chiefs, Bay of Plenty)
Quinten Strange (26, Crusaders, Tasman)
Isaia Walker-Leawere (26, Hurricanes, Hawke’s Bay)

Loose Forwards
Billy Harmon (28, Highlanders, Canterbury)
Akira Ioane (28, Blues, Auckland)
Du’Plessis Kirifi (26, Hurricanes, Wellington)
Christian Lio-Willie (24, Crusaders, Otago)
Pita Gus Sowakula (28, Chiefs, Taranaki)
Cameron Suafoa (27, Blues, North Harbour)

Halfbacks
Folau Fakatava (23, Highlanders, Hawke’s Bay)
Brad Weber (32, Chiefs, Hawke’s Bay)

First-five-eighths
Brett Cameron (26, Hurricanes, Manawat?)
Stephen Perofeta (26, Blues, Taranaki)

Midfielders
Jack Goodhue (27, Crusaders, Northland)
Alex Nankivell (26, Chiefs, Tasman)
Billy Proctor (24, Hurricanes, Wellington)
Bailyn Sullivan (24, Hurricanes, Waikato)

Outside Backs
Sam Gilbert (24, Highlanders, Otago)
AJ Lam (24, Blues, Auckland)
Ruben Love (22, Hurricanes, Wellington)
Etene Nanai-Seturo (23, Chiefs, Counties Manukau)
Jona Nareki (25, Highlanders, Otago)

The All Blacks XV assemble on 29 June, travelling to Tokyo where they compete for the 2023 Lipovitan-D Challenge Cup kicking off Saturday 8 July, at Tokyo’s historic Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo before a second match on Saturday, July 15 at Egao Kenko Stadium in Kumamoto.

Via Press Release/All Blacks