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Ruben Love called into the All Blacks squad for The Rugby Championship
By Ben Smith
Hurricanes fullback Ruben Love has officially been named in the 36-man All Blacks squad for the Rugby Championship as the only uncapped player.
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The 23-year-old was drafted in to train with the All Blacks during the July series as one of eight extra players, but has now been named as one of six outside backs in the squad.
Joining Love in the outside backs is returning Crusader and All Black wing Will Jordan, who has made a full recovery from shoulder surgery.
In the midfield group, David Havili brings his versatility to the squad as one of five named, along with standout rookie Billy Proctor, established duo Jordie Barrett and Rieko, and veteran Anton Lienert-Brown.
After suffering a knee injury in the first Test against England, TJ Perenara is one of three halfbacks along with rookie pair Noah Hotham and Cortez Ratima. Blues halfback Finlay Christie has been dropped from the squad.
Former captain Sam Cane returns to the squad after training with the group throughout July as one of seven loose forwards picked.
Sam Darry is one of four locks, while Chiefs lock Josh Lord has been named as injury cover with captain Scott Barrett expected to miss the opening matches after undergoing surgery.
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All Blacks 36-man squad for the Rugby Championship:
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)
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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)
Rieko 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)
Great to see Havili selected. Easily our most talented midfielder.Well done Love and Hotham too. Very pleasing squad.
Emoni Narawa can thank Jordie Barrett for losing his spot by not passing him the ball after a break against Fiji.
But seriously I don’t know how they dropped a player like Narawa after a 20 min game against Fiji when the game was looser than a goose and most players were making mistakes.
He had a great season for the Chiefs in Super Rugby with equal-3rd for tries scored.
It’s fine having Cane in the squad
A good move as he’s available
But please don’t start him
Maybe not even in the 23
The guy has hardly played
Foster's squad delivered wins in the Rugby Championship and the Bledisloe EVERY year so that is the bar set for Robertson.
Picking on form apparently? So how did Akira and Hoskins miss out while Havili and Blackadder are nailed on with every squad?
Great team, for the now, with a few tasty options v Argie. Building nicely.
a stable enough AB squad to deliver a home advantage 2-0 whitewash of Los Pumas…for mine the moderate opposition the AB’s will face might have the negative effect of making those who weren't playing well look good…anyways….Go the AB’s….
First clear sign being a Cantab is a big assist. Findlay Christie hasn't done much wrong and punted for Hotham.
Meanwhile Quinn Tupaea and A J Lam younger, bigger, faster and stronger than Havili.
Havili has no midfield penetration and gets bullied, at 29 surely not the answer in 2027 so why persevere?
David Havili…The 2020s Shayne Philpott. RIP