Squads just announced and looks like Wepu, Vito and Todd have been axed and Ben Smith will cover for Ranger.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says the fast-paced game they are trying to play suits the skills of TJ Perenara better than Piri Weepu and that was the key reason for dropping the veteran halfback.
Weepu, a 71-test All Black, was the glaring omission from the 28-man squad named to contest the Rugby Championship.
Hansen admitted it was a tough decision but made no apologies as the next phase of the All Blacks season gets set to start with the ante being upped against Australia, South Africa and Argentina.
Weepu's last performance as a starter in the third test against France in June had contributed to his downfall, Hansen admitted.
Weepu was pulled from the field early in that match in New Plymouth, clearly struggling with his passing and running game.
"We felt how we are trying to play the game and with the speed of the game, Piri is struggling with that. His last game confirmed our thoughts," Hansen said.
"We asked him to go away and try and sort out that issue.
"It's the speed of the game, getting from A to B to C. Because of that his skill-set is not flourishing so we are not seeing him run or pass well.
"When the game is played at a pace that suits him, he can really dictate a game."
Hansen felt it had been an ongoing issue and the time was right to make a change.
He believed Perenara was a more modern version of Weepu, "a younger, fitter version".
Perenara had been introduced to the All Blacks ways at training camps and Hansen was confident he would settle into the squad.
He joins Aaron Smith and Tawera Kerr-Barlow in the halfbacks ranks.
Hansen said the door wasn't closed to Weepu. The challenge was for him to make adjustments in fitness and style though he acknowledged these would be tough given that Weepu has already worked hard to get himself into his best physical shape in recent years.
Weepu had been an outstanding contributor to the All Blacks and Hansen felt the 2011 World Cup success was his finest hour "when he stood up and took a lot of pressure off the young first-fives when Dan Carter was injured".
Clearly it's going to be hard for Weepu to get back in the mix unless there are injuries.
Weepu wasn't the only casualty from the All Blacks squad that played France.
Victor Vito and Matt Todd are out of the loose forwards mix with Steven Luatua holding his place and skipper Richie McCaw returning.
Rene Ranger was unavailable for family reasons.
Hansen said Vito needed to make better use of his athletic ability, providing more aggression and physicality to go with his running and ball skills.
The selectors felt it was better for him to try to achieve that for Wellington rather than the pressures of the test arena.
He said Vito still had a future and pointed to similar measures taken with Jerome Kaino and Liam Messam as proof that players could come back.
Ranger's absence had hit the impact ability the All Blacks had enjoyed with their bench players. Auckland fullback Charles Piutau was a benefactor there.
Hansen confirmed that Ben Smith was the back-up option to Conrad Smith at centre though there would be no rush to develop that through the hurly-burly of the Rugby Championship.
Unless injuries intervened that was more likely to be explored on the end of year tour when Conrad Smith was taking a break.
Hansen said the looming tests represented a challenge to the All Blacks to lift their game.
June had been about getting game plans and structures in place and now was the time to refine the.
"We want to get a bit of versatility and not be a one-trick pony," Hansen said when asked if the new approach was all about increasing the tempo.
The 28-man squad has also been bolstered by three wider training group players who will assemble with the squad but return to their ITM Cup teams on the Wednesday of each test week.
Those players are Hurricanes and Wellington lock Jeremy Thrush, Blues and North Harbour midfield back Francis Saili and his Blues teammate, Counties Manukau winger Frank Halai.
Meanwhile, Crusaders and Canterbury prop Joe Moody has also been brought in as injury cover for Wyatt Crockett who will miss the start of the Rugby Championship with a knee injury.
ALL BLACKS SQUAD
Props: Tony Woodcock, Wyatt Crockett, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Charlie Faumuina, Joe Moody (injury cover)
Hookers: Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu, Dane Coles
Locks: Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano
Loose-forwards: Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Liam Messam, Sam Cane, Steven Luatua
Halfbacks: Aaron Smith, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara
First-fives: Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden, Beauden Barrett
Midfield: Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu,
Outside backs: Israel Dagg, Julian Savea, Ben Smith, Charles Piutau
Training squad members: Jeremy Thrush, Francis Saili, Frank Halai
- © Fairfax NZ News
