All Blacks EOYT squad announced,,,

Coles and Kerr-Barlow new caps in the All Blacks
  All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen and his fellow selectors Assistant Coach Ian Foster and former All Black Grant Fox have today announced the squad for the All Blacks Air New Zealand European Tour to Scotland, Italy, Wales and England with two new All Blacks, Dane Coles and Tawera Kerr-Barlow, selected.

The squad is: (with province and Test caps. * denotes a new cap)

Forwards:

Hookers
Dane Coles - Wellington *
Andrew Hore - Taranaki (72)
Keven Mealamu - Auckland (100)

Props
Wyatt Crockett - Canterbury (7)
Charlie Faumuina - Auckland (4)
Ben Franks - Canterbury (21)
Owen Franks - Canterbury (41)
Tony Woodcock - North Harbour (92)

Locks
Brodie Retallick - Bay of Plenty (10)
Luke Romano - Canterbury (8)
Ali Williams - Auckland (75)
Samuel Whitelock - Canterbury (35)

Loose forwards
Sam Cane - Bay of Plenty (4)
Richie McCaw (captain) - Canterbury (113)
Liam Messam - Waikato (17)
Kieran Read - Canterbury (45)
Adam Thomson - Otago (28)
Victor Vito - Wellington (17)

Backs:

Halfbacks
Tawera Kerr–Barlow - Waikato *
Aaron Smith - Manawatu (10)
Piri Weepu - Auckland (66)

First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett - Taranaki (2)
Daniel Carter - Canterbury (92)
Aaron Cruden - Manawatu (18)

Midfielders
Tamati Ellison - Otago (3)
Ma’a Nonu - Wellington (73)
Conrad Smith - Wellington (63)

Outside backs
Israel Dagg - Hawke’s Bay (22)
Hosea Gear - Wellington (13)
Cory Jane - Wellington (38)
Ben Smith - Otago (9)
Julian Savea - Wellington (5)

Saue

Of one thing I am sure - Hansen will not make the same mess of seletions as Meyer did.   Will watch and support the All Blacks campaign with interest.   Have no further hopes for the Boks under Meyer - so will have to switch my support in future - and follow wining teams - rather than a bunch of useless losers.

no surprises in this squad, but its good to see we are continuing with the steady progression of AB rookies who have been bloodied this year and i hope they get more game time on the EOYT.

nice to see kerr barlow and coles in the squad, it looks like coles has edged out hika elliot as the possible first pick replacement for hore and kev.
coles has one of the better foot wotk for a front row, but he can be guilty of thinking hes a back, i would rather he get in there and do all the hard yard stuff like any good hooker and balance out that love he has to run with the ball in hand.
personally, i would have stuck with hika, but he hasnt done enough to earn being called up so fair enough.

our halfbacks have never looked better, aaron smith has been IMO the form 9 of the world at the moment and now kerr barlow who had a great spXV and ITM season now gets a chance to prove his wares.
on top of that we still have tj perenara who is also in ABs contention, im sure weepu will be gone before the next RWC, the writing is on the wall and he is slowly starting to get phased out.

i expect the All Blacks to win all theri games anything less is unacceptable.

GO THE MIGHTY MIGHTY ALL BLACKS!!!

@clevermike,

LMAO, keep ur chin up bro, Bok squad has some dodgy selections, but that squad should still be more then enough to beat the NH teams, it wont be easy mind u, especially against the irish and english, but the Boks are more then capable of beating them all and ensuring SANZAR teams go undefeated on the EOYT, i even want to put some money that it will happen, though eberyone has told me that it aint going to happen,o_O

Sasue

Don't bet on losers - rather keep your hard-earned dough and bet on the All Blacks winning all their games.  I frankly has lost interest in meyer's going-ons.   Have better things to think about.

i must admit a ultra strong all black setup once again. speed skills everything to burn.

@mike i could not agree more meyer has managed to kill all interest i had left in Bok rugby.

2 mistakes in a squad of 32 ant bad i spouse. Obviously i wouldn't have Williams or slopu, not only do i not think we'll get much value from them but the form lads they replace are probably thinking 'stuff this, lets take a plane ride'!  Andy has showed a hell of a lot of ticker being rejected, staying and now playing the way he is. Being told to 'keep knocking on the door' will probably result in him knocking on the door of a Japan or French side.

As for Williams....wtf? 75 caps but none worth mentioning since like what 2004-05, if they want to take him for his 'teaching' and experience then take him as an assistant and let that experience rub off on one more young bloke.

Good squad. Wish the Bokke had same continuity in selection as the All Blacks.