In preparation for Super Rugby in 2015, all 5 New Zealand Super Rugby franchises have named their squads for the tournament.
In the meantime, South African franchises will ponder about their squads and in December we at Rugby-Talk.com will speculate what the South African franchises will look like, as final squads will only be known in January 2015.
The same happens every year, New Zealand and Australia get their ducks in a row before the December break, whereas the South Africans seem to focus on December holidays, going to the beach, having Christmas and generally geting fat and lazy.
When can we ever expect the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and the South African Super Rugby franchises to ever catch up to the more professional attitudes displayed primarily by New Zealand… but also closely followed by their Antipodion counterparts, Australia?
Crusaders:
Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder has announced his 38 strong squad to contest the 2015 Super Rugby competition which includes the return of Robbie Fruean.
The 2015 Crusaders Super Rugby squad includes 26 returning players from the 2014 Crusaders squad, 2 players who have been elevated from the Wider Training Group, and 4 new players.
One of the 4 new players is actually no stranger to the Crusaders environment – Robbie Fruean who will return to the team after spending 2014 with the Chiefs.
Fruean is a powerful midfielder who first debuted for the Crusaders in 2010 and has already earned 61 caps for the team. Blackadder said the team will all be thrilled to welcome Robbie back.
“We’re excited to have Robbie back with us for 2015. He is a good man with a lot of talent and we welcome him back with open arms,” Blackadder said.
“Robbie showed during this year’s ITM Cup what great progress he has made with his health and fitness of late, so we know that he will be eager to get out there and show that he’s got what it takes.”
Also adding to the backline stocks is Northland winger Jone Macilai. Macilai was picked up by Northland last year after being spotted playing in a rugby sevens tournament in Fiji. Blackadder said he will bring an injection of speed to the backline next season.
“Jone has just had a very impressive ITM Cup and had the third highest number of clean breaks and metres gained in the competition. We can see some really exciting potential in him and look forward to working with him this season.”
The new faces in the forwards are hooker Ged Robinson and lock Scott Barrett. Blackadder says Robinson will bring some valuable experience to the team following the departure of the Crusaders’ most capped player, fellow hooker Corey Flynn.
“Ged is a solid and ambitious player with some really useful experience under his belt. He already has over 60 Super Rugby caps to his name but I know he is also keen to keep developing his game and pushing his career forward, so we’re happy to help him to that in 2015.”
Scott Barrett made his first Crusaders appearance last year when the side faced England during its New Zealand tour and he also came off the reserve bench against the Blues later in the season. He also debuted for the Canterbury ITM Cup team this year and did enough to convince Blackadder that he deserves a spot in the 2015 squad.
“We’ve been really pleased with what we’ve seen from Scott so far. He has an amazing skill set and we believe he’s absolutely ready to step up to this next level of rugby,” Blackadder said.
Centre Kieron Fonotia and outside back Nafi Tuitavake have stepped up to the full squad from last year’s Wider Training Group. Blackadder said they are both men who have taken their opportunities and earned the right to be in the 2015 squad.
“I am confident that we will see good things from both of these players this season and that they will be influential members of this team.”
2015 Crusaders Super Rugby squad:
FORWARDS:
PROPS
- Wyatt Crockett
- Joe Moody
- Tim Perry
- Owen Franks
- Nepo Laulala
HOOKERS
- Ben Funnell
- Codie Taylor
- Ged Robinson
LOCKS
- Luke Romano
- Sam Whitelock
- Dominic Bird
- Jimmy Tupou
- Scott Barrett
LOOSE FORWARDS
- Luke Whitelock
- Richie McCaw
- Matt Todd
- Kieran Read
- Jordan Taufua
BACKS:
HALFBACKS
- Andy Ellis
- Willi Heinz
- Mitchell Drummond
FIRST FIVE-EIGHTHS
- Daniel Carter
- Colin Slade
- Tom Taylor
MIDFIELD BACKS
- Kieran Fonotia
- Ryan Crotty
- Robbie Fruean
OUTSIDE BACKS
- Nemani Nadolo
- Jone Macilai
- Johnny McNicholl
- Nafi Tuitavake
- Israel Dagg
Wider Training Group
- Richie Mo’unga
- David Havili
- Nathaniel Apa
- Alex Hodgman
- Tom Sanders
- Jed Brown
Hurricanes:
New Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has named his 38-strong Super Rugby squad for the 2015 season which includes a number of new players for the Wellington franchise.
Important old heads, mixed with a couple of significant returning players and the elevation of some exciting youth, is how Hurricanes coach Boyd sums up his 2015 squad.
Boyd announced his full team this morning and said the return of Ma’a Nonu and Reynold Lee-Lo specifically, along with the new faces contracted in midfield positions, were key additions to the Hurricanes roster.
“We’re really happy with the return of Ma’a and Rey. Along with Conrad, they make us extremely competitive in the midfield. We’ve also got Willis (Halaholo) and Vince (Aso), both very capable individuals, who will push and learn from the players around them.”
Along with Aso and Halaholo, there are four additional new faces in the Hurricanes’ 2015 squad.
Christian Lloyd and Geoffrey Cridge have been outlined by selectors as a locking combo with huge potential, while Taranaki’s Iopu Iopu-Aso and Jason Woodward will also look to get their first caps for the club.
Manawatu’s Callum Gibbins, Nehe Milner-Skudder, and Chris Eves have all been promoted to full contracts from wider training group status last year, following strong ITM Cup campaigns with the Championship-winning Turbos.
“We’re really pleased with the contracted squad that we have. If we look at those who have departed, we’ve lost some quality players to overseas clubs, but feel we’ve filled those spots well,” said Boyd.
The Hurricanes’ wider training group includes the return of Adam Hill and Mike Kainga, while halfback Frae Wilson has moved north from the Highlanders.
Boyd said young talents Leni Apisai, Otere Black and Hugh Renton had also earned rightful spots in the wider training group.
“We’ve got half an eye on the future and our succession planning, and have recruited some younger guys we hope will grow and develop around our strong core of senior players.”
Hurricanes 2015 Super Rugby squad:
- Ben Franks (Hawke’s Bay)
- Mark Abbott (Hawke’s Bay)
- Geoffrey Cridge* (Hawke’s Bay)
- Dane Coles (Wellington)
- Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Wellington)
- Jeremy Thrush (Wellington)
- Brad Shields (Wellington)
- Ardie Savea (Wellington)
- Victor Vito (Wellington)
- TJ Perenara (Wellington)
- Julian Savea (Wellington)
- Ma’a Nonu (Wellington)
- Conrad Smith (Wellington)
- Cory Jane (Wellington)
- Jason Woodward* (Wellington)
- Reggie Goodes (Wellington)
- Motu Matu’u (Wellington)
- John Schwalger (Wellington)
- Christian Lloyd* (Wellington)
- Matt Proctor (Wellington)
- Callum Gibbins (Manawatu)
- Nehe Milner-Skudder (Manawatu)
- Chris Eves (Manawatu)
- James Broadhurst (Taranaki)
- Beauden Barrett (Taranaki)
- Iopu Iopu-Aso* (Taranaki)
- Blade Thomson (Taranaki)
- James Marshall (Taranaki)
- Chris Smylie (Taranaki)
- Vince Aso* (Auckland)
- Reynold Lee-Lo (Counties Manukau)
- Willis Halaholo* (Southland)
Wider training group:
- Mike Kainga (Bay of Plenty)
- Leni Apisai* (Wellington)
- Frae Wilson (Wellington)
- Adam Hill (Wellington)
- Otere Black* (Manawatu)
- Hugh Renton* (Hawke’s Bay).
*New to the Hurricanes.
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Chris Boyd
- Assistant coach: John Plumtree
- Technical advisors: Clark Laidlaw, Richard Watt
It is interesting to note for South African enthusiasts, that former Sharks Super Rugby coach, John Plumtree, is part of the coaching staff of the Hurricanes from 2015.
Blues:
The Blues have named their 38 strong squad that will contest in the 2015 Super Rugby tournament.
In their second year as a stand-alone organisation, the Blues believe their 2015 season will provide the platform for sustained success in the Super Rugby competition.
The Blues 38-strong team is largely based on players from within the region of Northland, North Harbour and Auckland with a balance of proven performers and future potential – both key planks in the organisation’s philosophy.
Twenty-nine players are from within the Blues region, one of the highest number of any New Zealand Super Rugby team, with a strong emphasis on building its base with only four newcomers, with the six developing young players in the wider training group all promoted out of the region’s development programme.
Head coach Sir John Kirwan is pleased to have the bulk of his 2014 squad returning, but also delighted with the quality of his new signings led by 51-Test halfback Jimmy Cowan, after three years in the English Premiership, and Josh Bekhuis, an enduring 2m tall lock with 81 Super Rugby caps for the Highlanders over six seasons.
The pack is further enhanced with the reappearance of Blues and current Bay of Plenty lock Culum Retallick and former New Zealand Schools captain and All Blacks Under-20 loose forward, Joe Edwards, who both missed the majority of the last Super Rugby season with injury.
The newcomers along with Cowan in the backs is in-form ITM Cup midfielder Hamish Northcott from Manawatu, while former Blues wider training group inside back Dan Bowden, formerly with the Crusaders and Highlanders, returns to his native Northland after stints in England and Japan.
All Blacks Sevens talent, Ben Lam, the big, fast-stepping winger who was in the winning World Sevens and the Commonwealth Games teams, has his chance at the 15-aside game after an injury-plagued 2014 season.
The cornerstone of the Blues will be the pack that includes six All Blacks – Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock, Jerome Kaino, Charlie Faumuina, Patrick Tuipulotu and Steven Luatua who boast 325 Test caps between them.
“I am happy with the balance of the squad between the All Blacks, a group of players who now have experience to understand what Super Rugby demands and some young players that we need to nurture for the future of our team,” Kirwan said.
“As an organisation we are just a year old and have a much more settled front and back office with a discernible plan from which we can build.
“Where possible we’ve looked inside this Blues area for our players especially for our developing young players.
“That said we’ve got some excellent new signings like Bekhuis, Cowan and Northcott.”
The new leader of the Blues will be 54-Test stalwart Kaino, who has returned to compelling international form after two seasons in Japan.
“Jerome brings everything you want in a captain – leadership on the field, leadership off the field. He is also an X Factor player. As a team we want to be resilient and relentless and Jerome is that sort of player.”
He replaces Luke Braid who will continue to play a key role on and off the field for the Blues.
“Luke is coming off injuries but we have been in close communication and this is something he is fully supportive about. Leadership has been good for Luke and he will stay in that role as one of our leadership group.”
Kirwan is clear about his goals for the team this year, which will be measured by performance on and off the field.
“We will see success measured around more consistency, the players playing for each other, for our sponsors and our fans, and making our people proud of the way they play.
“Everyone talks about where we finish in the competition ladder. But we need to focus on getting those core things right and then the results will look after themselves.
“Obviously we all want to win. We want to create sustained success and to do that all the pillars of the organisation have to be in order and we are getting those in place.
“Our philosophy as a team in 2015 is to be relentless, uncompromising and hard-working. That’s probably an ideal description for the likes of Kaino, Braid, Cowan and Keven Mealamu and I think all our players want to aspire to that.”
Blues 2015 Super Rugby squad is:
Forwards:
- Josh Bekhuis (Southland)
- Luke Braid (Auckland)
- Joe Edwards (Auckland)
- Charlie Faumuina (Auckland)
- Blake Gibson (Auckland)
- Jerome Kaino (Auckland, Captain)
- Will Lloyd (Auckland)
- Steven Luatua (Auckland)
- Keven Mealamu (Auckland)
- Matt Moulds (Northland)
- Brendon O’Connor (Hawkes Bay)
- James Parsons (North Harbour)
- Greg Pleasants-Tate (North Harbour)
- Sam Prattley (Auckland)
- Culum Retallick (Bay of Plenty)
- Peter Saili (Auckland)
- Angus Ta’avao (Taranaki)
- Hayden Triggs (North Harbour)
- Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland)
- Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Auckland)
- Tony Woodcock (North Harbour)
Backs:
- Pita Ahki (North Harbour)
- Dan Bowden (Northland)
- Jimmy Cowan (Tasman)
- Jamison Gibson-Park (Taranaki)
- Frank Halai (Counties Manukau)
- Bryn Hall (North Harbour)
- Simon Hickey (Auckland)
- Ben Lam (Auckland)
- Tevita Li (North Harbour)
- George Moala (Auckland)
- Melani Nanai (Auckland)
- Hamish Northcott (Manawatu)
- Charles Piutau (Auckland)
- Francis Saili (Auckland)
- Matt Vaega (North Harbour)
- Lolagi Visinia (Auckland)
- Ihia West (Hawkes Bay)
Chiefs:
Double Super Rugby champions the Chiefs have named their 38 strong squad for the 2015 Super Rugby season which includes Sonny Bill Williams as one of 23 returning players.
The Chiefs won back to back Super Rugby titles in 2012 and 2013 but were eliminated in the knock outs in 2014.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said “We believe we have assembled a squad high in character with impact, depth and versatility. We expect this group of hard working men to play a brand of Chiefs rugby that is entertaining for people to watch and will get results.”
“We are pleased that our squad contains a number of players coming through our Chiefs development programme who are making the step up to Super Rugby.”
The numbers breakdown of the 2015 squad shows there are 23 returning Chiefs players, with 21 of those from last year.
The squad features 20 players from Chiefs Provincial Unions with five players from the Chiefs Development programme. Those players are Johan Bardoul, Damian McKenzie, Toni Pulu, Seta Tamanivalu and Maama Vaipulu.
There are a further 16 players from other Provincial Unions and two players returning from playing in Japan. Ten of the Chiefs squad played in the thrilling ITM Cup final that was won by Taranaki, one of the six Provincial Unions that make up the Chiefs.
Winger Hosea Gear is returning to New Zealand to play Super Rugby after playing in France and Japan and he is joined by New Zealand born Japanese national captain Michael Leitch. The loose forward returns to the Chiefs having been a member of the squad in 2013.
The Chiefs take great pride in being a family but this season it takes on another dimension with brothers Damien and Marty McKenzie and cousins Tim Nanai-Williams and Sonny Bill Williams in the side.
Exciting returning Chiefs player Sonny Bill Williams is expected to attract great interest alongside his fellow All Blacks Brodie Retallick, Liam Messam, Aaron Cruden and Sam Cane. Williams is looking forward to the season ahead.
“I am excited to be back home playing with the Chiefs family,” he said.
Chiefs halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow who was injured during a recent All Blacks match will continue his long-term rehabilitation with the squad in the Chiefs environment.
The Chiefs have a truly regional focus to their season with their home fixtures being played at three venues across Chiefs country.
Five matches will be hosted at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton and two will be played at Yarrow Stadium in Taranaki, including their first home match against the Brumbies on Friday 20 February.
After a very successful pre-season match at Rotorua International Stadium last year, the Chiefs will host a 2015 round robin match against the Bulls at the venue. The Chiefs will also spend a week in Counties Manukau prior to Christmas for their camp.
Chiefs 2015 Super Rugby Squad:
- Ben Afeaki – Prop (North Harbour)
- Michael Allardice* – Lock (Hawkes Bay)
- Johan Bardoul* – Loose forward (Bay of Plenty)
- Sam Cane – Loose forward (Bay of Plenty)
- Aaron Cruden – First Five-eighth (Manawatu)
- Mike Fitzgerald – Lock (Manawatu)
- Leon Fukofuka* – Halfback (Auckland)
- Hosea Gear* – Winger (Chiefs)
- Mitchell Graham* – Prop (Taranaki)
- Nathan Harris – Hooker (Bay of Plenty)
- Bryce Heem* – Winger (Tasman)
- Andrew Horrell – Utility back (Hawkes Bay)
- Tevita Koloamatangi – Loose forward (Tasman)
- Michael Leitch – Loose forward (Chiefs)
- Anton Lienert-Brown – Midfield (Waikato)
- James Lowe – Winger (Tasman)
- Pauliasi Manu – Prop (Counties Manukau)
- Tom Marshall – Utility back (Tasman)
- Rhys Marshall – Hooker (Taranaki)
- Damian McKenzie – First five-eighth / fullback (Waikato)
- Quentin MacDonald* – Hooker (Tasman)
- Jamie Mackintosh – Prop (Southland)
- Marty McKenzie* – fullback / first five-eighth (Taranaki)
- Liam Messam – Loose forward (Waikato)
- Charlie Ngatai – Midfield / fullback (Taranaki)
- Sean Polwart *- Loose forward (Auckland)
- Brodie Retallick – Lock (Bay of Plenty)
- Augustine Pulu – Halfback (Counties Manukau)
- Toni Pulu* – Winger (Counties Manukau)
- Liam Squire – Loose forward (Tasman)
- Matt Symons – Lock (Canterbury)
- Seta Tamanivalu* – Midfield (Taranaki)
- Ben Tameifuna – Prop (Waikato)
- Siate Tokolahi* – Prop (Canterbury)
- Maama Vaipulu* – Loose forward (Counties Manukau)
- Brad Weber – Halfback (Waikato)
- Sonny Bill Williams – Midfield (Counties Manukau)
- Tim Nanai-Williams – Utility Back (Counties Manukau)
* new to Chiefs squad
Highlanders:
Dunedin based Super Rugby side the Highlanders have announced their 38-strong squad to contest the 2015 Super Rugby title.
The squad of 38 is made up of 32 players on full contract and also six players in the Wider Training Group. 22 players are returning from the 2014 season.
The front row has been reinforced with the additions of props Pingi Tala’apitaga (BOP), Ross Geldenhuys (Tasman), Josh Hohneck (Waikato), Brendon Edmonds (Hawke’s Bay) and hooker Ash Dixon (Hawke’s Bay).
Alex Ainley (Tasman) and Mark Reddish (Wellington) have been added to the lock stocks and loose forward Dan Pryor (Northland) rounds out the new forwards.
Waisake Naholo (Taranaki) and Marty Banks (Tasman) are the only new players in the backs and both had stand-out ITM Cup seasons.
The Wider Training Group includes five Otago players in Lee Allan, Sam Anderson-Heather, Joe Latta, Josh Renton and Tei Walden, and also Ryan Tongia (Hawke’s Bay).
Highlanders’ Head Coach, Jamie Joseph, commented that new players would all contribute positively to the environment, “all these guys have great character and will add value to the team. I am happy with the balance and depth of the 2015 squad.”
The Highlanders begin their season with a home match in round two at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday 21 February against the Crusaders after a bye in round one.
Highlanders 2015 Super Rugby squad:
Forwards
- Kane Hames
- Pingi Tala’apitaga
- Ma’afu Fia
- Ross Geldenhuys
- Josh Hohneck
- Brendon Edmonds
- Liam Coltman
- Ash Dixon
- Tom Franklin
- Joe Wheeler
- Alex Ainley
- Mark Reddish
- Dan Pryor
- Gareth Evans
- John Hardie
- Shane Christie
- Nasi Manu
- Elliot Dixon
Backs
- Aaron Smith
- Fumiaki Tanaka
- Marty Banks
- Lima Sopoaga
- Hayden Parker
- Trent Renata
- Shaun Treeby
- Jason Emery
- Malakai Fekitoa
- Richard Buckman
- Waisake Naholo
- Patrick Osborne
- Ben Smith
- Kurt Baker
Wider Training Group
- Sam Anderson-Heather
- Joe Latta
- Lee Allan
- Josh Renton
- Tei Walden
- Ryan Tongia