Sonny Bill Williams & Dan Carter
Dan Carter and Sonny Bill Williams will not travel to South Africa for Round 2 of The Rugby Championship next weekend.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has named a 31-man squad to travel to Johannesburg for the Test against the Springboks on 25 July with Carter and Williams being rested.
“In deciding on the squad to travel to South Africa, the selectors based their selections on 3 criteria,” explained Hansen.
“Firstly, we have picked experienced players who are well aware of the challenge of playing South Africa at home.
“Secondly, we want to give some other players the opportunity to see how they cope under the extreme pressure of playing South Africa and thirdly, we took into consideration the fact that some players in the squad could do with having a break for various reasons, so they will be staying home to freshen up.”
Hansen feels Carter and Williams deserve a break.
“Normally if we had a squad of 31, both of them would be in it and would be coming,” he said.
“Sonny has got bit of a busy schedule so we will let him have some time at home and DC can have some time at home as well – along with the other guys.”
All players who are remaining in New Zealand will be given individual training programmes to work on and will reassemble with the rest of squad in August and be available for selection for the Bledisloe Cup Tests.
New Zealand squad:
- Hookers: Dane Coles, Keven Mealamu, Codie Taylor
- Props: Wyatt Crockett, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Nepo Laulala, Tony Woodcock
- Locks: James Broadhurst, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Samuel Whitelock
- Loose forwards: Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, Liam Messam, Kieran Read, Victor Vito
- Scrumhalves: Andy Ellis, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith
- Flyhalves: Beauden Barrett, Colin Slade, Lima Sopoaga
- Centres: Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith
- Outside backs: Israel Dagg, Charles Piutau, Julian Savea, Ben Smith
Waisake Naholo
Waisake Naholo out:
New Zealand wing Waisake Naholo has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup due to a cracked fibula suffered in Friday’s win over Argentina.
Naholo looked in discomfort when he was replaced in the 2nd half of The Rugby Championship opener in Christchurch.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen revealed Naholo’s injury after the Highlanders flyer was left out of the world champions’ squad for their clash against South Africa in Johannesburg next weekend.
“He has got a cracked bone in his fibula,” said Hansen.
“So he will be out for 3 months, which means he is going to miss the World Cup which is pretty disappointing for him and for us.”
Hansen said the injury was a shock to the All Blacks squad as Naholo was standing on the leg on Friday night.
“We are all a bit shocked about it because he was weight-bearing on it and pretty good,” he added.
“But he got back here last night and got really sore, so the doctor thought he better have it scanned. And in the scan there is a very fine crack in it. It just means 3 months out.
“There is no displacement which is good. If we get him right and we do need an outside back replacement, he will be fit and ready to go in the middle of October.”