Live: All Blacks name first squad for season
The All Black side for 2025 is named today in Taranaki.
Photo:
Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
We're at Coastal Rugby Club in Taranaki for the first big All Black announcement of the season. Scott Robertson will reveal his initial squad for the season at midday, we'll have all the names and initial reaction.
Follow the naming with RNZ's live blog:
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Otago Daily Times
38 minutes ago
- Otago Daily Times
Holland, Tavatavanawai join de Groot in All Blacks
Debutant Timoci Tavatavanawai takes part in a skills session after the All Blacks squad announcement at the Coastal Rugby Club in Taranaki yesterday. Tavatavanawai and Fabian Holland were yesterday named in the the All Blacks squad for the three-test series against France starting in Dunedin on July 5. The pair join Highlanders team-mate Ethan de Groot in the national side. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES Ethan de Groot will no longer be a lonely Highlander at the airport. The burly prop spent a full year as the Highlanders' sole representative in the All Blacks after halfback great Aaron Smith moved to Japan. Now he will have a giant Dutchman and big Jim for company in the departure lounge. Exciting lock Fabian Holland and blockbusting utility back Timoci Tavatavanawai were yesterday named alongside de Groot in the All Blacks squad for the three-test series against France starting in Dunedin on July 5. Holland's selection is reward for his potential — he is still just 22 — and his consistently excellent performances for the Highlanders in Super Rugby Pacific this season. It also caps what will forever be one of the more interesting journeys to the All Blacks. Holland, who grew up idolising New Zealand rugby players, left his native Netherlands at the age of 16 to go to school in Christchurch. He then moved to Dunedin, where his rise with Otago and the Highlanders was so rapid it always seemed a matter of when, not if, he would represent his adopted land. Holland, who has already played for the New Zealand under-20 team and the All Blacks XV, got the call of his dreams from All Blacks coach Scott Robertson on Sunday. "I was going to go out for breakfast to see my foster family with my mum and my brother," Holland told Sky Sport yesterday. "My mum flew over from the Netherlands, coincidentally. "As I was just about to sit on the couch, I got a phone call. I'm pretty sure I blacked out there for a wee bit. The only thing I could really say to Razor (Robertson) was, 'Oh, yep, I'm speechless, mate.' "It was really emotional having my family there, and calling my old man and sister back home. Mum pretty much jumped into my arms straight away." Highlanders fans will also be delighted to see Tavatavanawai named in the All Blacks. The Fijian-born back had a remarkable season in the South after being elevated to the co-captaincy and switched from wing to second five. His physicality, explosiveness and freakish ability to gain turnovers make him an X-factor package, and it will intriguing to see how that translates to the test arena. Tavatavanawai was pottering around in his garden when he got the news. "I missed a call and then I saw a message and had to call Razor back. "It's pretty awesome." Otago No8 Christian Lio-Willie, fresh off a strong season with the Crusaders, will join the All Blacks as injury cover.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Fans get up close and personal with Crusaders heroes
A hero's welcome has greeted the triumphant Crusaders having restored their Super Rugby supremacy . Hundreds of fans gathered in central Christchurch on Monday to revel in the side's celebrations, less than 48 hours after the side clinched the title for the 15th time. The Crusaders were once again crowned Super Rugby champions, edging the Chiefs 16-12 in Saturday's grand final at Apollo Projects Stadium. Chanting, red and black flags and the familiar ascent of "Conquest of Paradise" coloured the atmosphere as rabid fans got up close and personal with their heroes and the silverware. Celebrations on Cashel Street were also fittingly in full sight of construction of the franchise's forthcoming new home One New Zealand Stadium, also known as Te Kaha. The new multi-use arena is due to open in April. Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon High school teachers Milika Faitotonu and Poe Kairua, both family members of former Crusaders linchpin Richie Mo'unga, were one of the earliest patrons gathered on Cashel Street. Faitotonu said the Crusaders' "spirit and culture" set them apart from other sporting teams. "As [David Havili] said it's the families, the culture. We are a whānau and a family, and family is very important. "It just took a year for Penney to establish that relationship with the boys." The pair said they could not wait to attend games at the new stadium after enduring the wintry clime in Addington for many years. "I think moving from Apollo over to One New Zealand... I think that was the best send-off we could've had, not just for the Crusader fans, but for the whole community," Kairua said. "It takes Christchurch city to get behind the boys and make them a success." Mayor Phil Mauger playfully paid tribute to the squad during formalities. He said he was pleased with the team had won the final as he would have "had to put a hold on the stadium". Crusaders and All Blacks halfback Noah Hotham told RNZ the turnout was "amazing". "Any time we can connect with our fans, our home, it's an awesome time, very special. "You see from last year how much scrutiny we went through, how people started talking about the downfall of the Crusaders. To see how we've come back from that and learned from our mistakes last year, it makes it so much more satisfying." Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon Midfielder Dallas McLeod admitted some of the squad were "slowly recovering" from big post-match celebrations. "We've had a good couple of days with the boys celebrating it so it's been good." The squad had goals at the beginning of the campaign, namely turning things around following last year's ninth-placed finish, McLeod said. "Having Davey (David Havili) as the leader this year has been awesome, driving that alongside the rest of the leaders in the team. So having that goal at the start and working hard to get it done is very cool." It was a double celebration for several Crusaders players, with seven of the squad named in the All Blacks squad earlier in the day for next month's test series against France. Crusaders number eight Christian Lio-Willie was also named in the squad as injury cover for loose forward Luke Jacobsen.
RNZ News
10 hours ago
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Two newbies named in Tall Ferns FIBA Asia Cup squad
Tayla Dalton (right) defends against You Tang of China. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Two potential debutants have been named in the Tall Ferns squad for the upcoming FIBA Women's Asia Cup in Shenzhen, China. Head coach Natalie Hurst has named a squad of 12 plus two reserves with Rebecca Pizzey and Olivia Williams in the New Zealand women's basketball team for the first time. "Olivia brings more length on the wing. She's a defensive minded player who shows great instincts at that end, and isn't afraid to make a big play at the offensive end as well. Rebecca is a high IQ player. She also has great length at the defensive end and can stretch the floor at the offensive end. Another mobile big who can handle the ball for us, which is incredibly valuable with Sharne Robati not being available," Hurst said. The squad maintains a solid-core group of players from May's Trans-Tasman Throwdown, with guard Tayla Dalton returning, University of Hawai'i standout Ritorya Tamilo, and forward Charlotte Whittaker who has recently finished her French season with Toulouse. "I'm excited about a few things with this group, including the mix of youth and experience we have. Especially getting access to some of the ladies either finishing college or on their breaks, so we're stoked to welcome them into the group. Obviously with the Trans-Tasman Throwdown we blooded a lot of new squad members, who we now see heading to their first Asia Cup." The team is in a tough group alongside China, Indonesia and Korea. "We target the first two games and then see what happens from there," Hurst said. The Tall Ferns will get their FIBA Asia Cup campaign started against Korea on July 14th, before backing up against Indonesia the following day. The Tall Ferns final pool play match is against China on 16th July. Hurst said success would be getting through to the next round. McKenna Dale, guard/forward, Tauranga Whai & Mandurah Magic Tayla Dalton, guard, Townsville Flames Bailey Flavell, guard, Northern Kāhu & Launceston Tornadoes Pahlyss Hokianga, guard, Tauranga Whai Esra McGoldrick, guard/forward, Mainland Pouākai & Casey Cavaliers Rebecca Pizzey, forward, Eltham Wildcats* Emme Shearer, guard, Mackay Meteorettes Ashlee Strawbridge, forward, Mainland Pouākai & West Adelaide Bearcats Ritorya Tamilo, centre, University of Hawai'i Ella Tofaeono, forward/centre, Melbourne Tigers Charlotte Whittaker, forward, Toulouse Metropole Basket Olivia Williams, guard, University of California - Irvine* *denotes debutant Reserves: Ella Brow, guard, Baylor University Maia Jones, guard, Santa Clara University
