Timoci Tavatavanawai among five new caps in All Blacks squad for France Series
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Crusaders' Christian Lio-Willie winning a line-out in the Super Rugby Pacific semi-final on June 13.
PHOTO: AFP
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WELLINGTON – Timoci Tavatavanawai was one of five uncapped players named in the All Blacks squad on June 23 for the July Series against France, with the Fiji-born centre earning his first Test call-up at the age of 27 after a superb Super Rugby season.
Tavatavanawai’s power and pace, along with his ability to turn the ball over at the breakdown, earned him a place in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific dream team but he might find it tougher to break into the New Zealand midfield.
Coach Scott Robertson has brought Jordie Barrett straight back into his squad after a sabbatical in Ireland with Leinster, and also recalled powerhouse Quinn Tupaea after three injury-blighted seasons.
“It’s always a challenge to pick the best players in the country,” he said.
“You look through the whole season, you look for reliability, the ability to keep turning up, their skill sets under pressure, how they complement the group.
“It’s a hell of a team.”
Tavatavanawai said it had been an emotional moment for him and his family when he heard that his dream of an All Blacks call-up had been fulfilled.
“It means everything,” he said. “I left (home) when I was 16. My brother and sister were about 13 and I’ve missed a crucial part of their growing up.
“All that sacrifice comes up to this moment, so it’s pretty special.
“I think that’s why mum pretty much straight away jumped in my arms.”
Flanker Du’Plessis Kirifi and hooker Brodie McAlister are two other experienced players who have earned their first call-ups in their late 20s on the back of standout domestic seasons.
“Du’Plessis is the ultimate story of what it takes to keep working and absolute desire to be an All Black,” forwards coach Jason Ryan said of the 28-year-old openside.
There was no place in the squad for openside Dalton Papali’i or blindside Ethan Blackadder, with Kirifi one of only five loose forwards selected, along with Samipeni Finau, Ardie Savea, Wallace Sititi and Luke Jacobson.
Jacobson picked up a knock in the Super Rugby final and the uncapped No. 8 Christian Lio-Willie will join the squad as injury cover along with winger Emoni Narawa, who will make up the numbers while Anton Lienert-Brown completes his recuperation from a broken collarbone.
Powerful loosehead prop Ollie Norris and the Netherlands-born lock Fabian Holland round out the quintet of uncapped players named by Robertson.
New Zealand host France in the opening Test in Dunedin on July 5 before further clashes in Wellington and Hamilton the following weekends.
Meanwhile, Australia fullback Tom Wright said the Wallabies were not reading a great deal into the British and Irish Lions’ 28-24 loss to Argentina in their tour opener on June 21.
The Lions party arrived in Perth on June 22 to prepare for their first tour match in Australia against Super Rugby Pacific side Western Force on June 28.
“I wouldn’t read a whole lot into it, it was a pretty thrilling game... there was plenty of running rugby,” Wright said in Sydney on June 23 at the Wallabies training camp for their warmup match against Fiji.
“Is that the side they might roll out? Maybe or maybe not, there were a lot of big names that obviously didn’t play...
“The Argentinians were really good (but) I wouldn’t (say) that the Lions played really poorly.
“There’s also that it’s a bunch of guys trying to come together for the first time.” REUTERS
