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Cape Town - New Zealand's five Super Rugby franchises have named their squads for the 2012 Super Rugby season, introducing 28 new players to the tournament in the reshuffled squads named on Wednesday.
Blues squad and player profiles
Chiefs squad and player profiles
Crusaders squad and player profiles
Highlanders squad and player profiles
Hurricanes squad and player profiles
The Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders all have familiar faces, with a total of 153 contracted players spread across the five squads, with 14 players crossing over to other franchises.
A number of Rugby World Cup-winning All Blacks have managed to change franchise colours for the 2012 season.
The Blues will welcome duo Piri Weepu and Ma'a Nonu who both played for the Hurricanes in the 2011 tournament, while the Chiefs will gain Sonny Bill Williams and Aaron Cruden who played for the Crusaders and Hurricanes respectively.
The Highlanders will be boosted by the addition of another former Hurricanes duo of Andrew Hore and Hosea Gear.
The Hurricanes have lost the most of the current All Blacks squad with a total of five players moving on to greener pastures.
The likes of Tusi Pisi, Tamati Ellison, Tim Bateman, Ross Kennedy and Rudi Wulf all return from overseas to make their re-entry to the Super Rugby stage next year.
“These five Super Rugby teams are the strongest and most exciting we have ever seen straight off the back of a Rugby World Cup year. It’s reassuring that while some of our senior players are taking the next phase of their rugby careers offshore - the depth of talent available to Super Rugby selectors this year has been impressive,” NZRU General Manager Professional Rugby, Neil Sorensen told the allblacks.com website.
Pisi, along with Samoan countrymen, Mahonri Schwalger and Kane Thompson will be joined by England’s James Haskell and Sona Taumalolo from Tonga as the five foreigners who took part at the recent World Cup, to join up with New Zealand Super Rugby franchises.
“The full transition to the new franchise contracting structure has again delivered an outstanding set of competitive, exciting and dynamic New Zealand Super Rugby teams.
“For many New Zealanders, being involved in rugby has been an amazing experience in a Rugby World Cup winning year. With such a fantastic line up of teams from the New Zealand franchises, I am sure they will bring something special to the 2012 Super Rugby season,” added Sorensen.
The full list of squads is as follows:
Blues:
Gareth Anscombe, Anthony Boric, Daniel Braid, Luke Braid, Charlie Faumuina, Michael Hobbs, Jerome Kaino, Chris Lowrey, Tevita Mailau, Pauliasi Manu, Alby Mathewson, Tom McCartney, Keven Mealamu, Brad Mika, George Moala, Liaki Moli, Lachie Munro, Ma’a Nonu, Filo Paulo, David Raikuna, Rene Ranger, Peter Saili, Benson Stanley, Sherwin Stowers, Angus Ta’avao, Isaia Toeava, Piri Weepu, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock, Rudi Wulf
Chiefs:
Ben Afeaki, Alex Bradley, Sam Cane, Craig Clarke, Shane Cleaver, Aaron Cruden, Hika Elliot, Mike Fitzgerald, Romana Graham, Andrew Horrell, Richard Kahui, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Tanerau Latimer, Fritz Lee, Brendon Leonard, Lelia Masaga, Liam Messam, Tim Nanai-Williams, Maritino Nemani, Declan O’Donnell, Brodie Retallick, Robbie Robinson, Mahonri Schwalger, Toby Smith, Ben Tameifuna, Sona Taumalolo, Kane Thompson, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Scott Waldrom, Sonny Bill Williams, Jackson Willison
Crusaders:
Nicholas Barrett, Tyler Bleyendaal, Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg, Tom Donnelly, Andy Ellis, Corey Flynn, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Robbie Fruean, Ben Funnell, Zac Guildford, Willi Heinz, Ross Kennedy, Quentin MacDonald, Sean Maitland, Tom Marshall, Richie McCaw, Patrick Osborne, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Tom Taylor, Matt Todd, Joe Wheeler, Sam Whitelock, George Whitelock, Adam Whitelock, Luke Whitelock
Highlanders:
Kurt Baker, Josh Bekhuis, Jimmy Cowan, Nick Crosswell, Elliot Dixon, Tamati Ellison, Ma’afu Fia, Hosea Gear, John Hardie, James Haskell, Jarrad Hoeata, Andrew Hore, Chris King, Kendrick Lynn, Jamie Mackintosh, Nasi Manu, Bronson Murray, Chris Noakes, Siale Piutau, Kade Poki, Culum Retallick, Jason Rutledge, Colin Slade, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Lima Sopoaga, Adam Thomson, Doug Tietjens, Shaun Treeby, Telusa Veainu
Hurricanes:
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Beauden Barrett, Tim Bateman, Michael Bent, James Broadhurst, Richard Buckman, Dane Coles, Jason Eaton, Chris Eaton, Reggie Goodes, David Hall, Jayden Hayward, Cory Jane, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Jack Lam, Alapati Leiua, Faifili Levave, Karl Lowe, Motu Matu’u, Ben May, Tristan Moran, Charlie Ngatai, TJ Perenara, Tusi Pisi, Mark Reddish, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith, Chris Smylie, Andre Taylor, Jeremy Thrush, Victor Vito
Blues squad and player profiles
Chiefs squad and player profiles
Crusaders squad and player profiles
Highlanders squad and player profiles
Hurricanes squad and player profiles
The Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders all have familiar faces, with a total of 153 contracted players spread across the five squads, with 14 players crossing over to other franchises.
A number of Rugby World Cup-winning All Blacks have managed to change franchise colours for the 2012 season.
The Blues will welcome duo Piri Weepu and Ma'a Nonu who both played for the Hurricanes in the 2011 tournament, while the Chiefs will gain Sonny Bill Williams and Aaron Cruden who played for the Crusaders and Hurricanes respectively.
The Highlanders will be boosted by the addition of another former Hurricanes duo of Andrew Hore and Hosea Gear.
The Hurricanes have lost the most of the current All Blacks squad with a total of five players moving on to greener pastures.
The likes of Tusi Pisi, Tamati Ellison, Tim Bateman, Ross Kennedy and Rudi Wulf all return from overseas to make their re-entry to the Super Rugby stage next year.
“These five Super Rugby teams are the strongest and most exciting we have ever seen straight off the back of a Rugby World Cup year. It’s reassuring that while some of our senior players are taking the next phase of their rugby careers offshore - the depth of talent available to Super Rugby selectors this year has been impressive,” NZRU General Manager Professional Rugby, Neil Sorensen told the allblacks.com website.
Pisi, along with Samoan countrymen, Mahonri Schwalger and Kane Thompson will be joined by England’s James Haskell and Sona Taumalolo from Tonga as the five foreigners who took part at the recent World Cup, to join up with New Zealand Super Rugby franchises.
“The full transition to the new franchise contracting structure has again delivered an outstanding set of competitive, exciting and dynamic New Zealand Super Rugby teams.
“For many New Zealanders, being involved in rugby has been an amazing experience in a Rugby World Cup winning year. With such a fantastic line up of teams from the New Zealand franchises, I am sure they will bring something special to the 2012 Super Rugby season,” added Sorensen.
The full list of squads is as follows:
Blues:
Gareth Anscombe, Anthony Boric, Daniel Braid, Luke Braid, Charlie Faumuina, Michael Hobbs, Jerome Kaino, Chris Lowrey, Tevita Mailau, Pauliasi Manu, Alby Mathewson, Tom McCartney, Keven Mealamu, Brad Mika, George Moala, Liaki Moli, Lachie Munro, Ma’a Nonu, Filo Paulo, David Raikuna, Rene Ranger, Peter Saili, Benson Stanley, Sherwin Stowers, Angus Ta’avao, Isaia Toeava, Piri Weepu, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock, Rudi Wulf
Chiefs:
Ben Afeaki, Alex Bradley, Sam Cane, Craig Clarke, Shane Cleaver, Aaron Cruden, Hika Elliot, Mike Fitzgerald, Romana Graham, Andrew Horrell, Richard Kahui, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Tanerau Latimer, Fritz Lee, Brendon Leonard, Lelia Masaga, Liam Messam, Tim Nanai-Williams, Maritino Nemani, Declan O’Donnell, Brodie Retallick, Robbie Robinson, Mahonri Schwalger, Toby Smith, Ben Tameifuna, Sona Taumalolo, Kane Thompson, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Scott Waldrom, Sonny Bill Williams, Jackson Willison
Crusaders:
Nicholas Barrett, Tyler Bleyendaal, Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg, Tom Donnelly, Andy Ellis, Corey Flynn, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Robbie Fruean, Ben Funnell, Zac Guildford, Willi Heinz, Ross Kennedy, Quentin MacDonald, Sean Maitland, Tom Marshall, Richie McCaw, Patrick Osborne, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Tom Taylor, Matt Todd, Joe Wheeler, Sam Whitelock, George Whitelock, Adam Whitelock, Luke Whitelock
Highlanders:
Kurt Baker, Josh Bekhuis, Jimmy Cowan, Nick Crosswell, Elliot Dixon, Tamati Ellison, Ma’afu Fia, Hosea Gear, John Hardie, James Haskell, Jarrad Hoeata, Andrew Hore, Chris King, Kendrick Lynn, Jamie Mackintosh, Nasi Manu, Bronson Murray, Chris Noakes, Siale Piutau, Kade Poki, Culum Retallick, Jason Rutledge, Colin Slade, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Lima Sopoaga, Adam Thomson, Doug Tietjens, Shaun Treeby, Telusa Veainu
Hurricanes:
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Beauden Barrett, Tim Bateman, Michael Bent, James Broadhurst, Richard Buckman, Dane Coles, Jason Eaton, Chris Eaton, Reggie Goodes, David Hall, Jayden Hayward, Cory Jane, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Jack Lam, Alapati Leiua, Faifili Levave, Karl Lowe, Motu Matu’u, Ben May, Tristan Moran, Charlie Ngatai, TJ Perenara, Tusi Pisi, Mark Reddish, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith, Chris Smylie, Andre Taylor, Jeremy Thrush, Victor Vito
