Meet the eight new All Blacks
With the new 51-man All Blacks squad comes eight brand new All Blacks. Here’s everything you need to know about them.
Dalton Papali’i
In June 2017 Auckland and Blues loose forward Dalton Papali’i was revelling in a second World Under 20 Championship with New Zealand, as a winner in Georgia, but not daring to believe where his career may lead.
Opportunity came knocking in 2018 as the Blues were hit by a severe injury crisis and Papali’i was signed up.
The 21-year-old has played outstanding rugby for Auckland in this year’s Mitre 10 Cup competition topping the tackles count late in the season. Auckland-raised Papalii captained his St Kentigern’s College First XV and in 2015 led the New Zealand Schools side to a convincing win over their Aussie counterparts.
George Bridge
Impressive 23-year-old outside back George Bridge has thrived in the successful environment of the Crusaders Super Rugby team. Born in Gisborne, Bridge moved down to Christchurch six years ago to play club rugby, getting selected in the under 20s national team and Canterbury for the Mitre 10 Cup.
He had an outstanding Investec Super Rugby debut during the Crusaders successful 2017 campaign and was named their Rookie of the Year. He continued his form into 2018, finishing second-equal on the leading try scorers list with 15 tries in the Crusaders’ back to back title season. Earlier this year Bridge signed with the club until 2022.
Brett Cameron
21-year-old Canterbury first five-eighth Brett Cameron came of age in the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup, making an assured performance in the semifinal in just his third provincial outing for the red and blacks, as Canterbury marched to the Mitre 10 Cup title.
Cameron first came onto the national radar in 2014 when he was plucked from Wanganui’s small Cullinane College and named in the New Zealand Schools training squad. The all-round sportsman was already well known in Wanganui, having played age-grade rugby. After school Cameron headed south to Lincoln University and into the Canterbury provincial team. He played one match for the Crusaders this year.
Gareth Evans
Born and bred in the Hawke’s Bay, 27-year-old loose forward Gareth Evans shifted south to Otago University to study and made the Otago provincial side in 2011 aged just 20 going on to play three years for the province, bringing an abrasive style and huge work rate to his game.
He was drafted into the Highlanders for the 2014 season, making 14 appearances in his debut year, before helping the side to their maiden Super Rugby title in 2015 and victory over the touring British & Irish Lions in 2017. The younger brother of 2009 All Black Bryn Evans, Gareth transferred to the Hurricanes in 2018 and quickly established himself as the first choice No 8.
Bryn Hall
Dynamic halfback Bryn Hall’s highly competitive nature and high-energy rugby makes him an asset in any team he plays for. 26-year-old Auckland-born Hall captained his St Peter’s College First XV, was co-captain of New Zealand Under 20 in 2012, and North Harbour provincial captain in 2015.
Hall made his provincial debut for North Harbour in 2012 and strong performances saw him selected for the Blues for the 2013 season. He spent four years with the Blues before transferring to the Crusaders in 2017 and a Championship-winning season. He also earned selection in the M?ori All Blacks during the 2017 DHL New Zealand Lions Series.
Tyrel Lomax
Tyrel Lomax grew up playing rugby league in Australia, before making the switch to rugby union.
The 22-year-old prop played his first year of Investec Super Rugby for the Melbourne Rebels in 2017, before returning to New Zealand.
He played for the Tasman Mako in that year’s Mitre 10 Cup and after a solid debut season was selected as one of 10 new caps in the M?ori All Blacks for their tour to Canada and France.
Lomax joined the Highlanders in 2018, making 15 appearances. Lomax played for Australian schoolboys in 2014 and the Australian U20 side the following year.
His father is former Kiwis rugby league prop John Lomax.
Reuben O’Neill
23-year-old Taranaki prop Reuben O’Neill has overcome injury and a diabetes diagnosis early in his career to take his rugby to the next level.
O’Neill was selected in the New Zealand Schools side in 2012 and then the Taranaki Mitre 10 Cup side in 2015 after successfully returning to rugby from a back injury. O’Neill was a member of the Taranaki side which upset Canterbury to take the Ranfurly Shield in 2017, alongside All Blacks teammate Angus Ta’avao.
He has continued to shore up the scrum so far this year and his strength and power in the front row has caught the attention of the All Blacks selectors.
Matt Proctor
A standout player for both the Hurricanes and the Wellington Lions provincial side, Matt Proctor made his Investec Super Rugby debut in 2013 and was a part of the Hurricanes side that secured their first Super Rugby title in 2016.
His Super season was cut short by injury this year but he returned to captain Wellington’s 2018 Mitre 10 Cup campaign. Proctor represented the M?ori All Blacks in ten appearances and his representative career also includes New Zealand Schools and New Zealand Under 20.
He is not the only Hurricanes player in the family, with younger brother Billy signing a five-year deal with the club this year.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Good to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
16 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
16 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
16 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
16 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
16 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
16 Go to comments