The All Blacks XV squad naming offered a key insight into which players are on All Blacks selectors’ radar at the start of this new World Cup cycle.
Plenty of names were expected, with 10 capped All Blacks picked alongside budding stars like Peter Lakai and Fabian Holland. However, the names of a number of absentees were quick to come to mind after reading through the 29-man squad.
We can expect a few of the All Blacks from the Northern Tour squad to get some minutes with the XV during their two fixtures in Ireland and France, with the likes of recent ABXV graduates Ruben Love and Billy Proctor failing to see any game time during The Rugby Championship.
Interestingly, just six of the 2023 All Blacks XV members are back in 2024, with the change in selectors and a fleet of player departures the cause for the lack of continuity.
Oli Jager, Billy Harmon, Akira Ioane, Pita Gus Sowakula, Brad Weber, Jack Goodhue and Alex Nankivell were all involved in the 2023 All Blacks XV tour to Japan and have since confirmed their playing futures to be overseas.
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson will be hoping there’s some more continuity moving forward, while there are plenty of players who will be hoping to disrupt the development squad’s selections after missing out this year.
Here are five big omissions from the 2024 All Blacks XV squad.
Ricky Riccitelli, hooker, Taranaki
It was a shock to many when the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific champion was omitted from the first All Blacks squad of the year given Samisoni Taukei’aho’s injury. The hooker missing selection in this squad was even more surprising.
Riccitelli led one of Super Rugby’s most efficient lineouts and was an energetic component of the Blues’ hard-hitting forward game that ultimately saw them dominate the competition this season.
The hooker’s form has continued too, claiming the second-most tries (eight) in this year’s NPC season.
The 29-year-old offers brutal, yet disciplined work around the breakdown and given the inclusion of 32-year-old Blues understudy Kurt Eklund, the reasoning of this omission is a head-scratcher.
Zarn Sullivan, fullback, Auckland
While the current crop of All Blacks fullback candidates offer plenty of X-factor in regards to attacking skill sets, you could argue none, outside of Beauden Barrett, provide the traditional fullback service that Sullivan does.
The 24-year-old possesses one of the biggest boots in Super Rugby Pacific and can place his clearances on a dime. Having grown up in the No. 10 jersey, Sullivan is a high-IQ game manager who can ease pressure on his first five-eighth and manage the backfield and territory game to a standard suitable for the Test arena.
Sullivan being overlooked for the All Blacks’ wider squad when the team were recently in need of fullback depth had many shocked, with the inclusion of Chay Fihaki sparking more accusations of Crusaders bias amongst the national selectors.
Working against Sullivan is some poor decision-making in regard to discipline, with the 24-year-old no stranger to a yellow card.
Timoci Tavatavanawai, winger, Tasman
The Fijian has been running rampant through NPC after his debut season with the Highlanders, beating tackles at will and proving himself to be one of, if not the best jackler in the competition while playing on the wing with some minutes at centre sprinkled in there.
The 26-year-old fits the age profile of the All Blacks XV selections and certainly brings a point of difference.
The physical winger All Blacks XV selectors opted for in Tavatavanawai’s stead is Kini Naholo, brother of former All Black Waisake. Naholo’s form for Taranaki has been lethal, beating the third most tackles this NPC with 45, although that tally is still significantly less than the competition’s most evasive player in Tavatavanawai, who beat 58 tackles this season.
Mako Man and player of the year for 2024, Timoci Tavatavanawai 🙌
No surprise with the season this man has been having!#TasmanMako #OurPassionRunsDeep #FinzUp🦈 pic.twitter.com/bQkHRmNwIB
— Tasman Mako 🦈 (@TasmanMako) October 9, 2024
Folau Fakatava, halfback, Hawke’s Bay
New Zealand is blessed with a wealth of current and burgeoning halfback talent. Two years ago you couldn’t imagine Fakatava being anywhere but competing for the black No. 9 jersey. But, as of now, he’s shaping up to be the next candidate for an allegiance switch to his nation of birth, Tonga.
At just 24 it’s one hell of a turnaround for a young player with so much rugby still ahead of him, but even with the impending departure of TJ Perenara, the talent pool is just too deep.
Fakatava earned two All Blacks caps in 2022 thanks to his ability to inject pace into a game with ball-running off the base of the ruck, providing a modern halfback service and plenty of X-factor that gave All Blacks fans hope beyond the Aaron Smith era.
Fast forward to the weekend just been and the Highlander came off the bench for Ere Enari in Hawkes Bay’s quarter-final loss to Bay of Plenty, bringing some pace to the contest but it’s not where he needs to be playing at NPC level.
The South is producing some great talent in his position, with New Zealand U20 star Dylan Pledger expected to make his way into Super Rugby shortly, applying even more pressure on Fakatava.
Brayden Iose, No. 8, Manawatu
The 26-year-old finally got his shot at a starting role in the Hurricanes in 2024 thanks to Ardie Savea’s sabbatical and instead of the club reeling from losing the reigning World Rugby Player of the Year, they thrived.
With Iose’s powerful carry game igniting a potent young Hurricanes attack, the team were dominant and even claimed the top seed in the competition heading into the playoffs.
The breakthrough season started early for Iose, with hugely impressive performances in the preseason a sign of things to come. Just weeks later the continued form was creating All Blacks selection buzz.
However, in a position as crowded with talent as the loose forwards and with real emphasis from Scott Robertson and company on defensive work rate, Iose remains on the outside looking in.
We need only look as far as the biggest omission story of the year, Hoskins Sotutu, to see how high the standards are for this next era of All Blacks rugby. B team included.
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