Jarrad Hoeata joins All Blacks squad

Jarrad Hoeata of the Highlanders has been rewarded for a stellar Super RUgby season. Photo: Getty Images

Duncan Johnstone

July 10, 2011

Highlanders lock Jarrad Hoeata is the newcomer in the All Blacks squad named for the Tri Nations.

The squad, which will be captained by All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, is made up of 16 forwards and 14 backs and packs huge experience with 1028 test caps between them.

Hoeata, started every match for the Highlanders this year in his outstanding second Super Rugby season.

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The 27-year-old, who was born in Tauranga, made his provincial debut in 2006, played for the New Zealand Sevens team the same year and also featured strongly for New Zealand Maori last year.

All Blacks Coach Graham Henry said: "We are excited to be naming this first squad of the year in what is undoubtedly a huge year not only for the All Blacks but the country as a whole."

Henry also offered his congratulations to Hoeata.

"He is the only new All Black selected so this will be a very special moment for him. He thoroughly deserves his selection and we congratulate him."

Four players named in the Tri Nations squad are recovering from injuries - Tony Woodcock (foot), Isaia Toeava (hip), Hosea Gear (hamstring) and Israel Dagg (thigh muscle) - so the All Blacks selectors have also announced that four players will assemble with the squad as injury cover: Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett, Hurricanes winger Cory Jane, Chiefs winger Sitiveni Sivivatu and Highlanders winger Ben Smith.

Henry said they were confident that the rehabilitation plans in place for the four injured players would see them play some part in the Tri Nations.

"They are all making good progress on their individual rehab plans and will play some ITM Cup games before returning to test match rugby."

The squad also sees the return of a number of players to the All Blacks, most notably 61-test Blues and All Blacks lock Ali Williams who made his rugby comeback this year after two years out of the game with Achilles and shoulder injuries.

Corey Flynn, Richard Kahui and Piri Weepu also return to the All Blacks after injury ruled them out of contention for last year's Grand Slam tour to the northern hemisphere.

Colin Slade got the job of backing up Dan Carter, heading off Aaron Cruden despite his thin diet of rugby this year because of two broken jaws.

Notable absentees include Joe Rokocoko, Neemia Tialata, Luke McAlister, Hikawera Elliot, Alby Mathewson, Victor Vito and Tom Donnelly.

Crusaders wing Zac Guildford has received a recall on the back of a busy Super Rugby campaign.

One player, Blues and North Harbour lock Anthony Boric was not considered due to the foot injury, suffered in the Blues' Super Rugby Finals Series qualifying match against the Waratahs last month.

"Our first test against Fiji in Dunedin will be an important first step in our season, plus there's extra significance because we are playing for the people of Canterbury. The thoughts of the team are still with the folk of Canterbury as they try to rebuild their lives so we hope we see as many fans as possible at Carisbrook for this fundraising match," Henry added.

"The Tri Nations also remains an important competition for the team this year. We are proud of the record we have achieved over the years and the fact that we have held the Bledisloe Cup since 2003 and it is crucial as we look to build towards the Rugby World Cup."

The All Blacks will continue their preparations with a two-day camp in Auckland next week (Thursday and Friday). The team will then assemble in Dunedin on Monday July 18 to prepare for the Test against Fiji at Carisbrook on Friday 22 July.

The All Blacks kick off their Tri Nations campaign the following weekend on Saturday 30 July against South Africa at Westpac Stadium, Wellington.

Squad:

BACKS: Mils Muliaina, Hosea Gear, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Ma'a Nonu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Andy Ellis, Piri Weepu, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford, Isaia Toeava, Colin Slade.

FORWARDS: Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Adam Thomson, Liam Messam, Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Sam Whitelock, Jarrad Hoeata, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, John Afoa, Corey Flynn, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock

All Blacks hammer Scotland

 

RICHARD KNOWLER IN EDINBURGH - Stuff

Last updated 07:04 14/11/2010

Highlights of the All Blacks' win over Scotland at Murrayfield.

All Blacks v Scotland

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PETER MEECHAM/Fairfax Media Zoom

All Blacks perform the haka before the match against Scotland.

  More than a century of misery against the All Blacks continued for Scotland this morning after they were pounded 49-3 at Murrayfield.

Never did the New Zealanders' 105-year unbeaten streak look in doubt, with the tourists racing in seven tries against a Scottish side that was unable to match their precision, pace and, at times, sheer audacity on attack.
For skipper Richie McCaw and Mils Muliaina it was a fine way to mark their 92^nd test appearances, which saw them match Sean Fitzpatrick's milestone, and will certainly be broken within the next two weeks as the All Blacks prepare to complete another grand slam with matches against Ireland and Wales.
The best indicator as to just how much of an easy night this was for the All Blacks coaches' hearts was when they tugged openside flanker McCaw off the field with more than 20 minutes remaining, replacing him with Daniel Braid, to place him on ice as they looked ahead to Dublin and Cardiff.
For the Scots, who looked to still be searching for their combinations and rhythm after not playing together since June, this was just too big of an ask to expect them to create history.
Rarely did they look like scoring as the All Blacks defence proved impregnable and to darken their mood there was the worrying sight of Max Evans being wheeled off the field on a buggy after injuring his neck in a tackle on No 8 Kieran Read.
A pair of tries in the opening 12 minutes immediately had Scotland backpedalling, with Hosea Gear and Dan Carter racing over and seven minutes later Mils Muliaina added to their misery when he collected the third five-pointer.
Of the three, it was difficult not to be most impressed by Gear's effort; a pearler from a scrum inside the Scottish quarter, he hared off his left wing to pluck a juicy Sonny Bill Williams delivery out of mid-air and left the mesmerised defenders staring at each other with confused looks on their faces.
Gear had to work harder for the All Blacks' fourth try, although even he would have been surprised at the way the passive Scottish tacklers happily waved him through after he changed his angle and chopped infield unchallenged.
Four converted tries inside the first half hour and the match was over.
It was little wonder Scotland coach Andy Robinson was spotted out of his seat and leaning against a wall, looking as if he had just learned his superannuation fund had been plundered.
Granted, the All Blacks' dedication to eradicating the errors that had blotted their second half performance against England the previous weekend had paid dividends, but the Scotland defence was sadly lacking in desire.
From the opening whistle the New Zealanders signalled their attacking intent as they several times unleashed the ball towards Isaia Toeava's right wing in a bid to perforate the stretched Scotland defensive line.
One decent break by Toeava preceded a sweeping attack and it was Williams who gave him the vital space down a narrow channel near the touchline as he somehow flipped out a pass to the wing.
Prior to this match Williams expressed an eagerness to get more involved; having worn the No 13 jersey against England last weekend at Twickenham, the former rugby league star looked more comfortable at the familiar second five-eighth operating inside centre Conrad Smith.
The 25-year-old wowed the 56,807-strong crowd with his sheer audacity as he repeatedly untangled his long arms, and with hands the size of buckets, squeezed the ball out to his support runners.
Muliaina was another benefactor of the Williams magic as he crossed over for the penultimate try and Smith could also give the big nod of approval after he was involved in the movement that led to his five-pointer too.
All Blacks 49 (Hosea Gear 2, Mils Muliaina 2, Dan Carter, Conrad Smith, Andy Ellis tries; Carter 5 conv, Stephen Donald 2 conv)
Scotland 3 (Dan Parks pen).
Halftime: 28-3.

All Blacks squeak past England

RICHARD KNOWLER AT TWICKENHAM - Fairfax Media

Last updated 05:40 07/11/2010

Maybe Mike Ford will keep his clam shut the next time he sees the All Blacks riding over the horizon.

Having beaten England 26-16 in London this morning, the New Zealanders gave Ford a couple of reasons to reconsider why test rugby does have the right to be entertaining.

In the build-up to this match England defensive coach Ford let his mouth start gabbling before his brain had any chance to register what he was on about, as he stated the international stage was all about defensive resolve rather than piling on a mountain of points on the scoreboard.

Ironically, England did their share of attacking as they looked to spread the ball wide from the get-go and then dominated the final quarter; they threw wave after wave of offensive movements at the All Blacks, whose scrambling defence was forced to call on all their experience and trust in each other to deny their opponents a win.

All three tries were scored by New Zealanders, with left wing Hosea Gear and No 8 Kieran Read crossing over for the All Blacks in the first half and Kiwi ex-pat replacement hooker Dylan Hartley barging over for England in the second spell.

A rough diamond, no doubt, Hartley - who has form with the judiciary for such nasty acts as eye-gouging and has spent his time with sports shrinks trying to discover ways to dampen his fiery temper - could not resist unleashing a cheap shot at Richie McCaw in the second half when he aimed at his head with his shoulder.

That incident caused an angered Brad Thorn to knock the rake off his feet with a shoulder shove and then things got testy; handbags were swung and teeth were bared.

Maybe the judiciary will have more to say about Hartley's actions, but the television match official, Guilio de Santis, was not so bothered by him scoring his five-pointer with what appeared suspiciously to be a double-movement.

If All Blacks fans thought their side's conditioning would allow them to run amok in the final quarter they were to be disappointed.

Instead it was the Poms that did all the talk with the ball in hand and when Jerome Kaino was shown a yellow card inside the final 10 minutes they just kept on coming and several times replacement wing Isaia Toeava was forced to pull off some desperate tackles.

Toeava's effort on a flying Shontayne Hape - another Kiwi no less - could have been a potential match-saver.

Leading 26-16, the desperate All Blacks were fiercely defending their line when former Kiwis rugby league international Hape appeared to have found space down the touch to score.

However, Toeava managed to charge into him and the TMO was forced to admit Hape had knocked the ball on over the line.

As they look back on this result, the All Blacks, over a few quiet, reflective beers post-match, may have admitted they got too slack after leading 17-3 at halftime.

Indeed, it appeared as if the win would come easily when they habitually found wide open spaces in the English defensive line and it was a classic offload by debutant Sonny Bill Williams, followed by a lobbed pass from Mils Muliaina that saw Gear score.