Rush in for Blues, Naholo to Hurricanes and teenage first-five at Crusaders

The feature of the Blues squad is the inclusion of Rob Rush.

Rob Rush.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Northland blind-side flanker Rob Rush is the son of former All Black and Sevens legend, Eric Rush.

Rush along with prop, Josh Fusitu’a and outside back, Caleb Tangitau are the only new names to the Blues squad for 2023.

Rush attended Saint Kentigern College in Auckland, living and playing in the Blues region with club stints at East Tamaki, East Coast Bays and Kaeo as well as Northland representative level teams.

Fusitu’a went to school at Auckland Grammar and came through the Blues development programme.

He came into the Blues as a replacement player in 2022, making his debut against Moana Pasifika.

Tangitau joins the squad having represented the All Blacks Sevens team in 2022.

He won a bronze medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and most recently a silver medal at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens.

Blues 2023 Squad:

Forwards:

Adrian Choat (Auckland), Sam Darry (Canterbury), Kurt Eklund (Bay of Plenty), Josh Fusitu’a (Auckland), Alex Hodgman (Auckland), Akira Ioane (Auckland), Nepo Laulala (Counties Manukau), James Lay (Auckland), Dalton Papalii (Counties Manukau), Taine Plumtree (Wellington), Marcel Renata (Auckland), Ricky Riccitelli (Taranaki), Tom Robinson (Northland), Rob Rush (Northland), Anton Segner (Tasman), Hoskins Sotutu (Counties Manukau), Cameron Suafoa (North Harbour), James Tucker (Waikato), Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland), Ofa Tuungafasi (Northland), Soane Vikena (Auckland).

Backs:

Beauden Barrett (Taranaki), Finlay Christie (Tasman), Caleb Clarke (Auckland), Corey Evans (Auckland), Taufa Funaki (Auckland), Bryce Heem (Auckland), Rieko Ioane (Auckland), AJ Lam (Auckland), Sam Nock (Northland), Stephen Perofeta (Taranaki), Harry Plummer (Auckland), Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Taranaki), Zarn Sullivan (Auckland), Caleb Tangitau (Auckland), Mark Telea (North Harbour), Tanielu Tele’a (Auckland), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Auckland)

The Chiefs

15 of the 38 player Chiefs squad have All Black experience, while there are a couple of transfer players and a couple of newcomers.

Maanaki Selby-Rickit scores a try for the Highlanders.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Damian McKenzie returns to the side after a season in Japan, while outside back Ngantunga Punivai and lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit have moved north from the Highlanders.

Counties Manukau rookie Peniasi Malimali will make his Rugby Pacific debut for the Chiefs in the new year, while Taranaki prop, Jared Proffit, secures his first full-time Super Rugby Pacific contact in 2023 off the back of his debut for the Hurricanes during the 2022 season.

2023 Chiefs squad: (province and caps for the Chiefs)

Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Bay of Plenty, 33), Kaylum Boshier (Taranaki, 13), Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty, 136), George Dyer (Waikato, 7), Samipeni Finau (Waikato, 17), Bryn Gatland (North Harbour, 23), Josh Ioane (Otago, 8), Luke Jacobson (Waikato, 48), Anton Lienert-Brown (Waikato, 98), Josh Lord (Taranaki, 15), Peniasi Malimali (Counties Manukau, 0), Damian McKenzie (Waikato, 95),

Laghlan McWhannell (Waikato, 3), Atunaisa Moli (Tasman, 53), Etene Nanai-Seturo (Counties Manukau, 28), Alex Nankivell (Tasman, 57), Emoni Narawa (Bay of Plenty, 9), Ollie Norris (Waikato, 27), Simon Parker (Waikato, 3), Rameka Poihipi (Canterbury, 13), Jared Proffit (Taranaki, 0), Ngantungane Punivai (Canterbury, 0), Cortez-Lee Ratima (Waikato, 9), Rivez Reihana (Northland, 8),

Brodie Retallick (Hawkes Bay, 114), Xavier Roe (Waikato, 16), Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty, 60), Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Bay of Plenty, 0), Bradley Slater (Taranaki, 38), Pita Gus Sowakula (Taranaki, 52), Shaun Stevenson (North Harbour, 67), Angus Ta’avao (Auckland, 61), Samisoni Taukei’aho (Waikato, 62), Tyrone Thompson (Hawkes Bay, 5), Quinn Tupaea (Waikato, 33), Tupou Vaa’i (Taranaki, 30), Brad Weber (Hawkes Bay, 109), Gideon Wrampling (Waikato, 1).

The Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have kept the core of their 2022 squad with just five new signings, with four players in line to make their Hurricanes debut in February.

Brett Cameron.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Waikato outside back Dan Sinkinson, Taranaki’s Kini Naholo and Manawatū’s Brett Cameron join the team for the first time, while Wellington up and comers, Riley Higgins and Peter Lakai sign their first professional Super Rugby contracts with the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes will have plenty of experience to call upon, with All Blacks Ardie Savea, Dane Coles, Tyrel Lomax, Asafo Aumua, Jordie Barrett and All Black XV’s TJ Perenara, Cam Roigard, Bailyn Sullivan and Ruben Love who will return to the capital following their respective tours.

The 2022 Hurricanes squad is:

Forwards:

Props

Owen Franks – Canterbury

Tyrel Lomax – Tasman

Tevita Mafileo – Bay of Plenty

Xavier Numia – Wellington

Pouri Rakete-Stones – Hawkes Bay

Pasilio Tosi – Bay of Plenty

Hookers

Asafo Aumua – Wellington

Dane Coles – Wellington

Jacob Devery – Hawke’s Bay

Locks

Dominic Bird – Wellington

James Blackwell – Wellington

Caleb Delany – Wellington

Justin Sangster – Bay of Plenty

Isaia Walker-Leawere – Hawke’s Bay

Loose Forwards

Devan Flanders – Hawkes Bay

Tekamaka Howden – Manawatū

Brayden Iose – Manawatū

Du’Plessis Kirifi – Wellington

Peter Lakai* – Wellington

Tyler Laubscher – Manawatū

Reed Prinsep – Canterbury

Ardie Savea – Wellington

Backs:

Inside Backs

Jamie Booth – North Harbour

Brett Cameron* – Manawatū

TJ Perenara – Wellington

Aidan Morgan – Wellington

Cam Roigard – Counties Manukau

Midfield

Riley Higgins* – Wellington

Billy Proctor – Wellington

Bailyn Sullivan – Waikato

Peter Umaga-Jensen – Wellington

Outside Backs

Jordie Barrett – Taranaki

Ruben Love – Wellington

Joshua Moorby – Northland

Kini Naholo* – Taranaki

Salesi Rayasi – Auckland

Julian Savea – Wellington

Dan Sinkinson* – Waikato

The Crusaders

The defending champions have some fresh faces in their squad and a returning player.

20-year-old hooker George Bell’s performances for Canterbury in the NPC impressed selectors and he’s earned a contract as has teenage first-five Taha Kemara, a Waikato local in his second year out of high school who’s plied his trade so far with Waikato in the NPC.

The 19-year-old has been on the Crusaders radar for some time.

Tasman Makos star Macca Springer has been awarded his first Super Rugby contract. The 19-year-old outside back spent some of 2022 as a development player with the Crusaders and is part of the Crusaders Academy.

Halfback Willi Heinz returns to the squad.

He last played for the Crusaders between 2010-2015.

Heinz left the Crusaders to play in England for Gloucester and the Worcester Warriors before earning a spot in the England national team in 2019 and winning 19 caps at international level – including facing the All Blacks at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Samoan international and former Blues outside back Melani Nanai has been selected after spending the last few seasons with the Worcester Warriors in the UK.

Wellington local Pepesana Patafilo joins Crusaders after making his Super Rugby debut with the Hurricanes in 2021.

The Crusaders squad is:

Props: Joe Moody, Finlay Brewis, George Bower, Oli Jager, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell.

Hookers: Codie Taylor, Brodie McAllister, George Bell. Locks: Scott Barrett, Quinten Strange, Mitchell Dunshea, Sam Whitelock, Zach Gallacher. Loose forwards: Ethan Blackadder, Christian Lio-Willie, Tom Christie, Sione Havili, Cullen Grace, Corey Kellow, Dominic Gardiner. Halfbacks: Mitchell Drummond, Willi Heinz, Noah Hotham, Richie Mo’unga, Fergus Burke, Taha Kemara. Midfielders: Dallas McLeod, David Havili, Braydon Ennor, Jack Goodhue. Outside backs: Leicester Fainga’anuku, Pepesana Patafilo, Macca Springer, Sevu Reece, Melani Nanai, Chay Fihaki, Will Jordan.