Six uncapped players in All Blacks squad for Ireland Test series

Former rugby league international Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was on Monday named among six uncapped players in the New Zealand squad to prepare for next month's three-Test series against Ireland.

A 36-man squad sees captain Sam Cane among several All Blacks veterans retained, despite their places being at risk after coach Ian Foster's team ended 2021 with emphatic losses to Ireland and France on their northern hemisphere tour.

With the 2023 World Cup in France just 15 months away, the most notable omission was 78-Test scrumhalf TJ Perenara, replaced by the uncapped Folau Fakatava of the Highlanders.

Tongan-born Fakatava was declared eligible for the All Blacks only in May by World Rugby, after New Zealand Rugby challenged a technicality related to his eligibility.

The other uncapped players are backs Tuivasa-Sheck, Leicester Fainga'anuku and Stephen Perofeta, along with forwards Aidan Ross and Pita Gus Sowakula.

Tuivasa-Sheck, 29, is a former schoolboy rugby standout, who has shone in Australia's National Rugby League for the last decade, being crowned its best player in 2018.

He was fullback and captain of New Zealand's rugby league team, playing 20 Tests, before returning to rugby union in New Zealand last year.

The bulk of the squad, 22 players, are provided by the Blues and the Crusaders who will contest the Super Rugby Pacific final on Saturday.

'Massive expectations'

Three experienced Test candidates are unavailable because of injury - prop Joe Moody, flanker Ethan Blackadder and centre Anton Lienert-Brown.

Japan-based pair Damian McKenzie and lock Patrick Tuipulotu were ineligible as neither had been involved in Super Rugby, but both could come into contention for the Rugby Championship beginning in August.

Other notable omissions are backs George Bridge and Brad Weber, and forward Luke Jacobson.

Ireland outclassed the All Blacks 29-20 in Dublin in November and have won three of their last five meetings, although they have never won a Test in New Zealand in 12 attempts.

"This will be the biggest home series since the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour for the All Blacks," said Foster.

"There are massive expectations all round and it will be immensely competitive."

The first Test against Ireland is at Eden Park, Auckland, on 2 July with the second in Dunedin a week later before the series concludes in Wellington on 16 July.