All Blacks coaches and selectors Ian Foster, Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt have selected their 33-man squad to compete at the Rugby World Cup 2023. 

Iconic All Black captain and two-time World Cup winner Richie McCaw unveiled the squad in Napier in front of 2,000 fans. 

The All Blacks will get their campaign underway  in Paris on Sept. 8 against host France, in what will be a barn-burning affair.

Once again leading the squad will be backrow Sam Cane, who will be supported by several experienced operators, most notably secondrow Sam Whitelock, who will appear at his fourth World Cup. 

Speaking about the squad he selected, head coach Foster said: “It’s a great privilege to both select and be selected for an All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad.

“We congratulate those 33 players selected. This group has grown in belief and is highly motivated to represent our country with pride in France as we seek to be the first nation to win the Rugby World Cup four times. 

“This year’s Rugby World Cup promises to be the most competitive yet, and the pool draw means we have to be ready right from the outset. We have worked hard through the first part of our season and have made some strong progress through the Rugby Championship and the Bledisloe series. There is more growth to come, and more is needed. 

“This is a vastly experienced team, but with over half the players going to their first RWC, it has a strong balance of youth and future planning. 

“The challenge is to continue our growth through the game in London against South Africa into our camp in Germany, before arriving in Lyon with a clear focus on performance in each of our pool games." 

The All Blacks will stage their pre-Rugby World Cup preparations in Napier over a three-day camp. The region was hit hard by cyclone Gabrielle, and the entire squad will be out in the community helping rescue the damaged Tangoio Marae, while also hosting a public training session. 

The squad features provincial representation from 13 of New Zealand's Bunnings Warehouse NPC provinces, and all New Zealand's five DHL Super Rugby clubs are represented. 

“The support we have had for our games to date has been fantastic, and we are greatly appreciative of it. By naming this team in Napier and spending three days there in the community, we simply want to acknowledge the tremendous adversity the communities of the East Coast have endured recently. We have felt helpless from afar and hope this small symbol of our support will assist in some small way,” added Foster.

The squad in full includes 18 forwards and 15 backs. 

Forwards

Hookers
Dane Coles (36, Hurricanes / Wellington, 86)
Samisoni Taukei’aho (25, Chiefs / Waikato, 24)
Codie Taylor (32, Crusaders / Canterbury, 79) 

Props
Ethan de Groot (25, Highlanders / Southland, 16)
Tyrel Lomax (27, Hurricanes / Tasman, 26)
Nepo Laulala  (31, Blues / Counties Manukau, 49)
Fletcher Newell (23, Crusaders / Canterbury, 7)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (31, Blues / Northland, 53)
Tamaiti Williams (22, Crusaders / Canterbury, 2) 

Locks
Scott Barrett (29, Crusaders / Taranaki, 61)
Brodie Retallick (32, Chiefs / Hawke's Bay, 103)
Tupou Vaa’i (23, Chiefs / Taranaki, 21)
Samuel Whitelock (34, Crusaders / Canterbury, 145) 

Loose forwards
Sam Cane (31, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 89) – Captain
Shannon Frizell (29, Highlanders / Tasman, 28)
Luke Jacobson (26, Chiefs / Waikato, 14)
Dalton Papali’i (25, Blues / Counties Manukau, 25)
Ardie Savea (29, Hurricanes / Wellington, 74) 

Backs

Halfbacks 
Finlay Christie (27, Blues / Tasman, 17)
Cam Roigard (22, Hurricanes / Counties Manukau, 1)
Aaron Smith (34, Highlanders / Manawatū, 118) 

First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (32, Blues / Taranaki, 115)
Damian McKenzie (28, Chiefs / Waikato, 42)
Richie Mo'unga (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 48) 

Midfielders
Jordie Barrett (26, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 51)
David Havili (28, Crusaders / Tasman, 25)
Rieko Ioane (26, Blues / Auckland, 62)
Anton Lienert-Brown (28, Chiefs / Waikato, 62) 

Outside backs
Caleb Clarke (24, Blues / Auckland, 18)
Leicester Fainga’anuku (23, Crusaders / Tasman, 3)
Will Jordan (25, Crusaders / Tasman, 24)
Emoni Narawa (24, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 1)
Mark Telea (26, Blues / North Harbour, 4)