Clay Wilson: ZB sports news director on Scott Robertson's picks for the first All Blacks squad of 2025

The first All Blacks squad of the year includes five uncapped players.

Highlanders utility Timoci Tavatavanawai is the only new back - while Hurricanes flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi, Highlanders lock Fabian Holland and Chiefs front-rowers Ollie Norris and Brodie McAlister are the quartet of forwards named for next month's home series against France.

ZB sports news director Clay Wilson joined the Afternoons team to discuss.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk sed be
follow this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Clay Wilson Sports News Director Orzin Studio. But first we
are going to go to rugby editor Elliott Smith for
the first All Black squad of twenty twenty five.

Speaker 3 (00:25):
Get a Elliott afternoon, guys.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
So you're at the Coastal Rugby Club in Tartanaki. What
are the notable ins and outs for the All Blacks team?

Speaker 3 (00:33):
Well, notable inns five new caps, Matt Brody, McAllister from
the chiefsas fellow Chiefs front rower Ollie Norris also in
the mix. So I don't think many would have picked
McAllister to make the carts. Certainly others had Olie Norris.
And there is Lucid prop Cover, so he's been elevated
and named for the first time. The Highlanders have got
a couple of new players, so they go from having

(00:54):
one All Black to three, joining Ethan Degrut who's been
obviously a mainstad of the All Blacks for a number
of years, as to Marty tav Tava Nahway and the
tall Timber and the second row Fabian Hollands comes in
for the first time as well, and the other new
capc player is Hurricanes flank Are Duplessi Kadifi called in
for the first time as well. He's been around the

(01:15):
All Black mets before and twenty twenty it was called
in as injury cover, but now included for the first time.
So five new Caps in this All Black side to
play France first Test next Saturday night. As always, as
you mentioned, there are some notable omissions eating Blackhead and
went close. He's been around the All Blacks before, and
also Dalton Papalii who's been in this All Blacks full

(01:35):
pack for a number of seasons now and was probably
the heir apparent to Sam Kine. He has been left
out of the squad and the other one just two
days after lifting the Super Rugby title Crusader's captain David
Harveli no room for him. Thirty three players named today.
They could have taken thirty five but have chosen to
only go with thirty three. Couple of injury replacements in
the mix as well, but that's the All Black squad

(01:57):
that has been named to take on France.

Speaker 2 (01:59):
Yep, some big calls, that's for sure, Elliott. Thank you
very much. That is Elliott Smith, our Rugby It editor,
live from Coastal Rugby Club in Tatannak. With that All
Blacks naming, we're now chatting with Clay Wilson, our Sports
news to ret to get a Clay afternoon chaps. So
what are the big surprises there for you?

Speaker 4 (02:16):
Wow? I mean Elliott mentioned there David Harvilli and Ethan
blackead a fresh off a Super Rugby title.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
And you'd have thought they'd have been favorites.

Speaker 4 (02:23):
And not only fresh off a Super Rugby title, but
players that have been in the All Blacks before have
a lot of experience. Obviously Ethan blackheaded while both really
have struggled with injury issues in the last two or
three years, but both been in pretty good form towards
the back end of the Super Rugby season. So I
mean that this is the hard thing. You're always going
to have our players miss out. And Dalton Papa Li,
I mean just a couple of years ago was Blues captain.

(02:44):
Now we can't make the cat. But of course loose
forward's always such a position of strength in any All
Black squad.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
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