Hurricanes wing Fehi Fineanganofo and flyhalf Ruben Love have been rewarded for their incredible Super Rugby Pacific seasons, named in Dave Rennie's first All Blacks squad for the upcoming Nations Championship.
The record-breaking winger scored 17 tries for the Hurricanes in 2026 breaking the all-time season record before he was joined by teammate and fellow squad member Josh Moorby both scoring their 17th tries in the side's history-making 60-5 Grand Final win over the Chiefs in Wellington on Saturday night.
The winger earlier this year signed with Newcastle in the Premiership with little known whether New Zealand Rugby has helped the 23-year-old negotiate his long-term availability for the remainder of the international season.
The 34-player squad featured four rookies Fineanganofo, Moorby, Xavier Numia and Anton Segner, while Rennie has also named his permanent captain in Ardie Savea.
The Hurricanes were clearly rewarded for their incredible season with 11 players named in the squad including Love, who will challenge veteran flyhalf Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie, who he out-played in his two-try performance on Saturday night.
Hurricanes loose-head prop Numia was integral to their journey to claiming their first title in a decade, while Blues loose forward Segner is set to become the first German-born All Black.
Segner's inclusion has come at the expense of Du'Plessi Kirfifi another Hurricanes stand-out in one of the squad's biggest surprise omissions given his immense Super campaign.
Meanwhile, Rennie's choice of captain came as little surprise off the back of Savea's season leading the Kobe Steelers to the Japanese league title under Rennie.
Lock Scott Barrett (back), who captained the All Blacks during Scott Robertson's two-year tenure, prop Tamaiti Williams (back infection), lock Fabian Holland (shoulder), and utility Leicester Fainga'anuku (leg and ankle) were unavailable for selection.
Crusaders fullback Will Jordan has been included despite suffering a second calf injury in May, while Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa'i has also been named despite suffering a concussion in his side's embarrassing loss over the weekend.
Savea has been joined by Kobe teammate Anton Lienert-Brown, while Rieko Ioane has failed to earn selection, alongside Crusaders halfback Noah Hotham, who was tipped to deputise for Hurricanes' Cam Roigard. Rennie has instead looked to Cortez Ratima and Kyle Preston.
Preston played one Test for the All Blacks last year and was impressive for the Crusaders during his 11 appearances off the bench.
ALL BLACKS SQUAD
Forwards: Asafo Aumua, Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Ethan de Groot, George Bower, Xavier Numia*, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi, Tupou Vaa'i, Patrick Tuipulotu, Josh Lord, Sam Darry, Peter Lakai, Simon Parker, Ardie Savea (captain), Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson, Anton Segner*
Backs: Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima, Kyle Preston, Ruben Love, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Billy Proctor, Anton Lienert-Brown, Caleb Clarke, Fehi Fineanganofo*, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby*, Will Jordan Injury cover: Jamie Hannah*
Unavailable due to injury: Tamaiti Williams, Scott Barrett, Fabian Holland, Leicester Fainga'anuku