As Super Rugby franchises announce their squads for 2023, 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. First-fives: 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.