The five New Zealand Super rugby teams have named their playing squads for the 2019 Super rugby season which begins in February next year.
The Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders and Hurricanes have all named playing squad that are 38-strong.
There are seven sets of brothers across the five squads and 33 players who have been named to play their first season of Super rugby.
There are seven sets of siblings – the Barretts, Beauden and Jordie (Hurricanes), and Scott (Crusaders); Rieko and Akira Ioane (Blues), Anton (Chiefs) and Daniel (Highlanders) Lienert-Brown; Damian and Marty McKenzie (Chiefs), Sam (Crusaders) and Luke (Highlanders) Whitelock, and twins Jack (Crusaders) and Josh (Blues) Goodhue were listed in the super siblings club in 2018 and this year they are joined by Matt and Billy Proctor (Chiefs).
Twenty one players have come from the U20 development programme which shows that New Zealand have a strong and steady line of emerging talent coming through.
The new players to Super rugby in 2019 are as follows.
Blues: Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Jacob Pierce, Tom Robinson, Marcel Renata, Hoskins Sotutu, Harry Plummer, Tanielu Tele’a
Chiefs: Reuben O’Neill, Pita Gus Sowakula, Laghlan McWhannell, Jack Debreczeni, Tumua Manu, Bailyn Sullivan, Etene Nanai-Seturo
Crusaders: Whetu Douglas, Leicester Faingaanuku, Harrison Allan, Brett Cameron, Ngane Punavai
Highlanders: Ayden Johnstone, Sef Fa’agase, Marino Mikaele Tu’u, Josh Iosefa Scott, Ray Niuia, Jack Whetton, Folau Fakatava
Hurricanes: Fraser Armstrong, Liam Mitchell, Du Plessis Kirifi, Richard Judd, Billy Proctor, Salesi Rayasi
There are also some former Super rugby stars returning to the tournament such as Ma’a Nonu (Blues), James Marshall (Hurricanes), Marty Banks (Highlanders), and Whetu Douglas (Crusaders).
Nonu is 36 which makes him the oldest of the 190 contracted players while Highlander Folau Fakatava is the youngest and will be 18 on 19 December.
Newly contracted players will attend a two-day induction at New Zealand Rugby, before reporting for duty with their new clubs on November 29.
The New Zealand 2019 Super rugby squads are as follows.
Blues 2019 Super Rugby squad
Props: Alex Hodgman, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Sione Mafileo, Marcel Renata, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Hookers: Leni Apisai, Matt Moulds, James Parsons
Locks: Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Josh Goodhue, Jacob Pierce, Scott Scrafton, Patrick Tuipulotu
Loose forwards: Jed Brown, Blake Gibson, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papalii, Tom Robinson, Hoskins Sotutu, Jimmy Tupou
Scrumhalves: Sam Nock, Augustine Pulu, Jonathan Ruru
Flyhalves: Otere Black, Stephen Perofeta, Harry Plummer
Centres: Levi Aumua, TJ Faiane, Ma’a Nonu, Tanielu Tele’a, Sonny Bill Williams
Outside Backs: Caleb Clarke, Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, Rieko Ioane, Melani Nanai, Jordan Trainor
Chiefs 2019 Super Rugby squad
Props: Kane Hames, Aidan Ross, Reuben O’Neill, Nepo Laulala, Atu Moli, Sosefo Kautai, Angus Ta’avao
Hookers: Nathan Harris Liam Polwart, Samisoni Taukei’aho
Locks: Brodie Retallick, Tyler Ardron, Laghlan McWhannell, Michael Allardice, Fin Hoeata
Loose forwards: Mitchell Brown, Taleni Seu, Sam Cane, Mitchell Karpik, Lachlan Boshier, Luke Jacobson, Pita Gus Sowakula
Scrumhalves: Brad Weber, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Jonathan Taumateine
Flyhalves: Damian McKenzie, Tiaan Falcon, Jack Debreczeni
Centres: Alex Nankivell, Anton Lienert-Brown, Tumua Manu, Bailyn Sullivan
Outside backs: Solomon Alaimalo, Sean Wainui, Ataata Moeakiola, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Shaun Stevenson, Marty McKenzie
Crusaders 2019 Super Rugby squad
Props: Michael Alaalatoa, Harry Allan, Owen Franks, Oliver Jager, Joe Moody, Tim Perry
Hookers: Ben Funnell, Andrew Makalio, Codie Taylor
Locks: Scott Barrett, Quinten Strange, Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock
Loose forwards: Ethan Blackadder, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Mitchell Dunshea, Billy Harmon, Kieran Read, Tom Sanders, Jordan Taufua, Matt Todd
Scrumhalves: Mitchell Drummond, Ereatara Enari, Bryn Hall
Flyhalves: Brett Cameron, Mitchell Hunt, Richie Mo’unga
Centres: Tim Bateman, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Ngane Punivai
Outside backs: George Bridge, Israel Dagg, David Havili, Braydon Ennor, Leicester Faingaanuku, Will Jordan, Manasa Mataele
Highlanders 2019 Super Rugby squad
Hookers: Liam Coltman, Ash Dixon, Ray Niuia
Props: Daniel Lienert-Brown, Josh Iosefa-Scott, Ayden Johnstone, Siate Tokolahi, Tyrel Lomax, Sef Fa’agase
Locks: Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Paripari Parkinson, Josh Dickson, Jack Whetton
Loose forwards: Luke Whitelock, Liam Squire, James Lentjes, Dillon Hunt, Marino Mikaele Tu’u, Shannon Frizell, Elliot Dixon
Scrumhalves: Aaron Smith, Kayne Hammington, Folau Fakatava
Flyhalves: Bryn Gatland, Josh Ioane, Marty Banks
Centres: Rob Thompson, Patelesio Tomkinson, Teihorangi Walden, Richard Buckman, Matt Faddes, Thomas Umaga-Jensen
Outside Backs: Waisake Naholo, Tevita Li, Tevita Nabura , Josh McKay, Ben Smith
Hurricanes 2019 Super Rugby squad
Hookers: Asafo Aumua, Dane Coles, Ricky Riccitelli
Props: Fraser Armstrong, Chris Eves, Alex Fidow, Ben May, Toby Smith, Jeff To’omaga-Allen
Locks: James Blackwell, Geoff Cridge, Sam Lousi, Liam Mitchell, Isaia Walker-Leawere
Loose forwards: Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Gareth Evans, Vaea Fifita, Sam Henwood, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Reed Prinsep, Ardie Savea
Scrumhalves: Finlay Christie, Richard Judd, TJ Perenara
Flyhalves: Beauden Barrett, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Fletcher Smith
Centres: Vince Aso, Wes Goosen, Ngani Laumape, Billy Proctor, Matt Proctor
Outside backs: Jordie Barrett, Ben Lam, Jonah Lowe, Nehe Milner-Skudder, James Marshall, Salesi Rayasi
