All Blacks name squad for Autumn Internationals

New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has named a strong looking squad for his sides tour of Japan and the Northern Hemisphere for the November rugby internationals.

Richie McCaw will lead a 36-man squad which will play France, Ireland and England, and 27 of them will first go to Tokyo to play Japan.

Three of the uncapped players are supplied by the Crusaders - prop Joe Moody, lock Dominic Bird and flanker Luke Whitelock, brother of Sam, who is also in the squad.

The world champions completed a clean sweep in the Bledisloe Cup on Saturday when they beat Australia 41-33, a match in which Hansen found plenty of room for improvement.

"I don't think we've got any right to go around thumping our chests saying that we're unbeatable," Hansen said.

"It doesn't matter how well you play, you're always striving to play better."

The All Blacks play Japan on November 2, followed by Tests on successive weekends against France, England and Ireland. A group of 27 players, to be named after the camp, will head to Tokyo to prepare for the opening Test, while the nine others will travel to Paris.

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NEW ZEALAND SQUAD

FORWARDS: Dane Coles, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Tony Woodcock, Dominic Bird, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Steven Luatua, Richie McCaw (captain), Liam Messam, Kieran Read, Luke Whitelock.

BACKS: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden, Tom Taylor, Ryan Crotty, Ma'a Nonu, Francis Saili, Israel Dagg, Frank Halai, Cory Jane, Charles Piutau, Julian Savea, Ben Smith.


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