New Zealand's players acknowledges their supporters at the end the Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria. Photo / AP
New Zealand's players acknowledges their supporters at the end the Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria. Photo / AP
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has revealed plans for the end of year northern tour, including taking a whopping group of 51 players to Japan.
The All Blacks will face Australia in Yokohama for the third Bledisloe Cup fixture at the end of October, before playing Japan in Tokyo onNovember 3rd. Then the New Zealand squad heads to London for the first of their three matches against England, Ireland and Italy.
"We'll take 32 players to Europe, and we'll take 32 initially to Japan, then an extra 19 players will come over for the Japan week," Hansen said.
That will allow around 22 players to fly to London early to prepare for the clash at Twickenham the following week.
Trainer Nic Gill will travel with the majority of the front-line squad to London on the Thursday. Hansen and the management group will remain for the one-off test in Tokyo on November 3 before joining the core squad in London.
The All Blacks ran similar split squads last year. Expanding the net to fringe players once again will grow depth while giving the All Blacks more time to settle in England and plot how to take down Eddie Jones' men.
