Rugby Championship : Barrett Shines as All Blacks Form XV Excludes Notable Stars

Former All Blacks James Parsons, Jeff Wilson, and Stephen Donald unveil their 'form XV' for the inaugural Nations Championship, highlighting current top performers. Notable omissions include Ardie Savea and Scott Barrett, relegated to the bench.

In the backs, Billy Proctor stands out at 13, with Caleb Clarke and Caleb Tangitau on the wings. Jordie Barrett excels at 12, showing remarkable form, while Beauden Barrett leads at 10. Cam Roigard locks in at scrum-half.

The forward pack features Luke Jacobson at flanker, backed by Christian Lio-Willie and Devan Flanders. Tamaiti Williams anchors the front row at tighthead, with Samisoni Taukei’aho as hooker. Fletcher Newell and Tupou Vaa’i round out the front five.

Parsons emphasizes the talent pool, noting the competitive nature of selections. The bench includes Leicester Fainga’anuku and Finlay Christie, marking a deep New Zealand squad ready for action.