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AAP
Updated May 14, 2013,
11:03 am
Winger Frank Halai has marked his first season in top-level rugby with inclusion in an enlarged All Blacks training squad to prepare for next month's three-Test series against France.
Halai, playing in his first Super Rugby season with the Auckland-based Blues, is the top try-scorer in the tournament with eight after 13 rounds.
Halai's Blues teammates - centre Francis Saili, fullback Charles Piutau and flanker Steven Luatua - were also among 10 uncapped players named on Tuesday in All Blacks coach Steve Hansen's 38-man squad.
The others were the Hurricanes trio of halfback TJ Perenara, flanker Brad Shields and prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, plus Crusaders utility back Tom Taylor and lock Dominic Bird and Chiefs prop Ben Afeaki.
Hansen recently said he would probably need to shed some experienced players as soon as this year to begin building for the 2015 World Cup.
However, the likes of hookers Andrew Hore and Keven Mealamu, lock Ali Williams and midfield veterans Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu have all been included despite struggles with injury or form.
Hansen said the majority of the team that will play France will come from the squad, which will take part in two training camps later this month.
"The camps will give us the opportunity to prepare a foundation on which we can grow our game throughout the (test) series," Hansen said.
"As it did last year, it will also give us a small window of opportunity to introduce some young players into the ways of the All Blacks and allow both these players and All Blacks management to get to know each other a little better."
The squad includes Chiefs flanker Sam Cane, who is seen as a strong candidate to take the openside role vacated for the France series by All Blacks captain Richie McCaw. McCaw has been granted a lengthy "sabbatical" from rugby and will not return until the Tri-Nations series in August.
Crusaders flanker Matt Todd, who is also a candidate for the openside role, did not make the training squad.
Squad: Frank Halai, Steven Luatua, Keven Mealamu, Charles Piutau, Rene Ranger, Francis Saili, Piri Weepu, Ali Williams, Ben Afeaki, Sam Cane, Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Liam Messam, Brodie Retallick, Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles, Ben Franks, TJ Perenara, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Victor Vito, Dominic Bird, Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Israel Dagg, Owen Franks, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Tom Taylor, Samuel Whitelock, Hosea Gear, Andrew Hore, Ma'a Nonu, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Tony Woodcock.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...squad-call-up/