All Blacks squad names Leicester Fainga'anuku as a loose forward for UK tour

Leicester Fainga'anuku has played all 12 of his Tests for New Zealand as a back, on the wing or at centre, but Dave Rennie has named him as a loose forward for the All Blacks' Nations Championship tour. The move follows a Super Rugby Pacific season in which Fainga'anuku played flank for the Crusaders.

He is one of 36 players in the New Zealand squad that will face Scotland, Wales and England in successive weekends. Hooker Codie Taylor, 35, who has 114 Test caps, will lead the side.

New Zealand go into the tour unbeaten in the Nations Championship, having beaten France, Italy and Ireland at home in July. The results from the three Tests in the United Kingdom will count towards the standings ahead of Finals Weekend in London, which runs from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November.

"Playing Scotland, Wales and England on consecutive weekends is a tough assignment," Rennie said.

Two uncapped players and a return for the injured

Prop Saula Ma'u and flyhalf Josh Jacomb are the only players in the squad without a Test cap. Ma'u is in an All Blacks squad for the first time, as are wing Chay Fihaki and lock Jamie Hannah; all three had previously been called up as injury cover. Fihaki has since made his Test debut against the Wallabies and keeps his place, while Hannah, who has one Test to his name, is back for the first time this year. So is back-rower Christian Lio-Willie, who joins Fainga'anuku among the loose forwards.

Eight players come back from injury: Jordie Barrett, Richie Mo'unga, Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea, Ethan Blackadder, Anton Segner, Asafo Aumua and Fehi Fineanganofo.

"We're also rapt to have eight players who have played a lot of footy for us this year return from injury," Rennie said.

The injury list is still long, though. Ardie Savea, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Shannon Frizell, Tyrel Lomax, Leroy Carter, Ruben Love, Luke Jacobson, Caleb Clarke and Ollie Norris are all injured, and Simon Parker is unavailable for personal reasons.

The tour schedule

The squad gathers in Auckland and leaves for the United Kingdom on Thursday 29 October. The tour opens against Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh at 3:10am New Zealand time on Sunday 8 November, which is Saturday 7 November in South Africa. Wales follow at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff at 3:10am New Zealand time on Sunday 15 November, and the tour ends against England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, at 3:10am New Zealand time on Sunday 22 November.