SBW IS BACK

kucingTomey · Post time 18-3-2015 05:18 PM

Sonny Bill Williams has made a swift return to the All Blacks, named in Steve Hansen's squad for November's Northern Tour.

Williams was rushed straight back into the world champions' season-ending tour squad but coach Steve Hansen is anxious that expectations of the 29-year-old dual international are tempered.

The All Blacks starting second five-eighth for the first five Tests of 2012 before leaving for Japanese club rugby and a two-year stint in the NRL, Williams must prove himself again if he is to reach that status, Hansen said.

"At this stage I wouldn't anticipate we'd want him to play 80 minutes in his first match,

"We want to get him back into playing rugby, get him back into understanding what we're trying to do. To limit the number of positions he has to learn at this point would be sensible."

Loose forward Victor Vito returns to the side and lock Luke Romano has been named as the 34th player, after returning from a five-month injury layoff.

Dan Carter's return sees Colin Slade – who kicked the game-winning points in the All Blacks 29-28 win over the Wallabies at the weekend – dropped from the squad.

Hansen said the depth in the squad was a testament to the good players who missed out.

"It was a very hard team to select, more because of the depth we have, rather than people not being good enough to make it."

Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Ma’a Nonu and Tony Woodcock were unavailable for selection due to injuries.

The positional split sees 19 forwards and 15 backs make up the squad.

All Blacks squad:

Forwards: Dane Coles, Nathan Harris, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Jeremy Thrush, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samuel Whitelock, Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (C), Liam Messam, Kieran Read, Victor Vito.

Backs: TJ Perenara, Augustine Pulu, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Daniel Carter, Aaron Cruden, Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Charles Piutau, Julian Savea, Ben Smith