All Blacks in an 'unusual space' ahead of World Cup

SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks head coach Ian Foster is confident he has the players to win the Rugby Championship and the World Cup this year.

Foster unveiled a 36-man squad for the upcoming Rugby Championship with some new faces and some big omissions.

The five uncapped players are Chiefs wing Emoni Narawa, Crusaders centre Dallas McLeod, Hurricanes scrumhalf Cameron Roigard, Chiefs flank Samipeni Finau and Crusaders prop Tamaiti Williams.

Among the more notable omissions are established All Blacks Jack Goodhue, Brad Weber, Akira Ioane and Asafo Aumua, who have been named in an All Blacks XV squad to play two matches in Japan in July.

When asked about his goals for the Rugby Championship and the World Cup, Foster made it clear that he wants to achieve the double this year.

"We want to do both,” Foster told NZ media.

"I think since 2011 we haven’t won the Rugby Championship in a World Cup year.

"They’ve been the only years I haven’t won it since I’ve been involved.

"If you look at where this team is at, there have been a lot of things happening.

"Last year we had a bit of adversity, we got tight, and we’re actually craving as many big games as we can get at the moment."

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He added: "We want to go in fully loaded to this Rugby Championship.

"I think it’s important for us to get back up to speed really quickly and get our game right.

"The work that Jason [Ryan] and Feeky [Greg Feek] are doing in our forwards, we need to re-establish that level very quickly, and on the attack and defence side, we want to set the level we want to go into.

"The World Cup day one [against France] is pretty big and we want to be ready."

Foster said his team has embraced the underdog status ahead of the World Cup in France and when asked if they can win it, he replied: "Absolutely."

He added: "The good thing is not too many other people think we can.

"That’s a slightly unusual space to be in as All Blacks.

"It doesn’t change our belief.

"But belief is only one thing: you’ve got to put it to work.

"We’ve got a job to do and can’t wait to start."

Additional sources: stuff.co.nz & AFP