Analysis - Five players have been cut from the All Blacks squad for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup Tests, so who are the biggest winners and losers and what does it mean for world cup selections?
Vaea Fifita is hugged by Sonny Bill Williams after scoring a try. Photo: Photosport
Scott Barrett is back, picked at lock, but it will be interesting to see whether they give him a run at blindside. I think he's the All Blacks best bet for a position they've struggled to fill since the departure of Jerome Kaino.
Barrett returns after overcoming a broken finger.
Brodie Retallick's injury has kept the door open for the likes of Jackson Hemopo and Vaea Fifita, with the former picked as a lock and the latter likely the beneficiary of Retallick's enforced absence.
Fifita should get another shot at number six and another chance to prove he's worth taking to Japan in September.
Ngani Laumape stays among the midfielders, as Ryan Crotty continues to recover from injury. It's hard to see Laumape making the final cut, but he's been doing nothing wrong and should be first cab off the rank if Sonny Bill Williams or Crotty fall over before the World Cup. If he stands out against Australia in Perth, he might force the selectors hand, but even then probably not.
Williams won't play in Western Australia, instead playing for Counties-Manukau in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Wing Sevu Reece has been retained as has utility backs Braydon Ennor and Jordie Barrett and outside back George Bridge.
With Jordie Barrett seemingly a lock for the World Cup and Ennor a season or two away, it appears Reece and Bridge may be fighting for the final outside back's spot.
Reece's inimitable footwork and ability to score tries is his point of difference, while Bridge is yet to put a foot wrong in the black jersey and covers several positions.
Luke Jacobson, who debuted in Argentina, stays in the loose forward mix, probably more for exposure than anything else.
Prop Karl Tu'inukuafe has been sent back to provincial duty for the remainder of the Rugby Championship. Photo: Photosport
Hooker Asafo Aumua, prop Karl Tu'inukuafe, loose forwards Shannon Frizell and Dalton Papali'i and first-five Josh Ioane have been cut.
Prop Nepo Laulala appears to have the edge over an out of shape Tu'inukuafe, who will have to get up to match fitness in the Mitre 10 Cup. It's likely the All Blacks will take the injured Tim Perry to the World Cup if they can anyway.
Tu'inukuafe's demotion may surprise some after a breakout 2018, but he struggled to replicate that form for the Blues and has been held back by injury.
He didn't play in either of the All Blacks Tests against Argentina or South Africa.
I consider Frizell to be behind Fifita in the blindside ranks and his non-selection seems to confirm this. Papali'i is a player for the future, and can cover all of the back row, but's he won't go to the World Cup bar injuries.
The same goes for Ioane, who's been invited to assemble with the squad to continue his development.
The World Cup squad of 31 can be picked from this Bledisloe ensemble, and if you add in Ryan Crotty, Brodie Retallick and Tim Perry, that leaves 28 players from this squad who'll go to Japan.
So who won't make the final cut? My guess is Hemopo, Moli (he gets in if Perry doesn't come right), Ta'avao, Jacobson, Bridge, Laumape and Ennor, with Reece filling the x-factor role that Nehe Milner-Skudder did at the 2015 World Cup.
The 34-man All Blacks Bledisloe Cup squad:
Hookers: Dane Coles, Liam Coltman and Codie Taylor.
Props: Owen Franks, Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody, Atu Moli, Angus Ta'avao and Ofa Tuungafasi.
Locks: Scott Barrett, Jackson Hemopo, Patrick Tuipulotu and Samuel Whitelock.
Loose forwards: Sam Cane, Vaea Fifita, Luke Jacobson, Kieran Read, Ardie Savea and Matt Todd.
Halfbacks: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith and Brad Weber.
First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga.
Midfielders: Jack Goodhue, Ngani Laumape, Anton Lienert-Brown and Sonny Bill Williams.
Utility backs: Braydon Ennor and Jordie Barrett.
Outside backs: George Bridge, Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece and Ben Smith.
Likely 31-man World Cup Squad:
Hookers: Dane Coles, Liam Coltman and Codie Taylor.
Props: Owen Franks, Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody, Ofa Tuungafasi, Tim Perry.
Locks: Scott Barrett, Brodie Rettalick, Patrick Tuipulotu and Samuel Whitelock.
Loose forwards: Sam Cane, Vaea Fifita, Kieran Read, Ardie Savea, Matt Todd, Jackson Hemopo.
Halfbacks: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith and Brad Weber.
First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga.
Midfielders: Jack Goodhue, Ryan Crotty, Anton Lienert-Brown and Sonny Bill Williams.
Outside backs: Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece and Ben Smith, Jordie Barrett.
