Six new caps in first All Blacks squad of the season

Six new caps have been included in a 26-man All Blacks rugby squad, named Sunday for tests against Ireland and England and for next month's Tri-Nations series.

Auckland Blues center Anthony Tuitavake, winger Rudi Wulf, Waikato Chiefs flyhalf Stephen Donald and center Richard Kahui are uncapped players included among the backs while Otago Highlanders loose-forward Adam Thomson and Blues lock Anthony Boric have been named among the forwards.

The squad, which will immediately begin preparation for Saturday's one-off test against Ireland in Wellington, features the recall of center Ma'a Nonu, flanker Jerome Kaino, lock Brad Thorn and prop John Afoa.

Kaino and Afoa last played for New Zealand in 2006 and Thorn, who has switched repeatedly between league and rugby union, played the last of his 12 tests in 2003. Nonu played for the All Blacks against France last year but did not make its World Cup squad.

The notable omissions from the squad, named Sunday, are Canterbury Crusaders flanker Kieran Read, who was seen as a leading candidate to replace the retiring Jerry Collins in the No.6 jersey, and Crusaders midfielder Stephen Brett, whose form wavered in the latter part of the Super 14 season.

Seven members of the Crusaders team that beat the New South Wales Waratahs 20-12 in Saturday's Super 14 final have been named in the first New Zealand squad of the year.

Thomson is the surprise selection, winning a place among a new look loose-forward contingent with captain Richie McCaw, veteran No.8 Rodney So'oialo, selected despite a rib injury, Sione Lauaki and Kaino.

The former New Zealand sevens representative had an outstanding season for the Otago Highlanders, who finished the Super 14 season in 11th place, and has been picked up in the selectors' search for robust and mobile loose forwards.

Coach Graham Henry cited lock as one of the more difficult positions for the selectors, an area lacking depth, and has called up Auckland's Boric along with the established Canterbury pair of Thorn and Ali Williams.

"The new players impressed in the Super 14 and played their way into the squad," Henry said.

"A few of them were not in the frame at the beginning of the year but they proved they were some of the form players in New Zealand rugby."

Prop Tony Woodcock will miss Saturday's test against Ireland with a toe injury and halfback Brendon Leonard is sidelined with a bruised knee. Prop John Schwalger and halfback Jimmy Cowan have been temporarily added to the squad to cover their unavailability. Winger Joe Rokocoko was not considered for selection because of injury.

"The Irish were strong when they came to New Zealand in 2006 and may be stronger this time," Henry said.

"They've already been in camp for a couple of weeks. We need to be very aware of the challenge and focused on the task at hand."

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New Zealand squad: Backs, Leon MacDonald, Mils Muliaina, Rudi Wulf, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Anthony Tuitavake, Conrad Smith, Richard Kahui, Ma'a Nonu, Stephen Donald, Daniel Carter, Andy Ellis, Brendon Leonard. Forwards, Rodney So'oialo, Sione Lauaki, Richie McCaw, captain, Jerome Kaino, Adam Thomson, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Anthony Boric, John Afoa, Greg Somerville, Neemia Tialata, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Andrew Hore.