All Blacks Coach Steve Hansen has called up outside back Nehe Milner-Skudder, lock James Broadhurst, wing Waisake Naholo, first five Lima Sopoaga and hooker Codie Taylor for a squad that will go through to the end of the Rugby Championship.

The selection of four hookers and four halfbacks will be a major talking point.

Chiefs rake Hika Elliot, back after a serious neck injury threatened to end his career, is joined by young Cantabrian Taylor, possibly the only true “bolter” in the squad.

Chiefs halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow is selected despite sitting out the entire Super Rugby season with a knee injury and only returning to club rugby in the past week.

Milner-Skudder and Naholo are not major surprises after tearing up defences all season, but there will be many who’ll consider Crusaders fullback Israel Dagg lucky to remain in the mix.

Dagg has hardly played this year due to a calf injury, but makes the squad along with Blues utility Charles Piutau, who had annoyed New Zealand Rugby bosses when he decided to head to Ireland after the World Cup.

Sopoaga’s glittering form for the Highlanders proved impossible to ignore with Hansen picking four first five eighth’s alongside Dan Carter, Beauden Barrett, and Colin Slade.

At lock Broadhurst’s ball carrying ability in Super Rugby was similarly impossible to ignore and he earns a deserved place alongside his Hurricanes team-mate Jeremy Thrush.

Crusaders openside Matt Todd’s consistent form is rewarded with a place among the loose forwards, providing specialist back up to Richie McCaw and Sam Cane.

Hansen noted there were some players who could consider themselves “extremely unlucky” and though he didn’t name anyone, a number spring to mind.

Taylor’s call up will be hard to swallow for workhorse Highlanders rake Liam Coltman, while Hurricanes openside Ardie Savea must also be considered hard done by after a stellar season.

All Blacks squad

Hookers: Dane Coles (Hurricanes/Wellington). Hikawera Elliot (Chiefs/Poverty Bay), Keven Mealamu (Blues/Auckland), Codie Taylor (Crusaders/Canterbury);

Props: Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders/Canterbury), Charlie Faumuina (Blues/Auckland), Ben Franks (Hurricanes/Hawke’s Bay), Owen Franks (Crusaders/Canterbury), Joe Moody (Crusaders/Canterbury), Tony Woodcock (Blues/North Harbour);

Locks: James Broadhurst (Hurricanes/Taranaki), Brodie Retallick (Chiefs/BOP), Luke Romano ( Crusaders/Canterbury), Jeremy Thrush (Hurricanes/Wellington), Sam Whitelock (Crusaders/Canterbury;

Loose-forwards: Sam Cane (Chiefs/BOP), Jerome Kaino (Blues/uckland), Richie McCaw (captain)- Crusaders/Canterbury), Liam Messam (Chiefs/Waikato (40), Kieran Read (Crusaders/Canterbury), Matt Todd (Crusaders/Canterbury), Victor Vito (Hurricanes/Wellington);

Halfbacks: Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Chiefs/Waikato), TJ Perenara (Hurricanes/Wellington), Aaron Smith (Highlanders/Manawatu);

First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes/Taranaki), Dan Carter (Crusaders/Canterbury), Colin Slade (Crusaders/Canterbury), Lima Sopoaga (Highlanders/Southland);

Midfielders: Ryan Crotty (Crusaders/Canterbury), Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders/Auckland); Ma’a Nonu (Hurricanes/Wellington), Conrad Smith (Hurricanes/Wellington), Sonny Bill Williams (Chiefs/Counties Manukau (23);

Outside backs: Israel Dagg (Crusaders/Hawke’s Bay), Cory Jane (Hurricanes/Wellington), Nehe Milner-Skudder (Hurricanes/Manawatu), Waisake Naholo ( Highlanders/Taranaki), Charles Piutau (Blues/Auckland), Julian Savea (Hurricanes/Wellington), (Ben Smith (Highlanders/Otago).