Steve Hansen axes five players ahead of Bledisloe Cup tests

Steve Hansen has cut Asafo Aumua, Josh Ioane, Dalton Papali'i, Karl Tu'inukuafe and Shannon Frizell from the All Blacks squad in preparation for the two-test Bledisloe Cup series.

Those players now look to be out of the running for Rugby World Cup spots unless there are injuries during the tests against the Wallabies.  

The omission of Tu'inukuafe comes just one year after he took test rugby by storm with his powerful scrummaging, but the Blues loosehead did not play a lot of rugby in the second half of the Super Rugby season.

Athough Ioane has been omitted, he will assemble with the squad to continue his development behind Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga.

The All Blacks are now very light on experience in the No 10 position and will be crossing their fingers that Barrett and Mo'unga stay fit.

The retention of Fifita is something of a surprise after an underwhelming outing against Argentina but the selectors clearly think he is a better option at No 6 than Shannon Frizell, who started against the Springboks.

The All Blacks have also confirmed that Sonny Bill Williams and Nepo Laulala will play for Counties Manukau in a pre-Mitre 10 Cup season game on Saturday.

​Laulala will then join the squad in Perth, while Williams will stay and play Counties Manukau's Mitre 10 Cup season opener on August 10, before joining the squad in Auckland for the second Bledisloe Cup Test week.

"Bledisloe Cup Tests are always massive tests," Hansen said. 

"We know that the Wallabies will be confident after their win over Argentina and desperate to win this first match, so we're looking forward to getting to Perth and getting into our Test preparation.

"The Bledisloe Cup is the second most important trophy for us, after the Rugby World Cup, and we're really looking forward to the next two Tests coming up.  

"Two weeks together will give us solid preparation towards growing our game understanding and getting our execution honed, so that's exciting."

The All Blacks play the first Bledisloe test in Perth on Saturday week and the second at Eden Park on August 17

Hansen will then trim his squad down to the 31 players he will take to the Rugby World Cup.

All Blacks squad for Bledisloe Cup: 

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

Backs

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