Savea said it was a huge honour to be the All Blacks Captain and he would be drawing on the leadership from those around him and those who have come before him to inspire and ground him.
“To serve this team, its people and its fans is one of the greatest honours in sport,” said Savea. “I believe this role is about empowering everyone in the group to be the best that they can be – from the leadership, to the players and wider staff.
“A united All Blacks team has the power to unite a nation. And we are going to need all five million Kiwis to get in behind us as we walk towards the challenges that are waiting for us over the next 16 months.
“We pay tribute to those who have gone before us while also acknowledging that the responsibility of writing the next chapter in the All Blacks story lies with us. Let’s get to work.
“A special thank you to my wife Saskia and our three children Kobe, Keeon and Kove. The same to our parents, our extended family and friends. We are blessed to have a ‘village’ that walks alongside us,” Savea added.
The All Blacks squad will assemble for the first time in Auckland from Wednesday this week, before travelling to Christchurch at the end of the week for the first Test of the Nations Championship.
Today’s Squad Naming event can be viewed on Sky Sport Now, allblacks.com or the new All Blacks and Black Ferns app.