Asafo Aumua excluded from Hurricanes touring squad

Editor

Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has excluded Asafo Aumua from his 27-man squad to travel to South Africa and Argentina to face the Bulls and the Jaguares.

Nine new faces have been included but there is no space for New Zealand U20 star Aumua, who has returned from his off-season off the pace.

Included in the touring squad for the first time are props Toby Smith and Alex Fidow, half-back Jamie Booth and fly-halves Ihaia West and Jackson Garden-Bachop.

Fellow fly-half Beauden Barrett will join the squad in Pretoria. Wing Jonah Lowe has also been included following his excellent pre-season form.

Boyd said it had been a difficult selection process for the final make-up of the squad following their pre-season campaign that ended on Thursday with a 26-14 win over the Blues.

Brad Shields has been named captain in the absence of Dane Coles.

The Hurricanes squad for South Africa and Argentina is:

Forwards: Toby Smith, Chris Eves, Ben May, Fraser Armstrong, Alex Fidow, Ricky Riccitelli, James O'Rielly, Sam Lousi, Murray Douglas, Michael Fatialofa, Vaea Fifita, Brad Shields (c), Ardie Savea, Gareth Evans, Blade Thomson

Backs: TJ Perenara, Jamie Booth, Beauden Barrett, Ihaia West, Ngani Laumape, Matt Proctor, Vince Aso, Wes Goosen, Julian Savea, Ben Lam, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Jonah Lowe