The first of the player announcements were made last week, with some of the game’s great tight five exponents on the team list.
Anchoring the scrum will be 50-Test veteran Charlie Faumuina who has only recently returned to New Zealand after wrapping up his professional career in France and fellow former Auckland prop Saimone Taumoepeau.
John Afoa, who also only retired after a staggering 500+ first class appearance earlier this year, is another player set to pack down in the front row, alongside Hika Elliot who will be taking leave from his current representative duties with South Canterbury.
Former Maori All Black Nick Crosswell was the first of the locks named, Crosswell returns for his second stint in the Classics, after playing in the Spanish match in Madrid in 2022.
Another Classics alumni and current All Black resource coach, Corey Flynn, appeared on the SENZ Drive Show with Stephen ‘Beaver’ Donald to chat about the upcoming fixture.
While not pulling on the boots this time round, Flynn will be taking on a management role.
After lining up against a young, fit Spanish side in 2022, Flynn said it was a relief when next week’s opposition was announced.
“You don’t want the opposition to be too good,” he quipped.
“Having the knowledge that they are in our age bracket does warm me because we know what we are walking into. We’ll have some skill because you don’t lose that, but it’s the lung capacity that diminishes. But it will be a spectacle, that’s for sure.”
With the underlying theme of reconnecting with former teammates and giving back to the game front and centre yet again, Flynn is excited at what next weekend will bring.
“When I was part of that team for the Spanish game, we talked at length about how important it is to have time together again, we talked about the enjoyment and going back to grassroots, doing coaching and that sort of thing. Getting up to Northland to get amongst it and give back is pretty cool.”
The Classic All Blacks are set to head out to Northland clubs to run some fun sessions with local players at Onerahi, Kaio and Ohaeawai.
Flynn suggested the Classic All Blacks will have a good mix of players on the field.
“We have got some big names, but we have a lot of battlers that really enjoy the right things about rugby and why we play it. That is the beauty of the Classics, you get the people that really want to be there so we tend to have a good time doing what we love.”