Flyhalf Lima Sopoaga and wingers Waisake Naholo and Nehe Milner-Skudder are among five new caps named by Sunday in an expanded 41-man New Zealand squad for next month's test against Samoa and the Rugby Championship.
Hurricanes lock James Broadhurst and Crusaders hooker Codie Taylor are the other newcomers in the squad, which will also play an additional Bledisloe Cup test against Australia after the four-nation Championships involving South Africa, Argentina and Australia.
The unusual size of the squad has given Hansen scope to explore the depth of New Zealand's talent, picking young players such as Naiholo and Milner-Skudder who have been stars in Super Rugby this season, while creating a climate of competition for places ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Sopoaga, 24, has had four years with the Dunedin-based Highlanders, but enjoyed a breakout season in Super Rugby in 2015.
He has achieved a near 80 per cent goal-kicking success rate while breaking the Highlanders' single-season points-scoring record.
His inclusion as one of four fly-halves in the squad along with Colin Slade, Beauden Barrett and Dan Carter makes competition for match time especially strong.
Hansen has also named four hookers and three halfbacks. Taylor is the squad's most surprising selection and he will compete for time in the middle of the front row with Dane Coles, veteran Keven Mealamu and Hika Elliot who returned to top form this season after recovering from a career-threatening neck injury.
Tawera Kerr-Barlow has been included along with Aaron Smith and T.J. Perenara, though he has not played a Super Rugby match this season because of a knee injury. Crusaders scrumhalf Andy Ellis — a veteran of 26 tests — has been named as injury cover in case Kerr-Barlow cannot prove his fitness while uncapped prop Nepo Laulala has been placed on standby for tighthead Charlie Faumuina who has a neck injury.
Scrumhalf Augustine Pulu, flyhalf Aaron Cruden, hooker Nathan Harris, backrower Stephen Luatua and lock Patrick Tuipulotu were not considered for selection because of injuries.
Highlanders winger Naholo led try-scorers for most of the Super Rugby season, while Milner-Skudder has been one of the tournament's most exciting attacking players in his first full season with the Hurricanes.
"We have selected a large squad of 41 players, partly through necessity, with two New Zealand teams still involved in the Super Rugby competition," Hansen said. "It also gives us the chance to work with some athletes we haven't worked with before and see how they cope at test level.
"This will allow us to make better decisions when it comes to selecting our Rugby World Cup team in August."
Hansen said retaining the Rugby World Cup was New Zealand's main goal this season.
"With only five games before the Rugby World Cup, it's important that we get game plans and other aspects of our environment embedded as quickly as possible," Hansen said.
The All Blacks will play Samoa in the Samoan capital, Apia, on July 9, immediately before the Rugby Championship which has been shortened this year because of the World Cup which starts in Britain in September.
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New Zealand squad: hookers: Dane Coles, Hika Elliot, Keven Mealamu, Codie Taylor; props: Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Tony Woodcock; locks: James Broadhurst, Luke Romano, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Whitelock; backrowers: Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (captain), Liam Messam, Kieran Read, Matt Todd, Victor Vito; scrumhalves: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, T.J. Perenara, Aaron Smith; flyhalves: Beauden Barrett, Daniel Carter, Colin Slade, Lima Sopoaga; midfielders: Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Wiliams; outside backs: Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Waisake Naholo, Charles Piutau, Julian Savea, Ben Smith.
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Corrects to Rugby Championship from Championships
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