Super 12 champions, the Canterbury Crusaders, dominate the 26-man New Zealand squad to play Italy next month with winning captain Reuben Thorne named as the new All Blacks skipper.

Fifteen Crusaders, who are celebrating the team's fourth Super 12 triumph in five years, have been selected in the 26-man squad which will be trimmed to 22 players for the June 8 Test in Hamilton.

Thorne takes over the captaincy role from Anton Oliver who was injured in the Highlanders' semi-final loss to the Crusaders.

"Reuben has had a very successful Super 12 campaign and he leads by his actions," All Blacks coach John Mitchell said. "He also is very well respected by his peers and I believe he has grown enormously in certain parts of his game and deserves this position.

"We were very spoiled for choice but Reuben was part of our leadership group last year on the tour to UK and we actually have leadership in mass in this team which is essential for us to progress."

Jonah Lomu has been included in the Test squad after rumours he would be cut following a poor Super 12 season for the Hurricanes.

Wellington fullback Christian Cullen, who missed last year's tour to Scotland, Ireland and Argentina, returns to the side. The newcomer in the side is Highlanders prop Joe McDonnell.

"I would be the first to acknowledge that they haven't been (playing) to their high standards," Mitchell said of Cullen and Lomu. "They have the mentality to play Test rugby.

"They have been very successful in the past. They've lost some confidence and also their skill development needs some work. I'm prepared to put my neck out here and work with those two players."

But Mitchell isn't getting carried away by the Crusaders' Super 12 performance, saying it in no way does he expect it to translate to similar results in the international season.

"There is a shift in mentality for Test rugby and winning Super 12 gives us no rights at all in Test rugby," Mitchell said.

"We are a new team, commencing a new journey. We're going to have to decontaminate a lot of the Super 12 cultures that exist because we have to create our own team unity."

Also back in the mix is centre Mark Robinson, who admits he had worried during the last two years that his days playing for New Zealand were over.

"There was a time after I hurt my foot at the end of last year's Super 12 when I wondered whether it was all worth it," Robinson said. "It was a real struggle initially after surgery. It was a tough time."

As is the case whenever a national team is chosen, there were those with their hard luck stories, and Thorne says Greg Feek is perhaps the one who missed out with the best claims for a berth.

"Greg Feek was one disappointment. He had a great Super 12 and was obviously unlucky. But he's a big enough man to handle it and come back stronger for it obviously," Thorne said.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Maori team to tour Australia next month has also been named with the side to be led by the Chiefs Deon Muir.

Teams:

ALL BLACKS: Leon MacDonald, Christian Cullen, Doug Howlett, Jonah Lomu, Caleb Ralph, Daryl Gibson, Tana Umaga, Mark Robinson, Aaron Mauger, Andrew Mehrtens, Byron Kelleher, Justin Marshall, Scott Robertson, Taine Randell, Marty Holah, Reuben Thorne (captain), Richard McCaw, Chris Jack, Simon Maling, Norm Maxwell, Greg Somerville, Kees Meeuws, David Hewett, Joe McDonnell, Mark Hammett, Tom Willis.

NEW ZEALAND MAORI: Carlos Spencer, Bruce Reihana, Joe Maddock, Ryan Nicholas, Rico Gear, Roger Randle, Mark Mayerhofler, Glen Jackson, Willie Walker, Riki Flutey, Brendan Haami, Rhys Duggan, Deon Muir (captain), Matua Parkinson, Blair Urlich, Jonno Gibbs, Kristian Ormsby, Bryce Williams, Reece Robinson, Steve Jackson, Carl Hayman, Tony Penn, Deacon Manu, Greg Feek, Corey Flynn, Slade McFarland.