Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett jokes with reported during his squad announcementi n Wellington © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: Super Rugby

Teams: Blues | Chiefs | Crusaders | England | Highlanders | Hurricanes | New Zealand

New Zealand's Super Rugby franchises have announced their squads for the 2012 competition.

A total of 28 new faces feature in the squads named by the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders including England international back-row James Haskell who will call Dunedin home for the competition that kicks off February 24. Another five familiar faces - Tusi Pisi, Tamati Ellison, Tim Bateman, Ross Kennedy and Rudi Wulf - all return from overseas.

"These five Investec Super Rugby teams are the strongest and most exciting we have ever seen straight off the back of a Rugby World Cup year," said New Zealand Rugby Union general manager Neil Sorensen. "It's reassuring that while some of our senior players are taking the next phase of their rugby careers offshore - the depth of talent available to Super Rugby selectors this year has been impressive."

The squads include 12 players offered the chance to step up from the ITM Cup, eight players from the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship winning side and two members of New Zealand IRB World Sevens Series winning squad. Others coming in from World Cup duty are new Hurricane Tusi Pisi (Samoa), and new Chiefs Kane Thompson, Mahonri Schwalger (both Samoa), and Sona Taumalolo (Tonga).

2012 Super Rugby squads:

Blues: Gareth Anscombe, Anthony Boric, Daniel Braid, Luke Braid, Charlie Faumuina, Michael Hobbs, Jerome Kaino, Chris Lowrey, Tevita Mailau, Pauliasi Manu, Alby Mathewson, Tom McCartney, Keven Mealamu, Brad Mika, George Moala, Liaki Moli, Lachie Munro, Ma'a Nonu, Filo Paulo, David Raikuna, Rene Ranger, Peter Saili, Benson Stanley, Sherwin Stowers, Angus Ta'avao, Isaia Toeava, Piri Weepu, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock, Benson Stanley, Sherwin Stowers, Angus Ta'avao, Isaia Toeava, Piri Weepu, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock, Rudi Wulf

Chiefs: Ben Afeaki, Alex Bradley, Sam Cane, Craig Clarke, Shane Cleaver, Aaron Cruden, Hika Elliot, Mike Fitzgerald, Romana Graham, Andrew Horrell, Richard Kahui, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Tanerau Latimer, Fritz Lee, Brendon Leonard, Lelia Masaga, Liam Messam, Tim Nanai-Williams, Maritino Nemani, Declan O'Donnell, Brodie Retallick, Robbie Robinson, Mahonri Schwalger, Toby Smith, Ben Tameifuna, Sona Taumalolo, Kane Thompson, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Scott Waldrom, Sonny Bill Williams, Jackson Willison

Hurricanes: Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Beauden Barrett, Tim Bateman, Michael Bent, James Broadhurst, Richard Buckman, Dane Coles, Jason Eaton, Chris Eaton, Reggie Goodes, David Hall, Jayden Hayward, Cory Jane, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Jack Lam, Alapati Leiua, Faifili Levave, Karl Lowe, Motu Matu'u, Ben May, Tristan Moran, Charlie Ngatai, TJ Perenara, Tusi Pisi, Mark Reddish, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith, Chris Smylie, Andre Taylor, Jeremy Thrush, Victor Vito

Crusaders: Nicholas Barrett, Tyler Bleyendaal, Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg, Tom Donnelly, Andy Ellis, Corey Flynn, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Robbie Fruean, Ben Funnell, Zac Guildford, Willi Heinz, Ross Kennedy, Quentin MacDonald, Sean Maitland, Tom Marshall, Richie McCaw, Patrick Osborne, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Tom Taylor, Matt Todd, Joe Wheeler, Sam Whitelock, George Whitelock, Adam Whitelock, Luke Whitelock

Highlanders: Kurt Baker, Josh Bekhuis, Jimmy Cowan, Nick Crosswell, Elliot Dixon, Tamati Ellison, Ma'afu Fia, Hosea Gear, John Hardie, James Haskell, Jarrad Hoeata, Andrew Hore, Chris King, Kendrick Lynn, Jamie Mackintosh, Nasi Manu, Bronson Murray, Chris Noakes, Siale Piutau, Kade Poki, Culum Retallick, Jason Rutledge, Colin Slade, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Lima Sopoaga, Adam Thomson, Doug Tietjens, Shaun Treeby, Telusa Veainu