Otago Highlanders centre Malakai Fekitoa and Auckland Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu are among five uncapped players named in an extended All Blacks training squad Monday to prepare for a three-Test series against England in June.
Hookers Liam Coltman of the Highlanders and Nathan Harris of Waikato Chiefs, and Wellington Hurricanes scrumhalf TJ Perenara are the other uncapped members of the 35-man squad which will be trimmed to 31 players after training camps in Christchurch from Sunday and Wellington from May 25.
Flanker Jerome Kaino, who returned to New Zealand rugby this year after spending two seasons in Japan, has quickly been recalled along with fellow backrower Victor Vito, who had fallen out of favour with the All Blacks selectors.
The 22-year-old Fekitoa and 21-year-old Tuipulotu have been stars of the current Super Rugby season.
Fekitoa joined the Dunedin-based Highlanders this year after being rejected by the Blues and has been a standout as a powerful and elusive ball-runner.
Tuipulotu, a star of the New Zealand under-20 team, is a strong lineout forward and physical ball-carrier.
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen said the two training camps would be an important part of the All Blacks’ preparation for next month’s England series.
“With players coming from five different Super Rugby teams, it’s important that we get aligned on our game plans and skillsets,” Hansen said. “The challenge the English bring means we will need to be at our very best as quickly as possible.
“The camps also give the All Blacks management time to learn in greater detail about some of the younger players.”
Kaino was a key member of the All Blacks team that won the 2011 Rugby World Cup, playing more minutes at the tournament than any other player. He left for Japan immediately after the Cup but returned this season, rejoining the Blues and declaring his determination to win back his All Blacks No 6 jersey.
The selection of two young hookers marks the continuation of the selectors’ hunt for long-term successors to veterans Andrew Hore, who retired at the end of last season, and Keven Mealamu, who may be nearing the end of his international career.
Colin Slade, who has been in outstanding form at flyhalf for Canterbury Crusaders, has been named along with regulars Aaron Cruden and Beauden Barrett, who will contest the No 10 jersey for the England Tests. Star flyhalf Dan Carter has been on sabbatical and is unavailable for the mid-year Tests.
All Blacks squad: Hookers: Keven Mealamu, Nathan Harris, Dane Coles, Liam Coltman. Props: Charlie Faumuina, Tony Woodcock, Ben Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Owen Franks. Locks: Patrick Tuipulotu, Brodie Retallick, Jeremy Thrush, Dominic Bird, Sam Whitelock. Loose forwards: Jerome Kaino, Steven Luatua, Sam Cane, Liam Messam, Victor Vito, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Luke Whitelock. Scrumhalves: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith. Flyhalves: Aaron Cruden, Beauden Barrett, Colin Slade. Midfielders: Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa. Outside backs: Cory Jane, Julian Savea, Israel Dagg, Ben Smith.
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Results
2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.
4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.
The results of the first round are as follows:
Qais Saied (Independent): 18.4 per cent
Nabil Karoui (Qalb Tounes): 15.58 per cent
Abdelfattah Mourou (Ennahdha party): 12.88 per cent
Abdelkarim Zbidi (two-time defence minister backed by Nidaa Tounes party): 10.7 per cent
Youssef Chahed (former prime minister, leader of Long Live Tunisia): 7.3 per cent
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
(TKO round 1).
Featherweight title (5 rounds)
Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
(TKO round 1).
Lightweight title (5 rounds)
Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)
(RSC round 2).
Company Profile
Company name: Namara
Started: June 2022
Founder: Mohammed Alnamara
Based: Dubai
Sector: Microfinance
Current number of staff: 16
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Family offices
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kinetic 7
Started: 2018
Founder: Rick Parish
Based: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Industry: Clean cooking
Funding: $10 million
Investors: Self-funded
TOP 10 MOST POLLUTED CITIES
1. Bhiwadi, India
2. Ghaziabad, India
3. Hotan, China
4. Delhi, India
5. Jaunpur, India
6. Faisalabad, Pakistan
7. Noida, India
8. Bahawalpur, Pakistan
9. Peshawar, Pakistan
10. Bagpat, India
Source: IQAir