All Blacks leave out Dagg and Piutau, announcing stacked Rugby World Cup squad

Steve Hansen has announced the 31-man squad for New Zealand's defence of their Rugby World Cup title.

Plenty of the 2011 winners return in a highly-experienced squad, which will again be led by Richie McCaw before his impending retirement from international rugby.

Of the big names to miss out on selection, Israel Dagg and Charles Piutau top the list, just showing quite how much strength-in-depth the All Blacks possess.

Naholo makes miraculous recovery to make squad

One of the huge surprises when the squad was announced, was the inclusion of winger Waisake Naholo.

The 2015 Super Rugby top try scorer, broke his leg on 17 July earlier this year, on debut against Argentina in Christchurch, and was all but ruled out of the World Cup.

A report then surfaced at the start of August in the Fiji Times, claiming that Naholo had used some sort of herbal treatment to cure him in a race to make the World Cup squad.

The Fijian-born star has indeed proved his fitness to Kiwi coaching staff and has completed his incredible comeback from victory, allowing UK fans to see one of the most exciting players in the world right now.

Milner-Skudder & Taylor amongst World Cup rookies

Outside back Nehe Milner-Skudder and hooker Codie Taylor have made the World Cup, despite having just five international caps between them.

After brilliant seasons in Super Rugby, Hansen gave both players a chance to impress during the Rugby Championship and they have taken their opportunities to make the World Cup squad.

Alongside the in-experienced players are a host of veterans including Ma'a Nonu, Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick and Julian Savea who are amongst the best players for thier position in world rugby.

All Blacks favourties to lift the cup

Ranked as the number one Test team in the world by a considerable margin, New Zealand are heavy favourites to retain their World Cup crown.

The pool stage shouldn't cause too many problems for McCaw's men, as long as they get past Argentina in their opening fixtures.

Further matches against Namibia, Georgia and Tonga should see the Kiwi's qualify for the knockout stages before the intensity picks up a notch or two.

After a couple of harrowing World Cup defeats in 1999, 2003 and 2007, the victory four years ago looks very likely to be repeated if the All Blacks are firing on all cylinders come quarter-final time.