Rugby-Halai and Blues backs earn All Blacks call-up

* 10 uncapped players named

* Blues backs rewarded for Super Rugby form (Adds detail quotes)

By Nick Mulvenney

May 14 (Reuters) - Uncapped Auckland Blues backs Frank Halai, Charles Piutau and Francis Saili have been rewarded for some scintillating Super Rugby performances by being included in New Zealand's wider training squad for next month's series against France.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen included the Blues trio along with a sprinkling of other new faces in a 38-man squad for two training camps ahead of the three home tests against the French.

Winger Halai, the leading try scorer in Super Rugby, grabbed a hat-trick in Saturday's victory over Melbourne but fullback Piutau and centre Saili have been just as impressive in the powerful backline along with Rene Ranger, who was also included.

Blindside flanker Steven Luatua has also shone under the guidance of new Blues coach John Kirwan this season and earned a call-up with other uncapped forwards Ben Afeaki and Jeff Toomaga-Allen, both props, lock Dominic Bird and Brad Shields.

Back-row forward Shields was included in a similar squad ahead of last year's 3-0 whitewash of Ireland but was not among the nine new All Blacks blooded by Hansen in 2012.

Hurricanes scrumhalf TJ Perenara, who had an outstanding season last year until it was cut short by an ankle break, also earned a call-up, as did goal-kicking Crusaders flyhalf-centre Tom Taylor.

Hansen has retained the old guard of World Cup winners although there is no place for former captain Richie McCaw, who will remain on sabbatical until after the Super Rugby season.

"The camps will give us the opportunity to prepare a foundation on which we can grow our game throughout the series," said Hansen.

"As with last year, it will also give us a small window of opportunity to introduce some young players into the ways of the All Blacks and allow both these players and All Blacks management to get to know each other a little better."

Hansen said exclusion from the training camps did not necessarily mean players would not be in the squad he will name for the France series on June 2.

France, who lost to New Zealand in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final, play tests at Auckland (June 8), Christchurch (June 15) and New Plymouth (June 22).

Squad:

Forwards: Ben Afeaki, Dominic Bird, Sam Cane, Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Liam Messam, Steven Luatua, Keven Mealamu, Kieran Read, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Brad Shields, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Victor Vito, Samuel Whitelock, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock.

Backs: Beauden Barrett, Daniel Carter, Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg, Hosea Gear, Frank Halai, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Ma'a Nonu, TJ Perenara, Charles Piutau, Rene Ranger, Francis Saili, Julian Savea, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Tom Taylor, Piri Weepu. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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Australia backs F-35 fighter jets in new defense strategy

By James Grubel

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia committed to long-term plans to buy up to 100 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 Joint Strike Fighters as part of its new defense strategy on Friday, easing concerns about the future of the controversial fighter from a major foreign buyer.

Canberra, a close U.S. ally, would also buy 12 Boeing Co EA-18G electronic attack planes, modified versions of the 24 Super Hornets already equipping Australia's air force, as a stopgap until the F-35 is delivered.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith announced the decisions as he released a new defense white paper, which is the first reassessment of Australia's military priorities since 2009, and since the U.S. pivot to the Asia-Pacific, which included U.S. marine rotations through northern Australia.

"This important decision will assure a first-class air combat capability for Australia through the transition period to the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35), which will proceed on its current schedule," Smith said.

Australia's first two F-35s are due in 2014-15.

Canberra's decision reinforces positive steps for the F-35, coming on the heels of a decision by Norway to buy six F-35s a year earlier than planned, and the Dutch parliament's decision not to reassess F-35 rivals to replace aging F-16s, despite cost overruns and development delays.

Australia decided to stick with the F-35, initially buying 14 F-35s, followed by three operational F-35 squadrons, of around 75 planes, with the first squadron in service from 2020.

The government also holds the option of buying a further 25 F-35s from 2030, to replace the Super Hornets when they are withdrawn from service, bringing the total of F-35s to 100.

The paper makes no commitment to build a fourth advanced air warfare destroyer, part-built by BAE Systems and Spain's Navantia, but opts to replace two ageing supply ships.

Smith also said the government would proceed with plans for 12 new conventional submarines but he ruled out buying the submarines off the shelf, opting instead for new designs to be built in Australia.

With Prime Minister Julia Gillard's minority Labor government under pressure to find Budget savings to respond to collapsing revenues, Australia's net defense budget has contracted to around 1.56 percent of GDP, or A$24.2 billion. As a percentage, spending is at the lowest level since 1938.

The new white paper makes no commitments on defense spending, but says the government remains committed to a target to increase defense funding to 2.0 percent of GDP, but when the economic circumstances allow.

(Additional reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Paul Tait and Michael Perry)

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Ontario government reaches out to opposition, backs spending restraint

TORONTO (Reuters) - Ontario's Liberal government with its newly minted female premier pledged on Tuesday to work with its opposition parties to bring its spending under control.

Ontario, Canada's richest province, kicked off its new legislative session with a traditional speech from the throne that outlined the priorities of Premier Kathleen Wynne's government that could soon face a vote of confidence.

"For the benefit of the entire province, your government intends to work with opposition parties, in a spirit of renewed cooperation, to get the people's business done," said lieutenant-governor David Onley in a ceremonial speech.

"It does not believe that we are irreparably divided."

Wynn became the first female premier and first openly gay leader of a Canadian province in January, replacing Dalton McGuinty who stepped down amid controversy over costly cancellations of two natural gas power plants and battles to freeze teacher wages.

Canada's four most powerful provinces are led by women. British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec have female premiers, while women are also at the helm in Newfoundland and Labrador and in the thinly populated Arctic territory of Nunavut.

In the speech, the government reiterated its pledge to restrain spending and eliminate the deficit by 2017-2018.

"And after that, it will restrict overall spending increases to one per cent below GDP growth until the province's debt-to-GDP ratio returns to the pre-recession level of 27 per cent," Onley said.

Ontario will continue to promote renewable energy and work to end coal-fired energy generation in the province.

The center-left Liberals have been in power for nine years in Ontario, Canada's most populous province and home to most of Canada's banks and a large part of its manufacturing sector. But the party lost seats in the 2011 provincial election and needs support from at least one other party to stay in power.

The left-leaning New Democrats are the natural ally for Wynne, who has a reputation for seeking compromise and is viewed as being to the left of other Ontario Liberals.

The Liberals are facing a C$12 billion ($12 billion) budget deficit. They have vowed to curb growth in spending, as modest economic growth hurts revenues, and say it will take five more years to balance the budget.

Ontario accounts for roughly 40 percent of Canadian gross domestic product and is among the largest sub-national borrowers in the world, issuing bonds worth nearly C$35 billion in 2012.

(Reporting by Russ Blinch; Editing by James Dalgleish)

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