Rugby: Brad Weber reached out to All Blacks coach Ian Foster after missing on squad

Former All Blacks halfback Brad Weber says he reached out to All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster after missing out on the list of 51 players named to tour Japan and Europe.

The Chiefs and Hawke's Bay halfback was left out of the 19-man wider squad with Bryn Hall and Mitchell Drummond picked as the two number nines to head to Japan along with the 32-man squad which included halfbacks Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara and Super Rugby teammate Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi.

That effectively leaves Weber as the sixth ranked halfback in the country despite the fact he played the majority of minutes at halfback for the Chiefs this year.

"Yes. I thought I was a decent chance. I've been playing some of my best rugby this year. Certainly gave myself a hell of a shot but they obviously thought differently," he told Radio Sport.

"I text and rang Fozzie [Ian Foster] to find out."

"...he did get back to me and we had a bit of a yarn around a few things."

It was mixed emotions for Weber who made his only test appearance against Samoa in 2015. His Hawke's Bay teammate and longtime friend Gareth Evans was named in the All Blacks for the first time and they spent the afternoon playing golf after the announcement.

"I was bloody stoked for him. We've been best mates since we were 14 and follow each other around the country most of the time.

"To be fair, Gareth was more gutted for me than I was for myself. It would have been really cool for both of us to be there obviously…but it wasn't to be. I'll be watching anyway and hoping Gareth gets his chance."

"I will be doing my best to force my way in by having some decent Super Rugby form next year. That's the plan at the moment, to force my way in. I don't know if that will be enough. I'm not sure but certainly I'll be doing everything possible in my power to put the pressure on them to select me."

Weber said he's signed with New Zealand Rugby until 2020 but has an out-clause after the Rugby World Cup next year. He was yesterday named in the Maori All Blacks squad to tour the USA, Brazil and Chile next month.

He admitted he knew nothing about opponents Brazil and Chile who sit 26th and 30th on the world rankings respectively.

Before that tour he's focused on leading Hawke's Bay to the Premiership.

Weber and the Magpies face Otago on Saturday for a spot in the Championship final.

"We were pretty gutted that we weren't able to host a semifinal but going down to Dunedin to play under the roof is a pretty good second prize. Certainly suits our style of play and we had a win there earlier in the year so we know what it takes to win down there."