Ardie Savea chokes up saying what All Blacks captaincy means to him

An emotional Ardie Savea has shown just how much it means to him to be named All Blacks captain for the upcoming Rugby Championship.

Savea choked up while talking to media about his appointment on Saturday as he recalled telling his parents the news.

"To be able to tell mum and dad is huge," Savea said.

"Two people who migrated from Samoa to create a better life for their kids... yeah."

At that point, Savea paused for a moment as he his emotions caught up with him.

"Sorry, I'm getting a bit emotional but it's pretty crazy."

Savea then took a longer pause before finishing his answer by saying it was "pretty special" to be appointed for them.

Savea will captain the All Blacks in their remaining five matches in the Rugby Championship, with regular captain Sam Cane not available because of injury and his stand-in Sam Whitelock not travelling with the team to Australia on Thursday because his wife is expecting a baby.

Scrumhalf Aaron Smith, who recently captained the All Blacks for the first time, and flyhalf Richie Mo’unga also did not travel for the same reason, leaving Savea to take on the leadership role for the first time.

Head coach Ian Foster chose Savea, a veteran of 52 tests who has captained the Wellington-based Hurricanes in Super Rugby, over experienced hooker Codie Taylor.

“Ardie has been a key part of our leadership group and I love that he has a very different style of leadership,” Foster said Saturday. “He’s very empathetic.

“He’s got a great affinity right across the group and reads the group well from a family and emotional side and I think that’s a really important quality to have in the situation we’re in.”

Flyhalf Beauden Barrett and lock Brodie Retallick will act as Savea's vice-captains.

The All Blacks will play Australia in Perth next weekend before moving to Queensland where the remainder of the Rugby Championship will be played.

The team then travels to the United States and Europe for test matches as part of a tour which will keep them away from home for at least 14 weeks.

Whitelock and Cane likely will rejoin the squad for the later matches.