Māori All Blacks 2025
-
As expected, some surprises.
-
Props / Poumua
Benet Kumeroa (Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi/Bay of Plenty/Chiefs)
Jared Proffit* (Ngāti Porou/Taranaki/Chiefs)
Pouri Rakete-Stones (Ngāpuhi/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)
Kershawl Sykes-Martin* (Ngāti Porou/ Ta$man/Crusaders)
Mason Tupaea* (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru/Waikato/Blues)Hookers / Waekape
Jacob Devery* (Te Aitanga a Mahaki/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)
Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu/Bay of Plenty/Blues)Locks / Pouwhītiki
Zach Gallagher* (Te Ātiawa/Canterbury/Hurricanes)
Laghlan McWhannell (Ngāti Kahungunu/Waikato/Blues)
Antonio Shalfoon* (Whakatōhea/ Ta$man/Crusaders)
Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)Loose forwards / Pouwātea
Nikora Broughton (Ngārauru, Ngāti Ruanui/Bay of Plenty/Highlanders)
Jahrome Brown* (Ngāti Porou/Waikato/Chiefs)
Caleb Delany (Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Wellington/Hurricanes)
Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue/Canterbury/Crusaders)
Te Kamaka Howden (Tūhoe/Manawatū/Highlanders)Half Backs / Poutoko
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara* (Ngāi Tai, Ngāti Porou/Auckland)
Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi/Northland/Blues)First five-eighths / Topatahi
Rivez Reihana (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine/Northland/Crusaders)
Kaleb Trask (Ngāpuhi/Bay of Plenty/Chiefs)Midfield / Topapū
Corey Evans (Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kahu/Northland/Blues)
Bailyn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu/Waikato/Hurricanes)
Daniel Rona (Te Ātiawa/Taranaki/Chiefs)
Xavi Taele* (Ngāi Tahu/Auckland/Blues)
Gideon Wrampling* (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine/Waikato/Chiefs)Outside Backs / Pouwaho
Cole Forbes (Ngāti Awa/Bay of Plenty/Blues)
Jonah Lowe (Ngāti Pikiao/Hawke’s Bay/Highlanders)
Zarn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu/Hawke’s Bay/Blues)Injury Cover/Kaiwhakakapi - Kade Banks* (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua/North Harbour/Hurricanes) has joined the squad as temporary injury cover for Daniel Rona.
The following players were not considered due to injury / Te hunga whara:
Rameka Poihipi (Ngāti Whakaue)
Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi)
Taha Kemara (Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa)
Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whānaunga)
Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Ngāti Raukawa) -
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara
I’ll admit that I didn’t watch much of Auckland in last years NPC, but that’s a name I haven’t heard for a while. Given the production line of quality Maori halfbacks over the years, he now gets his first opportunity.
-
@ACT-Crusader yeah, weirdly halfback probably looks the weakest, although wing doesn't look that flash either.
-
It will be interesting to see how the Maori coaches select their game squads. We will want to have our strongest XV for the Scotland game, so do we start 10 or 11 of our best XV and have the other 4-5 on the bench to get a run. Then the other positions are up for the bench roles.
-
@Bones said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@ACT-Crusader yeah, weirdly halfback probably looks the weakest, although wing doesn't look that flash either.
Nock does have his moments but there are things he does that frustrate particularly his Weepu-like watch, wait and see at the base
-
@Bones said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@ACT-Crusader yeah, weirdly halfback probably looks the weakest
Two in the AB squad (Ratima, Hotham) and TTT is injured. I don't think there are any others playing SR so then you are looking at NPC-level halfbacks. Hauiti-Parapara would be the most experienced of them.
Props and hookers have usually been the weakest in recent years.
-
@ACT-Crusader said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@ACT-Crusader yeah, weirdly halfback probably looks the weakest, although wing doesn't look that flash either.
Nock does have his moments but there are things he does that frustrate particularly his Weepu-like watch, wait and see at the base
Fast pass, slow brain. Decision making has always been the issue
-
@Duluth also never been vocal enough in getting his forwards where he needs them, somethign alot of players should learn from Aaron Smith and how he would drive his pack.
-
@taniwharugby said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Duluth also never been vocal enough in getting his forwards where he needs them, somethign alot of players should learn from Aaron Smith and how he would drive his pack.
Communication is the best skill and can turn a team of toilers into dominators. It's something that's probably best learnt playing 7s I reckon.
-
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Niuean - G and M Wrampling
Looks like the Wrampling's found some whakapapa.
Decent team especially when you think about the guys in the ABs there's an entire front row and. a spare, two halves, a 10 and a utility, and three midfielders.
Looking at that team, as has been discussed above, halfback seems the real weak area which seems weird considering there's usually at least one AB 9 running out for the Maori.
I learnt this weekend that Shalfoon is a Lebanese name, so is Shalfoon a Lebbo-Maori?
-
@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Niuean - G and M Wrampling
Looks like the Wrampling's found some whakapapa.
Who knew. I only read that he was Niuean, but I then there were a few others that I was surprised about too. When pasty white gingas can find some whakapapa then anything is possible.
-
@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Lebbo-Maori
There's more than you think... keep an eye out for Kumeroa.
-
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Niuean - G and M Wrampling
Looks like the Wrampling's found some whakapapa.
Who knew. I only read that he was Niuean, but I then there were a few others that I was surprised about too. When pasty white gingas can find some whakapapa then anything is possible.
TBF, I know a few pasty white gingas who are Maori. I'm always more surprised by the ones I think are Maori who aren't - like Flanders and Macca Springer (but probably because he's the spitting image of my cousin's boy).
Māori All Blacks squad named for 2025
