Māori All Blacks 2025
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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.
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@ACT-Crusader yeah, weirdly halfback probably looks the weakest, although wing doesn't look that flash either.
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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.
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@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
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@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.
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@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
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@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.
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@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.
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@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?
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@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.
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@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Lebbo-Maori
There's more than you think... keep an eye out for Kumeroa.
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@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).
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@hikastags West has a number of distinct Maori features though.
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@Kiwidom said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae I thought Nui Muriwai ( wgtn) and Quintony Ngatai ( Waikato) all looked better than Parapara in last year's NPC
Those are the other two names I immediately thought of if an NPC halfback was going to be selected. Ngatai is a PE teacher, so probably not available anyway.
