2019 Māori All Blacks

Stargazer

@Nepia I really don't understand what people have against Prinsep. He may not be the best loosie around, but he's also not as bad as people seem to suggest. Not a race horse, but still a useful work horse. I'd only select HB-C if there are many players unavailable; he's hardly played SR and instead played some club rugby in Taranaki.

I could copy and paste the player list, but then you take it out of context. It's included in a blog post for a reason and if I just paste the list here, nobody will look at the blog post anymore (which includes info about availability (or not) of a lot of other players).

Bovidae

@Stargazer Liam Polwart has played for the Maori previously (2017) so I would expect him to be selected if he is over his concussion symptoms.

Stargazer

@Bovidae

I refer to what I said in a previous post.

@Stargazer said in 2019 Māori All Blacks:

If you can't find a player in my picks, please, check first in the paragraph "CAPPED PLAYERS (2012-2018), WHO ARE (PROBABLY) NOT/NO LONGER AVAILABLE".

Obviously, I don't have the latest injury updates, but I've tried my best to find all the info. I've also assumed that players who didn't play rugby in NZ during the first half of the 2019 season, are probably not eligible (Abel, Manihera).

Bovidae

@Stargazer said in 2019 Māori All Blacks:

@Bovidae

I refer to what I said in a previous post.

I read that. Polwart's concussion is a recent problem as he didn't play after the Blues game in Auckland (mid-May).

The reserve Maori hooker hardly plays any minutes behind Dixon anyway.

Stargazer

@Bovidae If he's still concussed, he won't play. It's that simple. Number of minutes to be played is irrelevant.
I couldn't find any info that suggests he has recovered from that concussion (like playing club rugby last weekend). Obviously, if he's named tomorrow, he will be.

Nepia

@Stargazer I don't see what you and obviously Plumtree see and not sure how he burgled a super contract.

Stargazer

@Nepia Don't get me wrong. I'm happy for Devan Flanders to take his Canes' spot, once he's ready .. :smiling_face_with_open_mouth:

Stargazer

The Māori All Blacks squad will be named tomorrow (Wednesday).

Stargazer

Māori All Blacks squad

Forwards

Hookers:
Ash Dixon (Ngati Tahinga) Hawke's Bay / Highlanders
Nathan Harris (Ngati Apakura /Tainui) Waikato / Chiefs

Props:
Tyrel Lomax (Ngai Tuhoe/Muaupoko) Ta$man / Highlanders
Ben May (Ngati Maniapoto) Hawke's Bay / Hurricanes
Marcel Renata (Ngati Whanaunga/Ngai Takoto) Auckland/ Blues
Ross Wright (Ngati Whatua/Ngati Porou) Northland / Blues

Locks:
Tom Franklin (Ngati Maniapoto) Otago / Highlanders
Pari Pari Parkinson (Te Whanau a Apanui) Ta$man / Highlanders
Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngati Porou) Hawkes Bay / Hurricanes

Loose Forwards
Whetukamokamo Douglas (Ngati Porou/Ngati Whakaue) Canterbury / Crusaders
Elliot Dixon (Ngapuhi) Southland/ Highlanders
Akira Ioane (Ngapuhi/Te Whanau a Apanui) Auckland / Blues
Mitchell Karpik (Rongomaiwahine/Ngati Kahungunu) Bay of Plenty / Chiefs
Reed Prinsep (Te Rarawa) Canterbury / Hurricanes

Backs

Halfbacks:
Bryn Hall (Ngati Ranginui) North Harbour / Crusaders
Jonathan Ruru (Ngati Kahungunu/Rongomaiwahine) Auckland / Blues
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Ngati Pikiao) Taranaki / Chiefs

First five-eighths:
Otere Black (Ngai Tuhoe/Te Whanau a Apanui/Ngati Tuwharetoa) Manawatu / Blues
Jackson Garden-Bachop (Ngati Awa) Wellington / Hurricanes
Fletcher Smith (Ngati Kahungunu) Waikato / Hurricanes

Midfielders
Alex Nankivell (Ngapuhi) Ta$man / Chiefs
Rob Thompson (Ngati Kahungunu / Nga Rauru) Manawatu / Highlanders
Teihorangi Walden (Te Atiawa) Taranaki / Highlanders

Outside backs:
Jordan Hyland (Ngai Tahu) Northland / Highlanders
Shaun Stevenson (Ngapuhi) North Harbour / Chiefs
Sean Wainui (Ngai Tuhoe/Ngati Porou) Taranaki / Chiefs

“We have named 26 players today, with one more, likely to be a prop, to be added before we travel next week.

“We’re excited to name four new caps in Nathan Harris, Alex Nankivell, Fletcher Smith and Jordan Hyland.

“With six players (Harris, Lomax, Dixon, Ioane, Hall and Tahuriorangi) in our mix with All Blacks experience, we can take a very solid squad to Suva and then on to Rotorua.

https://www.allblacks.com/News/34357/maori-all-blacks-squad-named-for-two-match-series-against-fiji

Bovidae

Proctor not picked at all.

I assume one of the 1st 5s could be used as a fullback with only 3 outside backs selected.

Nepia

Not a bad team really although surprised to see Hyland over Lowe and surprised to even see Garden-Bachop there. Everyone complains about MMac but he's had better games at Super level than JGB has ever had.

There's some good loosies in there and Prinseep.

Also, I guess Aussie Jack is only Cook Island Maori and not NZ Maori - or is going back to Oz.

taniwharugby

@Nepia guess Hyland got there by virtue of more productive minutes on the park....

Stargazer

@Nepia said in 2019 Māori All Blacks:

Not a bad team really although surprised to see Hyland over Lowe and surprised to even see Garden-Bachop there. Everyone complains about MMac but he's had better games at Super level than JGB has ever had.

There's some good loosies in there and Prinseep.

Also, I guess Aussie Jack is only Cook Island Maori and not NZ Maori - or is going back to Oz.

From the way he looked on the Canes bench after half time on Saturday, I wonder whether Lowe is injured again?

Agree about MMac being better than JGB has ever been. Heaps better, I'd say.

Bovidae

If Ash Dixon is still the captain I will be interested in how McMillan gives meaningful minutes to Harris. One start each maybe?

Stargazer

I'm also keen to find out who are in the NZ Māori U20 squad, but I guess that team will be named later. They can't possibly name a Māori squad from this year's NZ U20 squad or even the players invited to the NZ U20s camps. Will they invite younger players from last year's NZ Schools, NZ Barbarians Schools and NZ Māori U18, or will they be allowed to select youngish players just over 20?

Nepia

@Stargazer said in 2019 Māori All Blacks:

I'm also keen to find out who are in the NZ Māori U20 squad, but I guess that team will be named later. They can't possibly name a Māori squad from this year's NZ U20 squad or even the players invited to the NZ U20s camps. Will they invite younger players from last year's NZ Schools, NZ Barbarians Schools and NZ Māori U18, or will they be allowed to select youngish players just over 20?

I’m assuming they can find 26 odd U20 Maori players for the team throughout the country - I don’t think they all have to be in line for NZ U20s.

Nepia

@taniwharugby said in 2019 Māori All Blacks:

@Nepia guess Hyland got there by virtue of more productive minutes on the park....

I might probably not a good judge on his form - I couldn’t even remember which Super team he played for.

Stargazer

@Nepia I think looking at the players of the 2018 school squads - who will be 19 by now - and the U20s teams of the SR franchises would be the right approach. We'll see which players make it. If they can be bothered to announce the team at all.

Yeetyaah

@Stargazer Nathan Harris Waikato? He's a steamer though. Surely he isn't moving.

Bovidae

@Yeetyaah said in 2019 Māori All Blacks:

@Stargazer Nathan Harris Waikato? He's a steamer though. Surely he isn't moving.

Good question. I doubt he was expecting to be playing any provincial rugby.

The Silver Fern

2019 Māori All Blacks