EOYT 2017
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@Crucial Actually they've updated the article since I posted it - the article originally was referring to the actual AB team, how they are World Champions etc.
Original text had: The world famous New Zealand All Blacks rugby team is coming to town, as the reigning Rugby World Cup champions will play Canada on November 3.
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Straight from the source:
http://www.allblacks.com/News/31203/maori-all-blacks-to-play-canada-in-vancouver.
Edited to add:Dr Palmer said that the team’s third fixture for the year (having played the British and Irish Lions this year) would be announced in the coming weeks.
The question is whether that next game to be announced will be in Europe, so the ABs can use it to give game time to some of their players again.
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I don't recall any official announcement, but the All Blacks website now includes another Māori All Blacks game, except that the date is wrong (obviously):
The game was already announced on the French Barbarians website on 22 August, but hasn't been picked up by the (NZ) media:
That's Saturday 11 November, 7.30am NZT in Bordeaux.
A day later, the All Blacks play France in Paris and then play a French XV team on 15 November NZT in Lyon. So clearly, some Māori players who don't get a run against France, will play against the French Barbarians.
According to the French Barbarians twitter account, Clermont head coach Franck Azéma and his assistant Bernard Goutta will coach the French Barbarians.
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@Stargazer said in EOYT 2017:
The Māori All Blacks have played the French Barbarians before, in 1988:
I think I've watched this video before. Highlight was David Kirk, as captain of the French BaaBaas giving a very uninspiring half time team talk with Peter Fitzsimmons as his occasional interpreter when his French gets muddled up.
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I fear the 2017 Maori All Blacks could be the weakest team for years. Probable team :
15 Marty MacKenzie
14 Jonah Lowe
13 Proctor
12 Walden
11 ?
10 West
9 TTT
8 Dixon
7 Pryor
6 Pryor
5 Franklin
4 Price
3 ?
2 Dixon
1 EvesI think a Junior All Blacks team would have been more competitive and more interesting as a reserve pool for the All Blacks.
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I fear the 2017 Maori All Blacks could be the weakest team for years. Probable team :
15 Marty MacKenzie
14 Jonah Lowe
13 Proctor
12 Walden
11 ?
10 West
9 TTT
8 Dixon
7 Pryor
6 Pryor
5 Franklin
4 Price
3 ?
2 Dixon
1 EvesI think a Junior All Blacks team would have been more competitive and more interesting as a reserve pool for the All Blacks.
JABs is hardly ever used though because it is the designated number two team that counts toward locking you in under WR rules (unless that has changed).
You will get guys already committed happy to play but those that want to keep options open should they not make the ABs would be reluctant to join in. -
I fear the 2017 Maori All Blacks could be the weakest team for years. Probable team :
15. Marty MacKenzie
14. Jonah Lowe
13. Proctor
12. Walden
11. ?
10. West
9. TTT
8. Dixon
7. Pryor
6. Pryor
5. Franklin
4. Price
3. ?
2. Dixon- Eves
I think a Junior All Blacks team would have been more competitive and more interesting as a reserve pool for the All Blacks.
JABs is hardly ever used though because it is the designated number two team that counts toward locking you in under WR rules (unless that has changed).
You will get guys already committed happy to play but those that want to keep options open should they not make the ABs would be reluctant to join in.Maybe less so now that's it's 5 rather than 3 years before you can play for Ireland...but for those qualified by grannie rule for the Pacific islands it could still be a big call.
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@cgrant Looking at the team fielded in June:
1 Kane Hames
2 Ash Dixon (captain)
3 Ben May
4 Joe Wheeler -> to be replaced by Leighton Price
5 Tom Franklin
6 Akira Ioane
7 Elliot Dixon
8 Liam Messam -> Jordan Manihera*
9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow -> Brynn Hall
10 Damian McKenzie -> Ihaia West
11 Rieko Ioane -> needs to be replaced
12 Charlie Ngatai
13 Matt Proctor
14 Nehe Milner-Skudder - Jonah Lowe* (or left wing)
15 James Lowe -> Marty McKenzieReserves
16 Hikawera Elliot - Leni Apisai or Joe Royal
17 Chris Eves
18 Marcel Renata
19 Leighton Price -> Jacob Skeen
20 Kara Pryor
21 Bryn Hall - TTT*, Enari or Hauiti-Parapara
22 Ihaia West - Otere Black
23 Rob ThompsonMaybe Bateman and/or Tiaan Falcon* also in the squad. Both can cover 10 and 12. Jason Emery is also an option.
Because they are likely to use the Maori ABs as another reserve squad for the ABs, they can easily put Hames & A Ioane in there, because they're not full AB squad members now either. But they could pick Mike Kainga if Hames ends up in the AB squad and Reed Prinsep for Akira.
Wing seems to be the most difficult position. For the wing, Guildford could be an option if the NZR can finally see he's on the right track with his mental health issues. Anyway, wingers must come from the Mitre 10 Cup squads, because the SR wingers (if not in the ABs) seem to be either PI or Pakeha, but not Maori?
*=uncapped
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Tamati Tua is another that will have his hand up for the Maori, can play 12/13 too possibly Namatahi Waa for front row.
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@Bones Easy thing to say; which two wings do you think will make it? There are not many Maori wings. Do you think they'll go for (former) sevens players like Ambrose Curtis, Joe Webber and/or Declan O'Donnell again (assuming they won't be in the sevens squad)?