Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?
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Anyone else notice that All Blacks site is now saying coming soon MABs vs Ireland????
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The dates of Ireland’s summer Test series against the All Blacks have been confirmed with Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington set to each host a game. Two separate tour matches, expected to be against the New Zealand Maori, are to be announced at a later date.
Dates confirmed for Ireland’s July Test series in New Zealand
Ireland to play the All Blacks in Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington in early July
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yeah cool, lets not build our depth by excluding a huge number of players from getting much needed experience
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@Dan54 said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
Anyone else notice that All Blacks site is now saying coming soon MABs vs Ireland????
When I was buying tickets for the Auckland test last week there was a graphic with no live link for the Māori game(s).
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Should be able to put out a reasonable team if everyone is available. Something like:
1.Ollie Norris
2.Kurt Eklund
3.Jermaine Ainsley
4.Isaia Walker-Leawere
5.Manaaki Selby-Rickitt
6.Luke Jacobson/Caleb Delany
7.Billy Harmon
8.Marino Mikaele-Tu'u
9.TJ Perenara/Brad Weber/Cortez Ratima
10.Stephen Perofeta
11.Shaun Stevenson
12.Quinn Tupaea/Alex Nankivell
13.Bailyn Sullivan
14.Jonah Lowe
15.Zarn Sullivan16.Tyrone Thompson
17.Pouri Rakete-Stones/Tamaiti Williams/Atu Moli
18.Tyrel Lomax
19.Josh Dickson
20.Tyler Laubscher
21.Cortez Ratima/Bryn Hall
22.Josh Ioane
23.Billy Proctor -
@bobily2 You've included quite a few non-Māori players in that squad.
I'll publish an article on the Fern's home page soon with the contenders.
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@Stargazer said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
@bobily2 You've included quite a few non-Māori players in that squad.
I'll publish an article on the Fern's home page soon with the contenders.
Doesn't surprise me, I'm not at my best today.
I think it's just Perofeta and MMT that are ineligible? Perhaps Moli?
Edit: Maybe Laubscher too. Google was tricking me by bringing up a Maori All Blacks story combined with another about Manawatu players on development contracts.
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@bobily2 said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
@Stargazer said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
@bobily2 You've included quite a few non-Māori players in that squad.
I'll publish an article on the Fern's home page soon with the contenders.
Doesn't surprise me, I'm not at my best today.
I think it's just Perofeta and MMT that are ineligible? Perhaps Moli?
Isn't Laubscher a Saffa? Would Ainsley be eligible considering he's a Wallaby? I don't think Jacobsen is Maori either.
Also, if it's everyone available then Coles and Taylor are probably the two hookers chosen.
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@bobily2 As I said, I'll publish an article with the contenders soon. Laubscher is South African.
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@Nepia said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
Also, if it's everyone available then Coles and Taylor are probably the two hookers chosen.
They will be midweek games so likely no ABs involved, unless some squadies are released.
If Ainsley is now eligible for the ABs I suppose he is.
Definitely no to Jacobson.
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@Bovidae said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
@Nepia said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
Also, if it's everyone available then Coles and Taylor are probably the two hookers chosen.
They will be midweek games so likely no ABs involved, unless some squadies are released.
If Ainsley is now eligible for the ABs I suppose he is.
Definitely no to Jacobson.
Boo. Still @bobily2 did say if everyone was available so I was just going off that.
There was a bit of an Ioane sized hole in that lineup I didn't even pick up on if that was the case.
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@Nepia Maybe DMac is back in time to play.
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@Bovidae said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
@Nepia Maybe DMac is back in time to play.
I didn't even realise he was coming back so soon. Good chance to get him back into NZ rugby and see how his form is.
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@Bovidae If he's considered eligible without playing games in NZ first. TJP wasn't considered for the July Series, last year. Or are there different rules for ABs and MABs?
Edit: and obviously needs to sign a contract with NZR, too.
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@Stargazer I was assuming he would have done all that. I honestly don't know what the latest is with DMac and his contract negotiations, other than he will be returning after the Japanese Top League has finished. Happy for him to play for Waikato too.
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@Nepia said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
@Bovidae said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
@Nepia said in Maori All Blacks vs Ireland?:
Also, if it's everyone available then Coles and Taylor are probably the two hookers chosen.
They will be midweek games so likely no ABs involved, unless some squadies are released.
If Ainsley is now eligible for the ABs I suppose he is.
Definitely no to Jacobson.
Boo. Still @bobily2 did say if everyone was available so I was just going off that.
There was a bit of an Ioane sized hole in that lineup I didn't even pick up on if that was the case.
... Smith ...
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Posted on the Fern's home page: article with list of contenders.
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I would think that Jacob Norris would have to be included so they aren't just relying on Harmon as a 7. That's a position lacking some quality and depth for the Māori.
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@Bovidae You'd think so, except that last year they initially only named 3 loosies (Prinsep, Harmon, Douglas), then later called up J Norris, who was named on the bench for the first game against Samoa, but left out of the second, when they gave Josh Dickson the 20 jersey. This move from Dickson from 19 to 20 was due to Parkinson returning into the squad. So they preferred Dickson as a reserve loosie over Jacob Norris.
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Yeah, but Samoa isn't Ireland and you wouldn't want to have to use Prinsep at 7 if Harmon went off early. Hell, you could form a better loose forward trio without Prinsep altogether.
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@Bovidae You'd hope they name a squad of at least 26 players, so there's room for at least 4 loosies. Whether they pick a reserve that covers 6/8 or 7 will probably depend on the quality of the eligible players that are available. There may be more eligible players than we're aware of. Who knows, they may suddenly discover that Adrian Choat or Blake Gibson have Māori ancestry!
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Cirikidaveta?
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@Bones Technically, he doesn't play in NZ anymore, does he? It's a bit unclear now, as he may return to play for the Mako. Anyway, there's a chance he may be picked to play for Fiji. Agree he would be a good option for the Māori All Blacks though.
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Is TK Howden maori ? His first name sounds like it.
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@cgrant Yes. I found his name here: https://www.manawaturugby.co.nz/images/MRU_Squad_Notice.pdf
and this article seems to imply it, too:
Super Rugby Pacific squads announced
The inaugural Super Rugby Pasifika squads have been confirmed today, with a number of players moving franchises in 2022, stars returning from overseas...
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@Bones said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
Cirikidaveta?
Te Karere - Te Araroa raised Fijian Drua star meets his father for...
Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta waited 24 years to meet his father but was reunited with him in Suva before the Drua’s game against the Highlanders last week....
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@Higgins ?
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@Bones Just showing that he is Maori eligible.
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@Higgins said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
@Bones Just showing that he is Maori eligible.
Oh! Yeah I already knew that.
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@Higgins Yeah, that's been long known, but as I said in my reply to Bones, he's technically playing outside NZ, which could make him ineligible, just like playing for any other team outside NZ does. The only thing that could possibly help him is his Mako contract.
Or he could play for Fiji.
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Confirmed:
Māori All Blacks to play two-match series against Ireland
The Māori All Blacks will play Ireland in two mid-week matches in Hamilton and Wellington this July New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced today.
The Māori All Blacks will play Ireland in two mid-week matches in Hamilton and Wellington this July New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced today.
The first match will be at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on Wednesday 29 June at 7.05pm with the second at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Tuesday 12 July at 7.05pm. Both matches will be live and exclusive on SKY.
Ireland will bring an expanded squad to cater for the two mid-week matches which will be in addition to the three Test Steinlager Series against the All Blacks.
The Māori All Blacks have played Ireland on two previous occasions, the most famous being the New Zealand Natives 13-4 win at Landsdowne Road in Dublin in 1888. The only other match between the two sides was in 2010 at Rotorua International Stadium where the Māori All Blacks won a thrilling match 31-28.McMillan is still the head coach:
McMillan will name his squad for the series next month including a new captain after respected hooker Ash Dixon’s departure for Japan last year after leading the team to a two-match series win over Manu Samoa.
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Good they have confirmed it as they been advertising corporate boxes etc for last week or so. Personally think it's great and trying to decide whether to go up to Hamilton for game, or down to Wellington where I got tickets for test, and perhaps have a holiday in Waiarapa for a couple of days.
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It annoys the heck out of me that they're both in one of the main centres. Geez, give one of the smaller provinces a game!
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So the first game is before the 1st test, and the second game between the 2nd and 3rd tests.
I thought they might play a game in Rotorua but it's not a great venue for a night game. That 2010 game against Ireland was good fun to be at though.
@Stargazer Like Napier? I agree, and they could have played the July 12 game there, but obviously Ireland probably prefer to be based in Wellington for the entire week.
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@Bovidae 2010 Maori abs is when I first took real notice of Aaron Smith , I thought geez that lad out of manawatu is going to be a star for the canes! wasn't to be tho as Hammett opted for Tyson Keats
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@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
So the first game is before the 1st test, and the second game between the 2nd and 3rd tests.
I thought they might play a game in Rotorua but it's not a great venue for a night game. That 2010 game against Ireland was good fun to be at though.
@Stargazer Like Napier? I agree, and they could have played the July 12 game there, but obviously Ireland probably prefer to be based in Wellington for the entire week.
Rotorua is out of action for the season. Resurfacing or something that has had covid delays
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@FakatavaFuture said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
@Bovidae 2010 Maori abs is when I first took real notice of Aaron Smith , I thought geez that lad out of manawatu is going to be a star for the canes! wasn't to be tho as Hammett opted for Tyson Keats
That almost sums up the Hammatuer perfectly
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Didn't realise it when I posted that, but I see the first game of 29 June is on the same day as the first Heartland Ranfurly Shield game. That would have been a perferct opportunity for McLean Park to have both games. The Ranfurly Shield game as the curtain-raiser, say at 6.00pm, and then the Māori ABs at the main event at 8.15pm.
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@Stargazer I would imagine the locations were chosen in consultation with Ireland for minimal disruption for the test week preparations - i.e. the Hamilton game is in the leadup to the Eden Park test and the Wellington game in the leadup to the Wellington test.
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@KiwiMurph You may be right, although it's only a one-hour flight. Just hoping they move that Ranfurly Shield game now. Attendance at mid-week games, esp against opposition like Heartland teams, is usually already lower, but if the game is at the same time, or on the afternoon of the Māori All Blacks game, they can forget having even a small crowd at McLean Park.
The Ranfurly Shield game was planned for a Wednesday, because we have so many SR players now that most players for that RS game will have to come from club rugby, so they can't play the game on a Saturday.
Māori All Blacks to play Ireland - The Silver Fern
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