Māori All Blacks 2025

[Mr Fish]

@Tim said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

@Mr-Fish Are any of the MP players qualified?

As far as I'm aware, Jackson Garden-Bachop is the only MP player with Maori heritage. I believe he's trying to play for Samoa, however (and I don't think MP players can be selected for NZ rep sides for the first time anyway, and he's not very good).

[MacDazzler]

@Mr-Fish I'd rather pick Robinson over JGB. Robinson I thought looked quite sharp in his most recent SR game when he started.

[Mr Fish]

As a futile exercise in nothingness, this is what a Pacific All Blacks side (without any Maori players, or likely All Blacks) could look like, if they ever got one off the ground...

1 George Bower
2 Ioane Moananu
3 Saula Ma'u
4 Josh Lord
5 Naitoa Ah Kuoi
6 Samipeni Finau
7 Du'Plessis Kirifi
8 Hoskins Sotutu
9 Folau Fakatava
10 Stephen Perofeta
11 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
12 Timoci Tavatavanawai
13 AJ Lam
14 Caleb Tangitau
15 Etene Nanai-Seturo

16 Soane Vikena
17 Josh Fusitu'a
18 Tevita Mafileo
19 Jimmy Tupou
20 Christian Lio-Willie
21 Taufa Funaki
22 Xavi Taele
23 Gideon Wrampling

[Trig]

@Mr-Fish said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

4 Josh Lord

Just out of curiosity, what is Josh Lord's heritage

[Mr Fish]

@Trig said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

@Mr-Fish said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

4 Josh Lord

Just out of curiosity, what is Josh Lord's heritage

NZ and Cook Islands.

[Number 10]

[Callcentre Spunk]

@Number-10 said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

[booboo]

Any whakapapa for Gideon Wrampling?

[Mr Fish]

@booboo said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

Any whakapapa for Gideon Wrampling?

Unfortunately not.

[booboo]

@Mr-Fish said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

@booboo said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

Any whakapapa for Gideon Wrampling?

Unfortunately not.

Poo

[Fredsaua12]

Should see Zach Gallagher also feature for the NZ Māori

[Mr Fish]

@booboo Niuea and Samoa.

[Mr Fish]

@Fredsaua12 said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

Should see Zach Gallagher also feature for the NZ Māori

That would surprise me given he's heading overseas and lock is one of the few positions that MABs have plenty of options. Is Gallagher definitely eligible?

[Fredsaua12]

@Mr-Fish yeah he’s definitely eligible. Māori ABs in the past have often selected players heading off shore as the pool isn’t as large to select from. But with lock/6 depth being decent he might not get a run

[Bovidae]

Another loose forward to add to the mix is Jacob Norris.

[Mr Fish]

@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:

Another loose forward to add to the mix is Jacob Norris.

I know he's been in the squad before but given the available loosies and locks, I imagine he'll miss out on this selection.

[jamsb]

@booboo I heard a rumour he has signed a deal overseas

[cliff]

@jamsb wrampling?

[jamsb]

@cliff yep

[Mr Fish]

If, as has been noted in a few places, Laghlan McWhannell is playing for the Barbarians next weekend then he presumably won't be playing in either match for the Maori, which is a shame. But a game against South Africa is arguably more valuable than one against each of Scotland and Japan.