Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?
-
@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.
-
@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.
-
@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 ...
-
Posted on the Fern's home page: article with list of contenders.
https://www.thesilverfern.com/post/undefined-maori-all-blacks-to-play-ireland
-
-
@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.
-
-
@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!
-
@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.
-
-
@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:
https://www.teaomaori.news/super-rugby-pacific-squads-announced
-
@Bones said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
Cirikidaveta?
29K views · 1.5K reactions | Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta waited 24 years...
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. The forward was raised by his mother on the East...
-
-
@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.
-
Confirmed:
https://www.allblacks.com/news/maori-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 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.
-
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.
