Māori All Blacks 2025
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@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Niuean - G and M Wrampling
Looks like the Wrampling's found some whakapapa.
Decent team especially when you think about the guys in the ABs there's an entire front row and. a spare, two halves, a 10 and a utility, and three midfielders.
Looking at that team, as has been discussed above, halfback seems the real weak area which seems weird considering there's usually at least one AB 9 running out for the Maori.
I learnt this weekend that Shalfoon is a Lebanese name, so is Shalfoon a Lebbo-Maori?
@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Lebbo-Maori
There's more than you think... keep an eye out for Kumeroa.
https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/807/Shalfoon Brothers Shop Buildings (Former)
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@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Niuean - G and M Wrampling
Looks like the Wrampling's found some whakapapa.
Who knew. I only read that he was Niuean, but I then there were a few others that I was surprised about too. When pasty white gingas can find some whakapapa then anything is possible.
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Niuean - G and M Wrampling
Looks like the Wrampling's found some whakapapa.
Who knew. I only read that he was Niuean, but I then there were a few others that I was surprised about too. When pasty white gingas can find some whakapapa then anything is possible.
TBF, I know a few pasty white gingas who are Maori. I'm always more surprised by the ones I think are Maori who aren't - like Flanders and Macca Springer (but probably because he's the spitting image of my cousin's boy).
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@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Niuean - G and M Wrampling
Looks like the Wrampling's found some whakapapa.
Who knew. I only read that he was Niuean, but I then there were a few others that I was surprised about too. When pasty white gingas can find some whakapapa then anything is possible.
TBF, I know a few pasty white gingas who are Maori. I'm always more surprised by the ones I think are Maori who aren't - like Flanders and Macca Springer (but probably because he's the spitting image of my cousin's boy).
Carter and Reihana look like they could be brothers.
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@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Niuean - G and M Wrampling
Looks like the Wrampling's found some whakapapa.
Who knew. I only read that he was Niuean, but I then there were a few others that I was surprised about too. When pasty white gingas can find some whakapapa then anything is possible.
TBF, I know a few pasty white gingas who are Maori. I'm always more surprised by the ones I think are Maori who aren't - like Flanders and Macca Springer (but probably because he's the spitting image of my cousin's boy).
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TBF, I know a few pasty white gingas who are Maori. I'm always more surprised by the ones I think are Maori who aren't - like Flanders and Macca Springer (but probably because he's the spitting image of my cousin's boy).
Ihaia West
@hikastags West has a number of distinct Maori features though.
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@Bones said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@ACT-Crusader yeah, weirdly halfback probably looks the weakest
Two in the AB squad (Ratima, Hotham) and TTT is injured. I don't think there are any others playing SR so then you are looking at NPC-level halfbacks. Hauiti-Parapara would be the most experienced of them.
Props and hookers have usually been the weakest in recent years.
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@Bovidae I thought Nui Muriwai ( wgtn) and Quintony Ngatai ( Waikato) all looked better than Parapara in last year's NPC
@Kiwidom said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae I thought Nui Muriwai ( wgtn) and Quintony Ngatai ( Waikato) all looked better than Parapara in last year's NPC
Those are the other two names I immediately thought of if an NPC halfback was going to be selected. Ngatai is a PE teacher, so probably not available anyway.
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Props / Poumua
Benet Kumeroa (Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi/Bay of Plenty/Chiefs)
Jared Proffit* (Ngāti Porou/Taranaki/Chiefs)
Pouri Rakete-Stones (Ngāpuhi/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)
Kershawl Sykes-Martin* (Ngāti Porou/ Ta$man/Crusaders)
Mason Tupaea* (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru/Waikato/Blues)Hookers / Waekape
Jacob Devery* (Te Aitanga a Mahaki/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)
Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu/Bay of Plenty/Blues)Locks / Pouwhītiki
Zach Gallagher* (Te Ātiawa/Canterbury/Hurricanes)
Laghlan McWhannell (Ngāti Kahungunu/Waikato/Blues)
Antonio Shalfoon* (Whakatōhea/ Ta$man/Crusaders)
Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)Loose forwards / Pouwātea
Nikora Broughton (Ngārauru, Ngāti Ruanui/Bay of Plenty/Highlanders)
Jahrome Brown* (Ngāti Porou/Waikato/Chiefs)
Caleb Delany (Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Wellington/Hurricanes)
Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue/Canterbury/Crusaders)
Te Kamaka Howden (Tūhoe/Manawatū/Highlanders)Half Backs / Poutoko
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara* (Ngāi Tai, Ngāti Porou/Auckland)
Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi/Northland/Blues)First five-eighths / Topatahi
Rivez Reihana (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine/Northland/Crusaders)
Kaleb Trask (Ngāpuhi/Bay of Plenty/Chiefs)Midfield / Topapū
Corey Evans (Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kahu/Northland/Blues)
Bailyn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu/Waikato/Hurricanes)
Daniel Rona (Te Ātiawa/Taranaki/Chiefs)
Xavi Taele* (Ngāi Tahu/Auckland/Blues)
Gideon Wrampling* (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine/Waikato/Chiefs)Outside Backs / Pouwaho
Cole Forbes (Ngāti Awa/Bay of Plenty/Blues)
Jonah Lowe (Ngāti Pikiao/Hawke’s Bay/Highlanders)
Zarn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu/Hawke’s Bay/Blues)Injury Cover/Kaiwhakakapi - Kade Banks* (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua/North Harbour/Hurricanes) has joined the squad as temporary injury cover for Daniel Rona.
The following players were not considered due to injury / Te hunga whara:
Rameka Poihipi (Ngāti Whakaue)
Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi)
Taha Kemara (Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa)
Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whānaunga)
Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Ngāti Raukawa) -
@Bovidae What's the deal with Naitoa Ah Kuoi? Not selected in squad or named as unavailable due to injury
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@Bovidae What's the deal with Naitoa Ah Kuoi? Not selected in squad or named as unavailable due to injury
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@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Ah Kuoi speaks Samoan so I assume that is his ethnicity.
Fred Ah Kuoi kiwi league stand off in the 70s and early 80s was Samoan
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@Trig said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae What's the deal with Naitoa Ah Kuoi? Not selected in squad or named as unavailable due to injury
Is he Maori?
@booboo said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Is he Maori?
Mostly or all Samoan https://www.thecoconet.tv/coco-talanoa/sports/champions-of-the-pacific-ken-and-naitoa-ah/
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@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Ah Kuoi speaks Samoan so I assume that is his ethnicity.
Fred Ah Kuoi kiwi league stand off in the 70s and early 80s was Samoan
@kiwiinmelb said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Fred Ah Kuoi
According to Wikipedia "[Fred] Ah Kuoi made his international début for New Zealand Māori in 1975, at the age of 18. He toured Australia with the side, participated in the 1975 Pacific Cup and faced Australia, Wales, England and France in New Zealand.[5] "
The article I mentioned in a nearby post said Naitoa is related to Fred (if related to Fred then related to John Kirwan!)
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That is the reason why we shouldn't be using the Maori right now.
Ceremonial match once a year, or change the criteria, or bring out the fucking ABXV for these matches.Happy to die on this hill - NZRU not a professional organization, we should be developing and playing the guys at the next level down, regardless of their whakapapa.
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That is the reason why we shouldn't be using the Maori right now.
Ceremonial match once a year, or change the criteria, or bring out the fucking ABXV for these matches.Happy to die on this hill - NZRU not a professional organization, we should be developing and playing the guys at the next level down, regardless of their whakapapa.
@gt12 said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
That is the reason why we shouldn't be using the Maori right now.
Ceremonial match once a year, or change the criteria, or bring out the fucking ABXV for these matches.Happy to die on this hill - NZRU not a professional organization, we should be developing and playing the guys at the next level down, regardless of their whakapapa.
I think they do it for "professional" reasons - IIRC it costs less and they are able to get a better fee for the team than the AB XV.
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@gt12 said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
That is the reason why we shouldn't be using the Maori right now.
Ceremonial match once a year, or change the criteria, or bring out the fucking ABXV for these matches.Happy to die on this hill - NZRU not a professional organization, we should be developing and playing the guys at the next level down, regardless of their whakapapa.
I think they do it for "professional" reasons - IIRC it costs less and they are able to get a better fee for the team than the AB XV.
@Nepia said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@gt12 said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
That is the reason why we shouldn't be using the Maori right now.
Ceremonial match once a year, or change the criteria, or bring out the fucking ABXV for these matches.Happy to die on this hill - NZRU not a professional organization, we should be developing and playing the guys at the next level down, regardless of their whakapapa.
I think they do it for "professional" reasons - IIRC it costs less and they are able to get a better fee for the team than the AB XV.
Fine, then relax the criteria.
The NZ Maori are our second team and promote the role of Maori in shaping the fabric of rugby in New Zealand.
Players will develop a stronger understanding of Tikanga Māori and its role as a core component of rugby in NZ, regardless of whether they have Maori whakapapa.
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@kiwiinmelb said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Fred Ah Kuoi
According to Wikipedia "[Fred] Ah Kuoi made his international début for New Zealand Māori in 1975, at the age of 18. He toured Australia with the side, participated in the 1975 Pacific Cup and faced Australia, Wales, England and France in New Zealand.[5] "
The article I mentioned in a nearby post said Naitoa is related to Fred (if related to Fred then related to John Kirwan!)
@nostrildamus said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
@kiwiinmelb said in Māori All Blacks 2025:
Fred Ah Kuoi
According to Wikipedia "[Fred] Ah Kuoi made his international début for New Zealand Māori in 1975, at the age of 18. He toured Australia with the side, participated in the 1975 Pacific Cup and faced Australia, Wales, England and France in New Zealand.[5] "
The article I mentioned in a nearby post said Naitoa is related to Fred (if related to Fred then related to John Kirwan!)
Yeah in those day’s because there were fewer of them I guess ( and people questioned things less
) Samoans played for the Maori league team , Dennis Williams , James leuluai did too .Fred was born in Samoa
