Māori All Blacks to play Samoa
Māori All Blacks to play Samoa
NZR has announced a series of All Blacks and Māori All Blacks matches to be played in June/July 2021. While the All Blacks will play test matches against Fiji (2) and Tonga, the Māori All Blacks will play two matches against Samoa. The first on Saturday, 26 June 2021 at Sky Stadium in Wellington and the second on Saturday, 3 July 2021 at Mt Smart Stadium (Auckland). The first of these two games hasn't been confirmed by NZR yet, but has been announced by Manu Samoa.
Samoa will also play two RWC2023 qualifiers against Tonga on 10 and 17 July (Auckland and Hamilton).
2021 Māori All Blacks coaching staff
Māori All Blacks Head Coach is once again Clayton McMillan (Chiefs, Interim Head Coach). The names of the assistant coaches haven't been published, yet. In previous years, Roger Randle (Waikato, Assistant Coach) was one of the assistant coaches and he may again be part of McMillan's coaching staff. The other 2020 assistant coach, Tony Brown, won't be available and is likely to be replaced.
The 2021 Māori All Blacks squad
Squad size
The squad will likely consist of no more than 26 players (15 forwards and 11 backs).
I've looked at the availability of players who have been capped for the Māori All Blacks in previous years, are still playing and available (in New Zealand and not injured).
Starting point below is the 2020 squad:
- Strikethrough: player not or no longer available.
- Added in italics: players capped before 2020.
- Asterisk: possible new cap (playing SR and/or Mitre 10 Cup)
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| LH prop | Pouri Rakete-Stones (also TH), Ross Wright |
| Hooker | Ash Dixon, Kurt Eklund, Nathan Harris, Leni Apisai, Joe Royal (also prop), Quentin MacDonald |
| TH prop | Marcel Renata, Josh Hohneck (also LH), Tamaiti Williams (also LH), Namatahi Waa |
| Lock | Isaia Walker-Leawere, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Ethan Roots (also loosie), Pari Pari Parkinson, Keepa Mewett, Leighton Price |
| Loosies | Whetukamokamo Douglas (6/8), Liam Messam (6/8), Billy Harmon (7), |
| Halfback | Bryn Hall, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Sam Nock, Jonathan Ruru, * Ereatara Enari |
| First five-eighth | Otere Black, Josh Ioane, Marty McKenzie, * Ruben Love |
| Midfield backs | Quinn Tupaea, Billy Proctor, Rameka Poihipi, Alex Nankivell, Rene Ranger |
| Outside backs | Kaleb Trask (15), Sean Wainui (also midfield), Shaun Stevenson, Jonah Lowe, Mathew Skipwith-Garland, Jordan Hyland, Nehe Milner-Skudder, * Zarn Sullivan (15/10), * Bailyn Sullivan |
Likely to be unavailable due to being named in the All Blacks squad: Codie Taylor, Dane Coles, Tyrel Lomax, Akira Ioane, Brad Weber, Damian McKenzie and Rieko Ioane.
There are a few other players that I haven't included in the list, because I don't know whether they have any Māori lineage. Examples are Josh Goodhue and Lachlan Boshier.
Are there significant omissions in the above list? Have I forgotten anyone?
The difference between squads for June/July matches and November/December matches is that the selection for the first are largely based on Super Rugby selection and performance, while for the latter, playing NPC will also play a role.
Which team would you pick from the above list?
I'd probably go for:
1 Pouri Rakete-Stones
2 Ash Dixon (c)
3 Tamaiti Williams
4 Isaia Walker-Leawere
5 Pari Pari Parkinson
6 Whetukamokamo Douglas
7 Billy Harmon
8 Liam Messam
9 Bryn Hall
10 Otere Black
11 Jonah Lowe
12 Quinn Tupaea
13 Billy Proctor
14 Sean Wainui
15 Zarn Sullivan
16 Kurt Eklund
17 Josh Hohneck
18 Marcel Renata
19 Manaaki Selby-Rickit
20 Reed Prinsep
21 Sam Nock
22 Ruben Love
23 Shaun Stevenson or Bailyn Sullivan
@stargazer I wouldn't be so sure Lomax makes the AB squad so he might be better to play for the Maori. Hohneck starts, as he did against MP.
Josh Ioane would be in the 23 ahead of Love.
@bovidae You may be right, but I wrote down a list (in my second post) of who I would select, not who I expect to be named by McMillan. 
I tried to pick a slightly younger squad - where possible - so started Williams and Rakete-Stones (esp. because they've now more Super Rugby experience than before the MP game). You're probably right about Ioane, although he played for MP and not MABs, and hasn't set the world on fire for quite a while now. Love is probably a bit too green, though.
@bovidae said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
@stargazer I wouldn't be so sure Lomax makes the AB squad so he might be better to play for the Maori. Hohneck starts, as he did against MP.
Josh Ioane would be in the 23 ahead of Love.
I’d actually start him in the starting lineup at either 10 or 15.
@act-crusader how's Connor Garden-Bachop coming along? I'd have him at somewhere in that 23 if he's available.
@stargazer Good timing for me, as I'll be up in Wellington for the marathon that weekend so definitely will head along to that. Never been to a rugby game there either (only been to a football game there).
It will be interesting to see if he goes back to Wellington. In an article in April, he said his provincial future was still to be sorted out.
Garden-Bachop making impact for his father’s team
His old man was Highlander No1. He is Highlander No300. So 298 players have passed through the Highlanders doors between father and son in the...
"His provincial future is up in the air but he is signed up with the Highlanders until next year."
@kiwimurph said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
With such logjam of loosies in the AB mix i'd expect to see Akira released to play for Maori ABs allowing ABs to get a look at other loosies (Blackadder etc).
After his efforts in black last season, I expect he will be given first crack this year.
The 2021 squad has been named:
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Māori All Blacks Coach Clayton McMillan has named a strong squad ahead of their two-match series against Manu Samoa.
It will be the first time the sides have met since 2008, with matches at Sky Stadium in Wellington (June 26) and an exciting double header alongside the All Blacks and Tonga at Mt Smart in Auckland (July 3).
The squad features two debutants, 21-year-old Waikato and Chiefs prop Ollie Norris along with Otago and Highlanders loose forward Josh Dickson.
McMillan is joined in the coaching group again by Roger Randle and for the first time, Chris Gibbes, from the Hurricanes.
Established squad announced for Māori All Blacks campaign
Māori All Blacks Coach Clayton McMillan has named a strong squad ahead of their two-match series against Manu Samoa.
@bovidae said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
I am always surprised to see some of the new players who have Maori ancestry.
Guarantees that Lomax will be in the AB squad.
And I guess it precludes a few that were fringe as well, unless injury strikes. Not many loose forwards!
@bovidae said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
I am always surprised to see some of the new players who have Maori ancestry.
Guarantees that Lomax will be in the AB squad.
I don’t get why this team is named before the All Blacks.
@gt12 Maybe because their first game is on June 26. Perhaps they will add a couple of players once the AB squad is named?
Edit: There is the bare minimum of hookers, halfbacks and loose forwards. And where does TJP fit in?
@bovidae said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
@gt12 Maybe because their first game is on June 26. Perhaps they will add a couple of players once the AB squad is named?
Edit: There is the bare minimum of hookers, halfbacks and loose forwards. And where does TJP fit in?
So name the All Blacks earlier.
@bovidae said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
@gt12 Maybe because their first game is on June 26. Perhaps they will add a couple of players once the AB squad is named?
Edit: There is the bare minimum of hookers, halfbacks and loose forwards. And where does TJP fit in?
Fullback also. Two half-fullbacks (Stevenson/Trask) make one.
@bovidae said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
@crucial Ioane is also an option at fullback.
May not be if Black's injury amounts to something.
From that article:
It’s unlikely the Māori All Blacks will play any overseas games at the end of the year, so the two games against Samoa, at Sky Stadium in Wellington on June 26 and a double header alongside the All Blacks v Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on July 3, will be it for 2021.
@nepia said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
I'm surprised not to see Zarn Sullivan there, unless he's a surprise AB inclusion.
I assume ABs will supplement the squad even when named in the ABs.
Curious that all the outside backs are from the Chiefs. You could hardly say that Stevenson or Trask were in-form.
@tim said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
@nepia said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
I'm surprised not to see Zarn Sullivan there, unless he's a surprise AB inclusion.
I assume ABs will supplement the squad even when named in the ABs.
Curious that all the outside backs are from the Chiefs. You could hardly say that Stevenson or Trask were in-form.
Slim pickings really. CGB would have been nice to have.
Zarn Sullivan is the big omission but that could be for other reasons.
@tim It may have to do with the fact that the Chiefs have most Māori outside backs. There aren't that many in other squads. I can only think of Connor Garden-Bachop (injured), NMS (hardly played), Bryce Heem and Zarn Sullivan at other franchises (not including Rieko and Dmac, who'll be with the ABs).
@stargazer Nankivell had a broken hand. After checking, Fletcher Smith was also in the squad but wasn't in the 23 that played.
1.Pouri Rakete-Stones, 2.Ash Dixon (captain), 3.Josh Hohneck, 4.Isaia Walker-Leawere, 5.Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 6.Whetukamokamo Douglas, 7.Billy Harmon, 8.Liam Messam, 9.Bryn Hall, 10.Otere Black, 11.Sean Wainui, 12.Quinn Tupaea, 13.Billy Proctor, 14.Shaun Stevenson, 15.Kaleb Trask.
Substitutes: 16.Kurt Eklund, 17.Ross Wright, 18.Tamaiti Williams, 19.Ethan Roots, 20.Mitchell Karpik, 21.Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22.Rameka Poihipi, 23.Mathew Skipwith-Garland
Wright was a late replacement for Renata.
@bobily2 said in 2021 Māori All Blacks:
Not suggesting he should make the All Blacks, but does that exclusion of Heem from this squad suggest he could be in the running?
He's been playing well, and I would've thought he'd be there ahead of Stevenson and Lowe.
Ugh I hope not