Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?

[Crucial]

@ACT-Crusader said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:

@Crucial I had Zahn on the wing. Bailyn has had a real breakout year no doubt.

I quite like Moorby’s game at the back. Has good workrate and knows how to get into the line.

Could be the way they go but it could also constrain the wingers, both of whom would have better clearing kicks than Moorby and may have to hang back.

I do want to see Moorby at this level though so maybe it will be a case of mixing things up between games.

[Stargazer]

Māori All Blacks squad named for two-match Ireland series

Māori All Blacks Coach Clayton McMillan has named a strong squad ahead of his team’s two-match series against Ireland.

Unfortunately, no "unavailable due to injury" type of list in that media release.

[Bovidae]

I don't think McMillan will trust Love to control the game from the start. He's best to come on as a sub. With the squad selected we are going to have a midfielder or fullback on the wing.

[Bovidae]

In that article:

McMillan and his co-coaches Roger Randle and Chris Gibbes will announce their captain in due course.

[Crucial]

@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:

I don't think McMillan will trust Love to control the game from the start. He's best to come on as a sub. With the squad selected we are going to have a midfielder or fullback on the wing.

6 Super Rugby Fullbacks in the squad

[broughie]

@Bovidae So how good are the coaches?

[Higgins]

@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:

@ACT-Crusader

8 Prinsep

He is certainly someone special, managing to get selected in multiple teams even when there is doubt of his acutual existence.

Ancestry Record Search

[Crucial]

@broughie said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:

@Bovidae So how good are the coaches?

Well for a start they wouldn't know a winger if they fell over one.

[Bovidae]

@broughie They've been there for a few years now but these 2 games will be the biggest test for the coaches and players. I'm looking forward to June 29 - 2 weeks today.

[ACT Crusader]

Last years 23 vs Manu Samoa

Kaleb Trask, Shaun Stevenson, Billy Proctor, Alex Nankivell, Sean Wainui, Otere Black, Bryn Hall, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Billy Harmon, Reed Prinsep, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Josh Hohneck, Ash Dixon (c), Pouri Rakete-Stones.

Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Tamaiti Williams, Marcel Renata, Josh Dickson, Jacob Norris, Sam Nock, Josh Ioane, Jonah Lowe

[ACT Crusader]

@Crucial said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:

@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:

I don't think McMillan will trust Love to control the game from the start. He's best to come on as a sub. With the squad selected we are going to have a midfielder or fullback on the wing.

6 Super Rugby Fullbacks in the squad

No Wainui and Lowe to select this year

[Dan54]

Great we got squad named it's making it all the better to look forward to.
Got my tickets and accomadation sorted for Hamilton so bring it on!!!!

[Bovidae]

Yeah the Māori have tended to be stacked at hooker and halfback but there aren't many wingers around compared to previous years.

The 2010 game vs Ireland I went to had Hosea Gear and Maitland on the wings.

[Stargazer]

@Crucial said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:

@broughie said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:

@Bovidae So how good are the coaches?

Well for a start they wouldn't know a winger if they fell over one.

Strange comment. There aren't that many Māori wingers in SR. Our best Māori winger plays at centre for the All Blacks.

Going through the SR outside back lists: Stevenson (more fullback than wing) is in the squad, Lowe is injured, CG-B is in the squad, Moorby and Love are in the squad (both are also more fullbacks than wings). Looking at midfielders who can possibly play on the wing: Tupaea is in the ABs; B Sullivan, Nankivell and Poihipi are in the squad.

[broughie]

@Crucial No pure wingers available or selecting players that can play multiple positions like Havilli?

[Higgins]

@broughie Shame they can't find a brother of IWL playing in the back blocks of the East Coast somewhere. That would fulfill the Maori ancestry requirement as well as the getting the Fijian genes needed to be a decent winger.

[Stargazer]

@Higgins Unfortunately, the only brother of IWL that I know of, is a prop. Not sure whether he's fast and can be transformed into a wing.

[Higgins]

@Stargazer Put him up against George Bridge and we will see.

[broughie]

@Higgins The East Coast is not the only place to find Maoris. Most of NZ rugby players have some maori DNA in them. How about Ennor? Surely his relatives tasted of the forbidden fruit. :-).

[mariner4life]

if this was NZ A imagine the players getting exposure...