Māori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions

[Crucial]

@Chris-B. said in Māori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions:

@Frye That's the million dollar question. He looks like he might have a bit of Maori in him, but that might just be a Golden Bay suntan!

Only needs as much as Cully did.

'Please recite your whakapapa' and all that

[Stargazer]

Māori All Blacks squad for the Lions tour:

Forwards

Props
Chris Eves - North Harbour - Waikato/Tainui (7 appearances)
Kane Hames - Ta$man - Ngai Tuhoe/Ngati Porou (5)
Mike Kainga - Taranaki - Ngati Kahungunu (2)
Ben May - Hawke’s Bay - Ngati Maniapoto (12)
Marcel Renata - Auckland - Ngati Whanaunga / Te Aupouri (4)

Hookers
Ash Dixon (captain) - Hawke’s Bay - Ngati Tahinga (8)
Hikawera Elliot - Counties Manukau - Ngati Awa (9)

Locks
Tom Franklin - Otago - Ngati Maniapoto (4)
Leighton Price - Taranaki - Waikato/Ngati Maniapoto (3)
Joe Wheeler - Ta$man - Ngai Tahu (2)

Loose forwards
Elliot Dixon - Southland - Ngapuhi (9)
Akira Ioane - Auckland - Ngapuhi/Te Whanau a Apanui (5)
Liam Messam - Waikato - Ngati Maniapoto (12)
Reed Prinsep - Canterbury - Te Rarawa (2)
Kara Pryor – Northland - Ngati Awa/Ngati Pikiao/Ngati Rangitihi (2)

Backs

Halfbacks
Bryn Hall* - North Harbour - Ngati Ranginui
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi* - Taranaki - Ngati Pikiao

First five-eighths
Otere Black - Manawatu - Ngai Tuhoe/Te Whanau a Apanui/Ngati Tuwharetoa (4)
Ihaia West - Hawke’s Bay - Ngati Kahungunu/Ngati Porou (7)

Midfielders
Tim Bateman - Canterbury - Ngai Tahu (12)
Charlie Ngatai - Taranaki - Ngati Porou/Te Whanau a Apanui/Te Whakatohea (9)
Matt Proctor - Wellington - Ngai Te Rangi/Ngapuhi (9)
Rob Thompson* - Canterbury - Ngati Kahungunu
James Lowe - Ta$man - Ngapuhi/Ngai Te Rangi (5)

Outside backs
Damian McKenzie - Waikato - Ngati Tuwharetoa/Ngati Tahinga (3)
Nehe Milner-Skudder - Manawatu - Ngati Porou/Tapuika (2)
Declan O’Donnell - Taranaki - Ngati Tuwharetoa/Ngati Porou (1)

http://www.allblacks.com/News/30916/maori-all-blacks-squad-for-dhl-nz-lions-series

[Tim]

Who's going to start at tighthead for the Maori team?

Perhaps this will be the XV?

1. Hames
2. Elliot
3. May
4. Franklin
5. Wheeler
6. Messam
7. Pryor
8. Ioane
9. Hall
10. Black
11. Ioane
12. Ngatai
13. Proctor
14. Lowe
15. McKenzie

[Wurzel]

[Stargazer]

@Tim said in Māori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions:

Who's going to start at tighthead for the Maori team?

Perhaps this will be the XV?

1. Hames
2. Elliot
3. May
4. Franklin
5. Wheeler
6. Messam
7. Pryor
8. Ioane
9. Hall
10. Black
11. Ioane
12. Ngatai
13. Proctor
14. Lowe
15. McKenzie

I guess the captain will start, so Dixon instead of Elliott at hooker. At 6, they might go for Dixon because he's still in the ABs fringes, while Messam is not. NMS instead of McKenzie.

[Tim]

Is TKB available for the Maori? He might be better, but I'd rather see Hall start.

[Wurzel]

Can someone who understands scrummaging better than me, explain whether a front row featuring Hames and May would be susceptible due to the massive difference in height?

[Stargazer]

@Wurzel Maybe try finding a video of last year's EOYT games? They were in the squad together then, too.

[Wurzel]

You want me to specifically watch scrums? The reason I have MySky is so I can fast-forward through stoppages until the ball is a the Number 8's feet.

[Stargazer]

@Wurzel Haha, fair point!

[ACT Crusader]

@Wurzel said in Māori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions:

You want me to specifically watch scrums? The reason I have MySky is so I can fast-forward through stoppages until the ball is a the Number 8's feet.

Lineouts too......

[Stargazer]

It's a pity Mo'unga isn't Māori.

[Wurzel]

@Stargazer Nah mate, he'll be required in cotton wool for four weeks until the Crusaders campaign gets back into action

[Stargazer]

@Tim said in Māori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions:

Is TKB available for the Maori? He might be better, but I'd rather see Hall start.

Yes, TKB and Rieko both.

[kiwiinmelb]

After seeing the names on paper , I'm tipping the Maoris to win

[Frye]

@Stargazer said in Māori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions:

@Tim said in Māori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions:

Who's going to start at tighthead for the Maori team?

Perhaps this will be the XV?

1. Hames
2. Elliot
3. May
4. Franklin
5. Wheeler
6. Messam
7. Pryor
8. Ioane
9. Hall
10. Black
11. Ioane
12. Ngatai
13. Proctor
14. Lowe
15. McKenzie

I guess the captain will start, so Dixon instead of Elliott at hooker. At 6, they might go for Dixon because he's still in the ABs fringes, while Messam is not. NMS instead of McKenzie.

Put Dixon at 7 and Pryor on the bench.

[Bovidae]

@Frye said in Māori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions:

Put Dixon at 7 and Pryor on the bench.

Bingo. Messam-Dixon-Ioane.

With Ash Dixon capt I wouldn't expect Hika to get that much time on the park. Cooper, keep him fresh for the Chiefs game 3 days later.

[Stargazer]

It's a pretty big squad for just one game. With TKB and Rieko Ioane also in the mix, quite a few players are going to be disappointed when the match team is named.

Also weird that James Lowe is listed as a midfielder.

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer said in Māori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions:

Also weird that James Lowe is listed as a midfielder.

That must be a typo. I'm not sure how all the midfielders/outside backs can be accommodated in the starting XV either. Proctor might be on the bench after his long layoff with Ioane at centre. That would mean Lowe and NMS on the wings.

[Stargazer]

The jersey: