Maori Tour

[gt12]

@nepia

I’m hoping to see Ngatai play at 15, and hopefully look awesome, so that @Tim will come around

[Stockcar86]

Are they waiting to see how Renata plays tonight?

[Stargazer]

Okay, here's a screenshot from the team. I do know most of the names, but can't combine them all with faces. From back to front and left to right (players only):

1 Marcel Renata, 2. Sean Wainui, 3. Ambrose Curtis, 4. Akira Ioane, 5. ?, 6. Keepa Mewett, 7. Jordan Manihera, 8. ?, 9. Shaun Stevenson, 10. Dan Pryor;
11 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 12. Jonathan Ruru, 13. Sam Henwood, 14. Ross Wright;
15 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 16. Liam Polwart, 17. Teihorangi Walden, 18. Rob Thompson, 19. ?, 20. Brad Weber;
21 Tom Franklin, 22. Chris Eves, 23. Jarrad Hoeata, 24. Ash Dixon, 25. Tim Bateman, 26. Ihaia West, 27 . Charlie Ngatai

Have I got the names right? No. 5, is that Jackson Hemopo? And no. 8, is that Tyrel Lomax?
No. 19 looks familiar, but with the best will of the world, I can't remeber his name. Should be one of the two extras (the other one being Shaun Stevenson).

[Daffy Jaffy]

@stargazer I think that 19. is Lomax and 8. is the Hawkes bay prop Rakete-Stones who was training with the squad pre tour.

[Bovidae]

Is Lomax fit to tour?

[Daffy Jaffy]

@stargazer I was wrong - the last player added was Sean Paranihi the Manawatu Prop not Rakete-Stones.

[Stargazer]

@daffy-jaffy As a Hawke's Bay supporter I knew no. 8 in the photo wasn't Rakete-Stones, who looks much younger. No. 19 in the photo is indeed Sean Paranihi (I had to check on google images).

[Stargazer]

http://www.allblacks.com/News/31698/two-players-added-to-maori-all-blacks-squad

[Bovidae]

The team to play Canada has been named. Ngatai at fullback. McMillan says they have selected the most experienced team.

http://www.allblacks.com/News/31714/new-look-maori-all-black-team-named-to-take-on-canada

[Stargazer]

[taniwharugby]

be good if they can get Renata to improve his scrummaging, cos has a great workrate around the park and on d.

[Wurzel]

The wrong Sean/Shaun is starting on the right wing

[Stargazer]

@wurzel Is there a right Sean for any backline position in this team?

[Nepia]

@bovidae Well, that's bollocks, how is Wainui more experienced than Stevenson? Stevenson would probably have played at least double the amount of games as Wainui. Has Curtis played any?

[Bovidae]

@nepia

I didn't say I agreed with the team, just relaying what McMillan said.

[Nepia]

@bovidae I didn't say you did, I was just commenting on McMillan's comment.

[Stargazer]

Wainui:
Super Rugby games: 9
NPC games: 30
Maori ABs games: 3
First year of NPC: 2014

Shaun Stevenson:
Super Rugby games: 22
NPC games: 23
Maori Abs games: -
First year of NPC: 2015

Curtis:
Super Rugby games: 0
NPC games: 42
Maori ABs games: 2
World Sevens tournaments: 19
First year of NPC: 2013

[Bones]

So I'm not the only one that thinks Stevenson looks like Ambrose.

[TeWaio]

Every time I see Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi's name I think of Triple-T, aka TTT, the office linebacker:

[pakman]

@tewaio That could be a helpful acronym for Allblacks.com, which has to reduce the font size to fit his name in!