2019 Māori All Blacks

[gt12]

@Stargazer

If the strategy is getting exposure for lots of players to potentially develop future super players, that seems understandable. Others had opportunities, so use this team to give others a go?

[Stargazer]

@gt12 Yeah, maybe. I was thinking it might be an early trial for the NZU20 development camps later in the year. I assume many of these players will also play at the Jock Hobbs U19 tournament in September and some maybe even Mitre 10 Cup.

[Bovidae]

Have the Thompson brothers been poached by Wellington or studying there?

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae said in 2019 Māori All Blacks:

Have the Thompson brothers been poached by Wellington or studying there?

Wellington offered more money than the Bay could afford (I have it from a reliable source). Also, their dad played for Marist St Pat's, so that has probably been a factor, too.

They're both building apprentices, something they could have been in the Bay as well.

So, I call them poached. (Others will argue that they just wanted to play for Wellington, but I'm not buying that ).

[Bones]

@Stargazer who is their dad?

[MN5]

@Bones said in 2019 Māori All Blacks:

@Stargazer who is their dad?

Probably more a question for @Canes4life given his instagram stalking abilities.

[Stargazer]

@Bones His name is Judd Thompson.

[mrfc]

Anybody in here going to the Rotorua game??

[Stargazer]

@Steven-Harris The Māori All Blacks have arrived in Fiji. Do you know anything about this? Late addition to the squad?

[MN5]

@Stargazer said in 2019 Māori All Blacks:

@Steven-Harris The Māori All Blacks have arrived in Fiji. Do you know anything about this? Late addition to the squad?

Akira ruefully checking if Hansen has sent him any messages....

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer They said a prop would be added to the squad.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Yeah, true, but somehow I expected it to be Chris Eves again.

He may not get game time (I hope I'm wrong), but even just being with the squad and having this experience is awesome for the young lad.

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer

As the squad heads to Suva today, Coach Clayton McMillan confirmed three new players have joined the Maori All Blacks squad in Fiji.

Highlanders loose forward Elliot Dixon has withdrawn from the squad and prop Ben May has been ruled out with injury. Dixon has been replaced by Crusaders loose forward Billy Harmon (Ngai Tahu, Canterbury) while props Haereiti Hetet (Ngati Maniapoto, Waikato) and Pouri Rakete-Stone (Ngapuhi, Hawke’s Bay) are added.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Yes, just found it!

http://www.allblacks.com/News/34386/maori-all-blacks-squad-update

[Steven Harris]

@Stargazer Ben May blew his calf at training Monday ..so Rakete Stones who had been training with the NZ Maori as cover got called in..be interesting to see how he goes ,he’s loaded on 5kgs since last year..!

[Steven Harris]

@mrfc yes I will be, just booked my tickets..$60 for a family.

[Yeetyaah]

@mrfc Was thinking about it. Not sure if I wanna commute though. Cheap tickets are hard to pass up though.

[Bovidae]

If the game was a 2:30 pm KO I would definitely go but night games in Rotorua during the winter aren't that pleasant, and I've been to enough of them.

[mrfc]

@Bovidae yeah hardout when they announced it was going to be in Rotorua at that time of the night, even i was abit put off but like @Yeetyaah said cheap tickets are hard to pass up. Would of been good to have a meet up and a beer before the game if anybody was keen..

[Yeetyaah]

@Bovidae Aye a mate of mine wrote his car off in the ice on his way back from Rotorua at night in the winter a couple of years back. Nearly killed him. @mrfc Mate wouldn't pass up but probably not going to make the trek from the tron.