Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?
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So the first game is before the 1st test, and the second game between the 2nd and 3rd tests.
I thought they might play a game in Rotorua but it's not a great venue for a night game. That 2010 game against Ireland was good fun to be at though.
@Stargazer Like Napier? I agree, and they could have played the July 12 game there, but obviously Ireland probably prefer to be based in Wellington for the entire week.
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@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
So the first game is before the 1st test, and the second game between the 2nd and 3rd tests.
I thought they might play a game in Rotorua but it's not a great venue for a night game. That 2010 game against Ireland was good fun to be at though.
@Stargazer Like Napier? I agree, and they could have played the July 12 game there, but obviously Ireland probably prefer to be based in Wellington for the entire week.
Rotorua is out of action for the season. Resurfacing or something that has had covid delays
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@FakatavaFuture said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
@Bovidae 2010 Maori abs is when I first took real notice of Aaron Smith , I thought geez that lad out of manawatu is going to be a star for the canes! wasn't to be tho as Hammett opted for Tyson Keats
That almost sums up the Hammatuer perfectly
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Didn't realise it when I posted that, but I see the first game of 29 June is on the same day as the first Heartland Ranfurly Shield game. That would have been a perferct opportunity for McLean Park to have both games. The Ranfurly Shield game as the curtain-raiser, say at 6.00pm, and then the Māori ABs at the main event at 8.15pm.
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@Stargazer I would imagine the locations were chosen in consultation with Ireland for minimal disruption for the test week preparations - i.e. the Hamilton game is in the leadup to the Eden Park test and the Wellington game in the leadup to the Wellington test.
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@KiwiMurph You may be right, although it's only a one-hour flight. Just hoping they move that Ranfurly Shield game now. Attendance at mid-week games, esp against opposition like Heartland teams, is usually already lower, but if the game is at the same time, or on the afternoon of the Māori All Blacks game, they can forget having even a small crowd at McLean Park.
The Ranfurly Shield game was planned for a Wednesday, because we have so many SR players now that most players for that RS game will have to come from club rugby, so they can't play the game on a Saturday.
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@Crucial said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
So the first game is before the 1st test, and the second game between the 2nd and 3rd tests.
I thought they might play a game in Rotorua but it's not a great venue for a night game. That 2010 game against Ireland was good fun to be at though.
@Stargazer Like Napier? I agree, and they could have played the July 12 game there, but obviously Ireland probably prefer to be based in Wellington for the entire week.
Rotorua is out of action for the season. Resurfacing or something that has had covid delays
Ok Crucial, I had originally guessed if there were Maori games one would be at Rotorua, and Mrs Dan was already for a few days up there. Now I have just booked a motel in Hamilton so will go there instead, , though would of enjoyed Stargazer's idea at Napier, but when you can just do an hour bus trip, you not going to have an hour flight followed by a 30 minute bus trip back to Auckland.
I would add I looking forward to this tour more everyday!! -
Possible 23:
1 Pouri Rakete-Stones
2 Kurt Eklund
3 Jermaine Ainsley / Tamaiti Williams
4 Manaaki Selby-Rickit
5 Isaia Walker-Leawere
6 Reed Prinsep
7 Billy Harmon
8 TK Howden
9 Bryn Hall
10 Josh Ioane
11 Jonah Lowe
12 Quinn Tupaea / Alex Nankivell
13 Bailyn Sullivan
14 Shaun Stevenson
15 Zarn Sullivan16 Tyrone Thompson
17 Tamaiti Williams / Josh Hohneck if Williams starts at TH
18 Josh Hohneck / Marcel Renata (Ainsley if he doesn't start)
19 Josh Dickson
20 Jacob Norris
21 Cortez Ratima
22 Lincoln McClutchie (/ Ruben Love, if fit) (if a 10 is needed with Z Sullivan at fullback), if not: Nankivell or Poihipi (if Tuapea is in not the squad)
23 Connor Garden-Bachop -
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@Bovidae said in Māori All Blacks to play Ireland?:
When is Selby-Rickit fit again?
Hohneck isn't even a regular for the Highlanders now, so hard to justify picking him in a 23.
Last Highlanders article implies he won't be in SRP, unless the Landers make the final
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@Bovidae What @Machpants says about S-R. If he's not fit, Dickson to start and Caleb Delany on the bench.
I bracketed Hohneck with Renata for the bench spot. I don't have a preference. He's handy because he can play both LH and TH (like Williams); Renata can't as far as I know.
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