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Five stars to watch out for in historic Maori All Blacks vs Moana Pasifika clash
The Maori All Blacks and Moana Pasifika will make history in Hamilton on Saturday when the two teams face off against each other for the first time in history.
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In fact, it will be Moana Pasifika’s first-ever appearance as they prepares for life in Super Rugby in two years’ time, and there is shortage of talent brimming within the side in this exhibition match.
The same can be said of the Maori All Blacks, so here are five of the key players on show at FMG Stadium Waikato.
Ash Dixon (Maori All Blacks)
Were it not for his age, there would be many a fan in uproar over the fact that Ash Dixon didn’t feature at all for the All Blacks this year.
An inspirational leader who has joined Australia’s Folau Fainga’a and South Africa’s Bongi Mbonambi in making tries off lineout drives their niche in their respective countries, Dixon has caught the eye regularly throughout 2020.
Whether it’s been for the Highlanders in Super Rugby, the North Island in the North vs South derby or Hawke’s Bay in the Mitre 10 Cup, the 32-year-old hooker has been instrumental for all three teams, leading the Magpies to a Championship title last week.
Named in the 2021 Highlanders squad on Thursday, Dixon will captain the Maori on Saturday, and it’s hard to envisage him not having a similar kind of influence on the final outcome in his last match of the year.
Folau Fakatava (Moana Pasifika)
If Dixon was the talismanic skipper who guided Hawke’s Bay to their third Mitre 10 Cup Championship title since 2011, then Folau Fakatava was the star of the show from halfback.
An extremely talented ball-runner capable of blowing the game open with a sniping run, big things have long been projected about the Tongan-born 20-year-old since he was a schoolboy star at Hastings Boys’ High School.
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It seems as though this was a coming-of-age campaign for Fakatava, though, as he was a vital part of the Magpies’ success this year, and looms as a significant threat in Super Rugby as he backs up Aaron Smith at the Highlanders for a third season.
Before then, though, he has one more chance to show what he’s made of in 2020, forming what could be a lethal Moana Pasifika halves partnership with fellow Highlander and one-cap All Blacks first-five Josh Ioane.
Alamanda Motunga (Moana Pasifika)
An unexpected star of the Mitre 10 Cup, you could excuse Alamanda Motunga for feeling aggrieved at missing out on a Super Rugby contract following his impressive showings for Counties Manukau.
The one-test Manu Samoa flanker was arguably the best player from an underwhelming Steelers cohort, scoring five tries – including a hat-trick against Manawatu – while also leading the way defensively.
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Even without a fully professional deal next year, the 27-year-old gets to show what he’s made of while starting at No. 7 for Moana Pasifika, and one would hope recruiters from the Top League and Major League Rugby will be watching on with interest.
Salesi Rayasi (Moana Pasifika)
Speaking of stars from the Mitre 10 Cup, Auckland flyer Salesi Rayasi was the brightest of them all as he tore up the competition en route to a runners-up finish in the Premiership division.
With 14 tries from just nine matches, the stats speak for themselves in illustrating just how dangerous the 24-year-old outside back, who stands at an imposing 1.93m and 105kg, can be.
Of Fijian and Samoan heritage, Rayasi will get one more chance to showcase his electrifying abilities from Moana Pasifika’s left wing before linking back up with the Hurricanes next year.
Kaleb Trask (Maori All Blacks)
A former Jock Hobbs Memorial National U19 Tournament MVP, Bay of Plenty playmaker Kaleb Trask has continued to grow and prosper in the professional ranks.
Since coming onto the scene with the Steamers two years ago, the 21-year-old has gone from strength-to-strength, earning himself a Super Rugby debut this year while also emerging as an important figure for Bay of Plenty.
Expected to challenge Bryn Gatland for the starting first-five role at the Chiefs in 2021, it will be from fullback where Trask struts his stuff for the Maori All Blacks to cap off what’s been a good year for the youngster.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
8 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
8 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
16 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
16 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
8 Go to comments