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Maori All Blacks to face international-laden Pasifika side in Hamilton
The Maori All Blacks v Moana Pasifika match presented by Sky will bring culture, connection and entertainment to Hamilton’s FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on Saturday, 5 December, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced today.
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The match brings together the Maori All Blacks for the only time in 2020 and will mark their first match in Hamilton since playing Samoa during the 2008 Pacific Nations Cup. It will also be the first time a team has played under the Moana Pasifika banner.
New Zealand Rugby General Manager Professional Rugby & Performance Chris Lendrum said the match was fitting recognition of the contribution the Maori and Pasifika communities had made to rugby in 2020, and a fantastic way to bring the curtain down on a unique year of rugby in New Zealand.
“Rugby has faced unprecedented challenges this year and everyone involved in the game has faced them together, so to bring our Maori All Blacks and Moana Pasifika players together is a great way to celebrate and recognise the value of those communities to the game.
“It’s an important match for both teams, as a home match for the Maori All Blacks celebrating a team with a long and proud history in Aotearoa, and for the Moana Pasifika group as we take another step on a journey toward our shared desire to stand up a Pasifika team in a future professional club competition.”
The Maori All Blacks will be coached by Clayton McMillan (Ng?i Te Rangi) who has guided the team to four wins from five matches since being appointed in late 2017, and has been appointed as the interim Chiefs Head Coach for 2021. The Maori All Blacks squad will be named on Monday, 23 November.
New Zealand Maori Rugby Board Chair Dr Farah Palmer said the match was a chance for communities to come together and connect at the end of a year that had disrupted the lives of all New Zealanders.
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“Many of our wh?nau and rangatahi have struggled during 2020 as we’ve dealt with COVID and I know our Maori All Blacks players will appreciate the chance to represent their iwi, hap? and their wh?nau, and to provide some positivity for their community.
“This game also highlights the importance of health and wellbeing, and will be an opportunity to celebrate wh?nau resilience, and also our shared whakapapa with the Pasifika community in that we all came to Aotearoa, New Zealand for the wellbeing of our wh?nau and aiga.
“Moana Pasifika will be a tough opponent and, like the Maori All Blacks, will bring a rich cultural element to what is shaping up to be a unique and special occasion in Hamilton – the heart of Waikato-Tainui and the Kingitanga.”
The match represents the Maori All Blacks only match in 2020 and first since they beat Fiji 26-17 in Rotorua last year.
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Moana Pasifika will be coached by experienced professional rugby coach Faalogo Tana Umaga, who was the first captain of the All Blacks of Pasifika heritage and an Officer of the New Zealand order of Merit for services to rugby. A current member of the Blues coaching staff, Umaga has also guided the Counties Manukau Steeelers and RC Toulon in France.
The Moana Pasifika group has secured players of Pasifika heritage, made up of current and former international players, and a number of players eligible for international Pasifika teams. The squad will be announced later this month.
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Moana Pasifika Patron Tuafa’asisina Sir Bryan Williams said the match would hold great significance to the Pasifika community.
“This match is a great opportunity to showcase the exciting Pasifika talent that runs throughout New Zealand rugby’s community and it will be a huge honour for these players to play against a team with the mana, heritage and quality of the Maori All Blacks.
“It’s also another big step toward our desire to have a Pasifika professional team in Super Rugby and to provide an aspirational pathway for players to progress through to the national teams of Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.”
– New Zealand Rugby
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?
7 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.
7 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 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.
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