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TJ Perenara and Brad Weber headline Maori All Blacks squad to face Ireland
Omitted All Blacks halfbacks TJ Perenara and Brad Weber headline the 28-man Maori All Blacks squad to face Ireland in a two-test series over the coming weeks.
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Perenara and Weber were two of the major absentees from the All Blacks squad announced on Monday, with head coach Ian Foster instead opting for Aaron Smith, Finlay Christie and the uncapped Folau Fakatava as his halfbacks.
Instead, Perenara and Weber will ply their trade for the Maori All Blacks, who will host Ireland in two mid-week tests during their five-match tour of New Zealand, where they will also play three tests against the All Blacks.
Perenara, the 30-year-old veteran of 78 tests, is one of 11 players included in the Maori All Blacks squad who have never played for the team before.
The other 10 who are in line for their Maori All Blacks debuts are ex-Wallabies prop Jermaine Ainsley, Chiefs hooker Tyrone Thompson, Hurricanes lock Caleb Delany, Hurricanes flanker TK Howden and Blues utility forward Cameron Suafoa.
In the backline, Hurricanes playmaker Ruben Love is joined by franchise teammate Bailyn Sullivan and outside back trio Connor Garden-Bachop, Josh Moorby and Zarn Sullivan as the squad’s newbies.
Hurricanes prop Tyrel Lomax has also been named after missing out on the All Blacks squad to fellow tightheads Ofa Tuungafasi, Nepo Laulala and Angus Ta’avao.
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Maori All Blacks head coach Clayton McMillan, joined by assistants Roger Randle and Chris Gibbes, said in a statement released on Wednesday that he is excited about the squad he has brought together.
The Chiefs boss added that he is hopeful of scoring some success against an Irish squad, which was named on Tuesday, that he expects to challenge his team strongly.
“We are expecting a fierce challenge from Ireland, to be playing a tier one nation at home in Aotearoa has been long awaited,” McMillan said.
“The squad named is a mix of experienced players who know how to perform at this level, and players that bring fresh perspective and energy to the game.
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“We are lucky to have three experienced All Blacks in the squad in TJ Perenara, Brad Weber and Tyrel Lomax, I’m looking forward to the passion and knowledge they will bring.
“This is also a great opportunity for our 11 new caps, there is immense pride in pulling on the Maori All Blacks jersey and with that representing their heritage, their whanau, and their country.
“These two fixtures against Ireland will allow players to showcase what they have and put their best foot forward on an international stage.
“The presence of two former Maori All Blacks in the Ireland side, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Lowe adds to the special nature of this match.”
The Maori All Blacks will open their test series against Ireland at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on June 29 before following up at Sky Stadium in Wellington on July 12.
Maori All Blacks squad to face Ireland
Props: Tamaiti Williams (Crusaders/Canterbury), Ollie Norris (Chiefs/Waikato), Marcel Renata (Blues/Auckland), Jermaine Ainsley (Highlanders/Otago)*, Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes/Tasman)
Hookers: Leni Apisai (Auckland), Kurt Eklund (Blues/Bay of Plenty), Tyrone Thomson (Chiefs/Hawke’s Bay)*
Locks: Isaia Walker-Leawere (Hurricanes/Hawke’s Bay), Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Highlanders/Bay of Plenty), Josh Dickson (Highlanders/Otago)
Loose Forwards: Reed Prinsep (Hurricanes/Canterbury), Caleb Delany (Hurricanes/Wellington)*, Billy Harmon (Highlanders/Canterbury), TK Howden (Hurricanes/Manawatu)*, Cameron Suafoa (Blues/Auckland)*
Halfbacks: TJ Perenara (Hurricanes/Wellington)*, Brad Weber (Chiefs/Hawke’s Bay)
First-Fives: Josh Ioane (Chiefs/Otago), Ruben Love (Hurricanes/Wellington)*
Midfielders: Alex Nankivell (Chiefs/Tasman), Rameka Poihipi (Chiefs/Canterbury), Billy Proctor (Hurricanes/Wellington), Bailyn Sullivan (Hurricanes/Waikato)*
Outside Backs: Connor Garden-Bachop (Highlanders/Wellington)*, Josh Moorby (Hurricanes/Northland)*, Zarn Sullivan (Blues/Auckland)*, Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs/North Harbour)
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments