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Two All Blacks and eight debutants named in Maori All Blacks side to face Moana Pasifika

(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

The Maori All Blacks have named a strong side featuring two capped All Blacks and eight debutants to face off against Moana Pasifika in their historic clash at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on Saturday.

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Maori All Blacks head coach Clayton MacMillan has blended youth with experience in his match day squad, with hooker Ash Dixon selected as captain for the one-off match.

With 12 appearances for the Maori All Blacks, Dixon stands as the most experienced player in the side, but will be able to call on former 43-test All Blacks loose forward Liam Messam for leadership support in the forward pack.

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The 36-year-old has been picked at No. 8 in what will be his seventh outing for the side, and will be joined by tighthead prop Marcel Renata as one of the most experienced players up front.

Adding to Dixon’s and Renata’s vast experience in the front row is Josh Hohneck, the 34-year-old Otago prop who will play in his first Maori All Blacks test since 2015 at loosehead prop after returning to New Zealand from a four-year stint in England.

In the second row, Southland lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit rounds out a memorable 2020 by making his Maori All Blacks debut in the same year he made his first appearance for the Highlanders and featured for the South Island in the North vs South clash.

He will be partnered with Isaia Walker-Leawere in the tight five, while Whetukamokamo Douglas and Billy Harmon have been named as the flankers.

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Experienced halves Bryn Hall and Otere Black have been tasked with steering the team around the park from halfback and first-five, respectively.

The duo will act as a strong sounding board for uncapped midfield pair Quinn Tupaea and Billy Proctor, both of whom will make their Maori All Blacks debuts this weekend.

Out wide, seasoned Maori All Blacks speedsters Sean Wainui and Shaun Stevenson have been tasked with helping ease fullback Kaleb Trask into his first appearance for the team in the back three.

There are a further four debutants on the bench, with hooker Kurt Eklund, new Crusaders prop Tamaiti Williams, lock Ethan Roots and midfielder Rameka Poihipi all primed for their first matches in the black jersey.

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Pouri Rakete-Stones, Mitchell Karpik, ex-All Blacks halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Jonah Lowe are the other inclusions in the reserves.

Hurricanes loose forward Reed Prinsep, the only player from the initial 24-man squad not named in the team for this weekend’s match, has been ruled unavailable for selection.

In a statement released by the Maori All Blacks, head coach MacMillan said he was excited about what his side can offer against a side that will be taking to the field for the first time ever.

“It’s a really proud opportunity for those young men and their whanau and their iwi hapu to represent the Maori All Blacks,” he said.

“It represents a bit of a changing of the guard, we’ve had some real stalwarts that have moved overseas or are unavailable for this particular campaign and that opens up the door for some of those young guys to come in and show us what they’ve got and experience what it’s like to be in our environment.”

MacMillan added the experience provided by the likes of Messam and Hohneck will be invaluable for his young team.

“We felt the likes of Liam and Josh, guys that have been in the jersey historically, gone away and plied their trade overseas, have come back and added real value to their Mitre 10 Cup teams,” MacMillan said.

“It’s a no brainer for us, they are still good enough, but the peripheral stuff they bring, the mana and the knowledge and their ability to set really high standards for young people to follow has been instrumental in pulling these guys together.”

Kick-off for the clash between the Maori All Blacks and Moana Pasifika is scheduled for 7.05pm on Saturday [NZT].

Maori All Blacks side to face Moana Pasifika:

1. Josh Hohneck

2. Ash Dixon (c)

3. Marcel Renata

4. Isaia Walker-Leawere

5. Manaaki Selby-Rickit*

6. Whetukamokamo Douglas

7. Billy Harmon

8. Liam Messam

9. Bryn Hall

10. Otere Black

11. Sean Wainui

12. Quinn Tupaea*

13. Billy Proctor*

14. Shaun Stevenson

15. Kaleb Trask*

Reserves:

16. Kurt Eklund*

17. Pouri Rakete-Stones

18. Tamaiti Williams*

19. Ethan Roots*

20. Mitchell Karpik

21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi

22. Rameka Poihipi*

23. Jonah Lowe

* – denotes new cap

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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