maori all blacks and all blacks

tuisginideach

I know nothing re rugby but need an answer asap to this for an article (not re rugby obviously) - there's a reference to Ireland playing the All Blacks in Chicago and then Munster playing the Maori All Blacks in Thomond Park - are the Maori All blacks a separate team from the All Blacks?
many thanks!

CIARAN_BOYLE

tuisginideach wrote: »

I know nothing re rugby but need an answer asap to this for an article (not re rugby obviously) - there's a reference to Ireland playing the All Blacks in Chicago and then Munster playing the Maori All Blacks in Thomond Park - are the Maori All blacks a separate team from the All Blacks?
many thanks!

yes the maoris are all ethnicaly maoris while the all blacks are new zealands representative team

errlloyd

Yes, theyre a team made up of indigenous players only. They're also second string. So if an indigenous player plays for the all blacks he won't play for the Maoris.

awec

Yes they are different teams. To play for the Maori All Blacks you have to be of Maori descent.

They are a lesser team than the actual All Blacks and usually play against tier 2 nations at best.

Pudsy33

Maori all backs are a side made up of Maori players. The all black is the international test side for NZ. Players have played for both. The Maori side would be similar to an Ireland A side, kinda like a second string international side, but with entirely indigenous players.

awec

Third string rather than second string no? Junior All Blacks would be a higher ranked side?

Pudsy33

awec wrote: »

Third string rather than second string no? Junior All Blacks would be a higher ranked side?

Dead right. I assumed they were an age grade side but apparently not!

awec

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Dead right. I assumed they were an age grade side but apparently not!

I think they are made up mostly of guys who aren't quite good enough to be full All Blacks.

Ragnar Lothbrok

awec wrote: »

I think they are made up mostly of guys who aren't quite good enough to be full All Blacks.

Can't help but feel a little sorry for these guys - they'd probably walk into any other country's rugby team

Podge_irl

JABs haven't played a game in a number of years I think.

Maori team would be a de facto second team with the proviso that they need some (occasionally tenuous) element of Maori heritage.

jm08

awec wrote: »

I think they are made up mostly of guys who aren't quite good enough to be full All Blacks.

Plenty of All Blacks have played for the Maori like Zinzan Brooke, the Gears, Karl Hayman, Christian Cullen, Liam Messam, Aaron Smith and Piri Weepu.

They also have a very good record against full sides (including defeating the B&I Lions on the last tour to NZ). BOD & D'Arcy were on that team.

Podge_irl

jm08 wrote: »

Plenty of All Blacks have played for the Maori like Zinzan Brooke, the Gears, Karl Hayman, Christian Cullen, Liam Messam, Aaron Smith and Piri Weepu.

They also have a very good record against full sides (including defeating the B&I Lions on the last tour to NZ). BOD & D'Arcy were on that team.

He was talking about the JABs.

Plenty of ABs have played for the Maori, though in this case it will obviously be akin to a midweek team so I wouldn't expect to see many frontliners.

tuisginideach

Many thanks to all of you rugby experts!

Yeah_Right

Just a little extra, to qualify for the Maori ABs you have to be 1/8 Maori and prove it. There has to be documents showing your Maori heritage. This is how guys like Paul Tito, Tony Brown, Robbie Robinson and Daniel Braid all played for the Maoris.

Podge_irl

Yeah_Right wrote: »

This is how guys like Paul Tito played for the Maoris.

Ah yes, the world's gingerest Maori

pickarooney

So completely different to south Africa's quota-but-not-a-quota rules.

Trippie

It's not just all blacks that can play for the maoris. Oliver Jager a blackrock prop over here in the crusaders academy played a game for them last year when they were screwed for front rows.

sydthebeat

Triggs is a Maori, says it all .....