Māori All Blacks squad announced for Japan 2024 tour

Te Reo

English translation to follow below

Tērā a Matariki ka mahuta i te pae, nau mai rā te mātahi o te tau, nau mai rā te aranga mai anō o te Kapa Ōpango Māori!

Tangihia ngā mate huhua o te wā, e te pāpā Sid, kōrua ko Connor, tēnei mātou te tuku atu i a kōrua, otirā ngā mate o te tau ki a Pōhutukawa-i-te-rangi ki reira whetūrangihia ai koutou.

Haere te pō, nau mai rā Hiwa-i-te-rangi.

Kua tohua te kapa Ōpango Māori e Ross Filipo (Muaūpoko) rātau ko Roger Randle (Ngāti Awa), ko Greg Feek (Ngāti Kahungunu) ko Jamie Joseph (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne), he 28 ngā kaitākaro kua tohua mō ngā kēmu e rua ki a Japan XV ki Hapani.

Kua tohua e whitu ngā kaitākaro i te kapa Blues i toa whakaihuwaka i te whakataetae DHL Super Rugby, ko Corey Evans (Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kahu) rātau ko Cole Forbes (Ngāti Awa) ko Laghan McWhanell (Ngāti Kahungunu) kua tohua mō te wā tuatahi. Kua tohua hoki a Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāi Takoto) rāua ko Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi) i te autaia o tā rāua tākaro mā te kapa Blues i tēnei tau.

Ka mau i te tautōhito o te kapa Crusaders a Joe Moody (Ngāi Tahu) i te poraka Ōpango Māori mō te wā tuatahi mai i te tau 2015. Ka āpitihia a Moody ki ngā poumua pēnei i a Billy Harmon (Ngāi Tahu), i a Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou) i a Pouri Rakete-Stones (Ngāpuhi) he kāhui wheako nui hei ārahi, hei arataki hoki i tēnei kapa.

Ko tētahi tokorua kaitākaro hou nō Taranaki mounga, ko te poumuri ko Daniel Rona (Te Ātiawa) me te poutaka nō ngā Highlanders ko Nikora Broughton (Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui). Ko ngā toki topatahi ko Rivez Reihana (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) rāua ko Taha Kemara (Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea) ka āpitihia o rāua pūkenga ki ngā pou muri ki tēnei tā rāua haerenga tuatahi.

Hei tā Ross Filipo (Mūaupoko), te kaiako matua o te kapa Ōpango Māori he wā whakahirahira tēnei mō te katoa e whai wāhi ana.

“Ko te whakataetae DHL Super Rugby Pacific he taumata pai kia tīpakona ngā kaitākaro nā te mea i kitea te wairua whakataetae o ngā kaitākaro e hiahiatia ana ki te tākaro atu ki a Japan XV. Kua tohua ngā kaitākaro hou mō te pai o ngā tākaro i ia wiki, ā, he koanga ngākau te kite i te hokinga mai o ētahi ki tēnei taiao”.

“E mihi ana au ki ia kaitākaro i tēnei kapa. He hōnore nui te tākaro mō tēnei kapa kia whakakanohi i ō mātau whānau, i tō tātau ahurea me Aotearoa anō hoki ki te atamira o te ao”. Hei tā Filipo.

E ai ki a Kahurangi Farah Palmer (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato) heamana o te Poari Whutupōro Māori o Aotearoa he nui kē atu te kapa Ōpango Māori i te whutupōro.

“Ko tētahi o ngā pou i te rautaki whutupōro Māori o Aotearoa ko te Angitutanga – he whakaora i te Māori. Ko te tūmanako kia angitu te tū o te Māori hei Māori kia eke ki ngā taumata tiketike me te aha e mōhio ana ka tika, ka whai mana tō rātau whakakanohi i tō tātau ahurea ki te atamira o te ao”.

“E mihi ana au hei māngai mō te poari Māori ki ngā kaitākaro katoa me ō koutou whānau kua tohua ki te kapa Ōpango Māori. E poho kererū ana mātau i a koutou, ā, e hīkaka ana ki te tautoko i a koutou i tēnei haerenga,” Hei tā Palmer.

I whakaingoatia te kapa i tētahi pāhotanga mataora i Whakaata Māori i tēnei ata, i reira hoki a Rob Clark he mema o te poari whutupōro Māori  (Waikato) me te pou Māori o te kapa Ōpango Māori a Te Wehi Wright (Ngāruahine, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Whitikaupeka, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Ngāti Raukawa).

Kua whakakotahi te kapa Ōpango Māori ki Tāmaki Makaurau ki te whakariterite mō te haerenga atu ki Hapani hei te Wenerei, 26 Pipiri.

Ka tākaro i te kēmu tuatahi ki Tokyo ki Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium hei te Rāhoroi, 29 Pipiri. Ka whakapāhotia mataoratia te kēmu ki te reo Pākehā ki Sky Sport 1, ki te reo Māori ki Sky Sport 2, ki Whakaata Māori anō hoki (utu kore).

Ko te kēmu tuarua hei te Rāhoroi, 6 Hurai, ki Toyota Stadium, ka whakapāhotia mataoratia te kēmu ki te reo Pākehā ki Sky Sport 2, ki te reo Māori ki Sky Sport 3, ki Whakaata Māori anō hoki (utu kore). Ka āhei hoki te mātaki i ngā pāhotanga mō ngā kēmu e rua ki Sky Open.

Hokona ngā tikiti i Whutupōro Hapani i konei.

E whai ake nei ko ngā kaitākaro 28 o te kapa (iwi, rohe, karapu Super Rugby)

Poumua
Benet Kumeroa* (Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi/Bay of Plenty/Hurricanes)
Joe Moody (Ngāi Tahu/Canterbury/Crusaders)
Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāi Takoto/Auckland/Blues)
Ollie Norris (Ngāpuhi/Waikato/Chiefs)
Pouri Rakete-Stones (Ngāpuhi/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)

Kaitīkape
Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu/Bay of Plenty/Blues)
Tyrone Thompson (Ngāti Kahungunu/Chiefs)

Kaiwhītiki
Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)
Laghlan McWhannell* (Ngāti Kahungunu/Waikato/Blues)  
Max Hicks (Ngāti Ranginui/Tasman/Highlanders)
Tahlor Cahill* (Ngāpuhi/Canterbury/Crusaders)

Poutaka
Billy Harmon (Ngāi Tahu/Canterbury/Highlanders)
Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi/North Harbour/Blues)
Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue/Canterbury/Crusaders)
Nikora Broughton* (Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui/Bay of Plenty/Highlanders)
Te Kamaka Howden (Tūhoe/Manawatū/Hurricanes)

Poutoko
Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi/Northland/Blues)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa/Bay of Plenty/Chiefs)

Topatahi
Rivez Reihana* (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Northland/Crusaders)
Taha Kemara* (Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea/Waikato/Crusaders)

Poumuri
Bailyn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu/Waikato/Hurricanes)
Corey Evans* (Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kahu/Northland/Blues)
Daniel Rona* (Te Ātiawa/Taranaki/Chiefs)
Rameka Poihipi (Ngāti Whakaue/Canterbury/Chiefs)
Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru, Waikato/Waikato/Chiefs)

Pouwaho
Cole Forbes* (Ngāti Awa/Bay of Plenty/Blues)
Josh Moorby (Ngāti Maniapoto/Waikato/Hurricanes) 
Tana Tuhakaraina* (Ngāti Hauā/Waikato/Chiefs)

Kāore i tohua, he wharanga nō rātou:
Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Ngāti Raukawa)
Shaun Stevenson (Ngāpuhi)
Jared Profitt (Ngāti Porou)  

English

Tērā a Matariki ka mahuta i te pae, nau mai rā te mātahi o te tau, nau mai rā te aranga mai anō o te Kapa Ōpango Māori!

Tangihia ngā mate huhua o te wā, e te pāpā Sid, kōrua ko Connor, tēnei mātou te tuku atu i a kōrua, otirā ngā mate o te tau ki a Pōhutukawa-i-te-rangi ki reira whetūrangihia ai koutou.

Haere te pō, nau mai rā Hiwa-i-te-rangi.

Māori All Blacks selectors of Ross Filipo (Muaūopko), Roger Randle (Ngāti Awa), Greg Feek (Ngāti Kahugunu) and Jamie Joseph (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne) have announced a 28-strong squad ahead of the team’s two-match series against Japan XV in Japan.

Fresh from their DHL Super Rugby Pacific win, seven Blues players have been rewarded for their form, with Corey Evans (Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kahu), Cole Forbes (Ngāti Awa) and Laghlan McWhannell (Ngāti Kahungunu) selected for the first time. Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāi Takoto) and Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi) have also earned selection following a remarkable season with the Blues.

Crusaders stalwart Joe Moody (Ngāi Tahu) will don the Māori All Blacks jersey for the first time since 2015. Moody will add to an already formidable forward pack alongside Billy Harmon (Ngāi Tahu) Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou) and Pouri Rakete-Stones (Ngāpuhi) who represent a wealth of experience, leadership and guidance in the squad.

Among the debutants is midfielder Daniel Rona (Te Ātiawa) and Highlanders loose forward Nikora Broughton (Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui). The elusive first five eighth duo of Rivez Reihana (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) and Taha Kemara (Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea) will also bring plenty of speed and accuracy to the back line in their first campaign.

Māori All Blacks Head Coach Ross Filipo said it is an exciting time for all those involved.

“The DHL Super Rugby Pacific campaign provided us with a solid platform to select from as the competitiveness shown by the players is exactly what we need against Japan XV. Our new players have been rewarded for their consistency and it’s great to see the return of many others to this environment.  

“I’d like to congratulate every player in our squad on their selection. Playing for this team is a huge honour and this is an opportunity for us all to represent our whānau, heritage and country on the world stage,” Filipo said.

New Zealand Māori Rugby Board Chair, Professor Dame Farah Palmer (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato) said the Māori All Blacks serve a greater purpose than rugby.

“One of our pou in the New Zealand Māori Rugby strategy is Angitutanga - uplifting Māori lives. We want Māori to be successful as Māori and to pursue excellence and we know they will represent our culture with mana on the international stage.

“On behalf of the Māori Rugby Board I’d like to congratulate every player and their whānau on making the Māori All Blacks. We are immensely proud of you and cannot wait to support you all in this campaign,” Palmer said.

The squad was announced in a live broadcast segment on Whakaata Māori this morning with support from New Zealand Māori Rugby Board representative Rob Clark (Waikato), who was accompanied by Māori All Blacks Cultural Advisor Te Wehi Wright (Ngāruahine, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Whitikaupeka, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Ngāti Raukawa).

The Māori All Blacks have assembled in Auckland to start their campaign preparations before heading to Japan on Wednesday, 26 June.

They will play their first match at Tokyo’s historic Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on Saturday, 29 June. The fixture will be presented with English commentary LIVE on Sky Sport 1, te reo Māori commentary on Sky Sport 2 and also on Whakaata Māori (free-to-air).

The following match on Saturday, 6 July at Toyota Stadium will have English commentary on Sky Sport 2, te reo Māori commentary on Sky Sport 3 and Whakaata Māori (free-to-air). Sky Open will also have free-to-air delayed coverage of both matches.

Tickets can be purchased from Japan Rugby here.

The 28-strong squad is as follows with (iwi, province and Super Rugby club).

Māori All Blacks Squad 2024: *denotes new caps

Props
Benet Kumeroa* (Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi/Bay of Plenty/Hurricanes)
Joe Moody (Ngāi Tahu/Canterbury/Crusaders)
Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāi Takoto/Auckland/Blues)
Ollie Norris (Ngāpuhi/Waikato/Chiefs)
Pouri Rakete-Stones (Ngāpuhi/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)

Hookers
Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu/Bay of Plenty/Blues)
Tyrone Thompson (Ngāti Kahungunu/Chiefs)

Locks
Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou/Hawke’s Bay/Hurricanes)
Laghlan McWhannell* (Ngāti Kahungunu/Waikato/Blues)  
Max Hicks (Ngāti Ranginui/Tasman/Highlanders)
Tahlor Cahill* (Ngāpuhi/Canterbury/Crusaders)

Loose forwards
Billy Harmon (Ngāi Tahu/Canterbury/Highlanders)
Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi/North Harbour/Blues)
Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue/Canterbury/Crusaders)
Nikora Broughton* (Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui/Bay of Plenty/Highlanders)
Te Kamaka Howden (Tūhoe/Manawatū/Hurricanes) 

Half Backs
Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi/Northland/Blues)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa/Bay of Plenty/Chiefs)

First five-eighths
Rivez Reihana* (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Northland/Crusaders)
Taha Kemara* (Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea/Waikato/Crusaders)

Midfield
Bailyn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu/Waikato/Hurricanes)
Corey Evans* (Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kahu/Northland/Blues)
Daniel Rona* (Te Ātiawa/Taranaki/Chiefs)
Rameka Poihipi (Ngāti Whakaue/Canterbury/Chiefs)
Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru, Waikato/Waikato/Chiefs)

Outside Backs
Cole Forbes* (Ngāti Awa/Bay of Plenty/Blues)
Josh Moorby (Ngāti Maniapoto/Waikato/Hurricanes) 
Tana Tuhakaraina* (Ngāti Hauā/Waikato/Chiefs)

Unavailable for selection due to injury:
Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Ngāti Raukawa)
Shaun Stevenson (Ngāpuhi)
Jared Profitt (Ngāti Porou)

Schedule: 
Māori All Blacks v Japan XV
Saturday, 29 June, 10.00pm NZST (7.00pm JST)
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo

Māori All Blacks v Japan XV
Saturday, 6 July, 9.00pm NZST (6.00pm JST)
Toyota Stadium, Toyota 

Broadcast:
Saturday, 29 June, 10.00pm NZST (7.00pm JST)
English commentary: Sky Sport 1
Te reo Māori commentary: Sky Sport 2 & Whakaata Māori (free-to-air)
Sky Open: Delayed coverage
On Demand Highlights: NZR+ and All Blacks YouTube channel  

Saturday, 6 July, 9.00pm NZST (6.00pm JST)
English commentary: Sky Sport 2
Te reo Māori commentary: Sky Sport 3 & Whakaata Māori (free-to-air)
Sky Open: Delayed coverage
On Demand Highlights: NZR+ and All Blacks YouTube channel