Tokoono ngā kaitākaro hou mō te kapa Ōpango Māori v Japan XV

Tokoono ngā kaitākaro ka mau i te poraka Ōpango Māori mō te wā tuatahi ki te tukinga a te kapa Māori ki a Japan XV hei te Rāhoroi, 10:00pm NZST (7.00pm JST) ki te taiwhanga o Chichibunomiya Rugby, Tokyo.

Ko Laghlan McWhannell (Ngāti Kahungunu) rātau ko Rivez Reihana (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), ko Daniel Rona (Te Ātiawa) ko Cole Forbes (Ngāti Awa) ka tīmata i te kēmu, ā, ko te pou mua a Max Hicks (Ngāti Ranginui) rāua ko te pou muri a  Tana Tuhakaraina (Ngāti Hauā) ngā kaiwhakahihiko kei te pae hihiri.  

He uri a Tuhakaraina nō te rohe o Matamata, ā, i whai wāhi atu ia ki te kapa Chiefs hei tāpui i tēnei tau. He rite tonu te pai o tana tākaro i te whakataetae Bunnings Warehouse National Provincial Championship i ngā tau kua hori, me te aha ko Ross Filipo (Muaūpoko) tōna kaiako, te kaiako matua o te kapa Māori me te kapa o Waikato.

Ko McWhannell rāua ko Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou) ngā kaiwhītiki, ā, mā Reihana rāua ko Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi) me ō rāua pukenga te waka e hautu. Ko Rona rāua ko Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru, Waikato) kei te puku o ngā pou muri.

Ko ngā parirau parahutihuti ko Bailyn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu) rāua ko Josh Moorby (Ngāti Maniapoto), ā, ko Forbes te haika. 

Ko te kaitākaro o ngā Highlanders me Canterbury a Billy Harmon (Ngāi Tahu) te poutaka tuwhera, ā, ko Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue) te nama 8 ko Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi) te pou kāpō.

Kua ara mai anō te tautōhito o ngā Crusaders a Joe Moody (Ngāi Tahu) ki te kapa Māori ka tīmata ki te poumua mauī ki te taha o Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāi Takoto) nō ngā Blues, ā, ko Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu) te kaitīkape.

I mihi atu te kaiako matua a Ross Filipo ki ngā kaitākaro e rima me tana whakapae ka tino tere te kēmu ki a Hapani.

“E tika ana kia tohua rātau. Kei te ihiihi au mō rātau me ō rātau whānau kua haere mai i tawhiti kua noho rānei ki te kāinga ki te mātaki. Tokorima ngā kaitākaro hou i te kēmu kotahi,  e whakapono ana ka koha nui rātau ki te whanaaketanga o tēnei kapa.

“E whakapae ana mātau ka tino tere te kēmu, kua roa rātau e whakaharatau ana nā reira me mataara atu i te whio tuatahi. Kei te hīkaka katoa mātau ki te wero, ā, kua rite te kapa” hei tā Filipo.

Ka whakaingoatia te kāpene ki tētahi parakatihi motuhake hei te ahiahi nei.

Māori All Blacks v Japan XV Game 1: *denotes debut
1. Joe Moody (Ngāi Tahu)
2. Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu)
3. Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāi Takoto)
4. Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou)
5. Laghlan McWhannell* (Ngāti Kahungunu)
6. Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi)
7. Billy Harmon (Ngāi Tahu)
8. Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue)
9. Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi)
10. Rivez Reihana* (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa)
11. Bailyn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu)
12. Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru, Waikato)
13. Daniel Rona* (Te Ātiawa)
14. Josh Moorby (Ngāti Maniapoto)
15. Cole Forbes* (Ngāti Awa)

16. Tyrone Thompson (Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri)
17. Ollie Norris (Ngāpuhi)
18. Pouri Rakete-Stones (Ngāpuhi)
19. Max Hicks* (Ngāti Ranginui)
20. Te Kamaka Howden (Tūhoe)
21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa)
22. Rameka Poihipi (Ngāti Whakaue)
23. Tana Tuhakaraina* (Ngāti Hauā)

English translation follows.
 

Six to debut for the Māori All Blacks v Japan XV

Six players are in-line to make their debut for the Māori All Blacks in game one against Japan XV this Saturday, 10.00pm NZST (7.00pm JST) kick-off at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo.

Laghlan McWhannell (Ngāti Kahungunu), Rivez Reihana (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Daniel Rona (Te Ātiawa) and Cole Forbes (Ngāti Awa) were named in the starting XV, while utility forward Max Hicks (Ngāti Ranginui) and outside back Tana Tuhakaraina (Ngāti Hauā) will impress off the bench.

Tuhakaraina proudly hails from the Matamata region and trained with the Chiefs this year as a replacement player. His selection was also based on his consistency over consecutive seasons in the Bunnings Warehouse National Provincial Championship under the leadership of current Māori All Blacks and Waikato Head Coach Ross Filipo (Muaūpoko).

McWhannell starts in lock alongside Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou) and Reihana will steer the ship under an accurate boot alongside versatile halfback Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi). Rona occupies centre covering the midfield with Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru, Waikato).

The winger combo of Bailyn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu) and Josh Moorby (Ngāti Maniapoto) will bring speed to the back three with Forbes named in fullback.

Highlanders and Canterbury’s Billy Harmon (Ngāi Tahu) was named openside flanker beside Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue) in No.8 and Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi) blindside.

Crusaders veteran Joe Moody (Ngāi Tahu) is set to make his Māori All Blacks return as starting loosehead prop with Blues tighthead Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāi Takoto) and hooker Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu).

Māori All Blacks Head Coach Ross Filipo congratulated the six debutants and anticipates a fast paced game against the Japanese.

“They are all fully deserving of their selections. I’m really excited for them and their whānau it’s going to be a massive occasion whether they’ve travelled to watch or are watching at home. To cap five debutants in one game is awesome for the team’s growth and I know they will all make a great contribution.

“We are expecting a high tempo match and we know they have had plenty of preparation time so we will have to be at our best from the very beginning. We are looking forward to the challenge and the team is ready to go,” Filipo said.

Filipo and the coaching staff will announce their kāpene (captain) at a special team session later this evening.  

Māori All Blacks v Japan XV Game 1: *denotes debut
1. Joe Moody (Ngāi Tahu)
2. Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu)
3. Marcel Renata (Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāi Takoto)
4. Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou)
5. Laghlan McWhannell* (Ngāti Kahungunu)
6. Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi)
7. Billy Harmon (Ngāi Tahu)
8. Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue)
9. Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi)
10. Rivez Reihana* (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa)
11. Bailyn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu)
12. Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru, Waikato)
13. Daniel Rona* (Te Ātiawa)
14. Josh Moorby (Ngāti Maniapoto)
15. Cole Forbes* (Ngāti Awa)

16. Tyrone Thompson (Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri)
17. Ollie Norris (Ngāpuhi)
18. Pouri Rakete-Stones (Ngāpuhi)
19. Max Hicks* (Ngāti Ranginui)
20. Te Kamaka Howden (Tūhoe)
21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa)
22. Rameka Poihipi (Ngāti Whakaue)
23. Tana Tuhakaraina* (Ngāti Hauā)

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