Māori name squad for November tour

The New Zealand Māori have named their traveling squad for a two-match tour to Canada and France next month. Included in the list of 25 players are eight members of the side that faced the British & Irish Lions in June. Two more players will be added before the team departs.

Clayton McMillan has taken over the Head Coach reigns from Colin Cooper and will be assisted by two former All Blacks in Carl Hoeft and Tana Umaga. The team has been selected from New Zealand’s provincial competition, the Mitre 10 Cup, with Hawke’s Bay hooker Ash Dixon once again named captain.

Three players capped by the All Blacks are included. Former Cardiff Blues lock Jarrad Hoeata, highly-rated Hawke’s Bay scrumhalf Brad Weber, and Taranaki utility back Charlie Ngatai will be surrounded by numerous age-grade internationals, one of whom is recent Australia u20 prop Tyrel Lomax who has opted to pursue test honors with New Zealand.

The Maori will play against Canada at BC Place in Vancouver on Friday, November 3 before facing the French Barbarians at Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux a week later.

FORWARDS
Chris Eves (Waikato), Tyrel Lomax (Tasman), Marcel Renata (Auckland), Ross Wright (Northland), Ash Dixon (capt., Hawke’s Bay), Liam Polwart (Bay of Plenty), Tom Franklin (Bay of Plenty), Jackson Hemopo (Manawatu), Jarrad Hoeata (North Harbour), Keepa Mewett (Bay of Plenty), Sam Henwood (Counties Manukau), Akira Ioane (Auckland), Jordan Manihera (Waikato), Dan Pryor (Northland)

BACKS
Jonathan Ruru (Otago), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Taranaki), Brad Weber (Hawke’s Bay), Jackson Garden-Bachop (Wellington), Ihaia West (Hawke’s Bay), Tim Bateman (Canterbury), Rob Thompson (Canterbury), Teihorangi Walden (Otago), Ambrose Curtis (Manawatu), Sean Wainui (Taranaki), Charlie Ngatai (Taranaki)