Māori add to traveling squad

The New Zealand Māori have added two players to their squad ahead of the first of their two-match Northern Hemisphere tour. Joining the squad are Manawatu prop Sean Paranihi and North Harbour outside back Shaun Stevenson. The pair are in contention for a spot in the match day 23 for the game against Canada at BC Place on Friday.

Both Paranihi and Stevenson represented New Zealand at the 2016 World Rugby u20 Championship, Paranihi largely a reserve while Stevenson started in four of the five matches. The latter has also spent the last two seasons playing for the Chiefs in Super Rugby. This is the first Māori call-up for both.

FORWARDS
Chris Eves (Waikato), Tyrel Lomax (Tasman), Sean Paranihi (Manawatu), 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), Shaun Stevenson (North Harbour), Sean Wainui (Taranaki), Charlie Ngatai (Taranaki)

FIXTURES
Nov 3 – vs Canada – BC Place, Vancouver
Nov 10 – vs French Barbarians – Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux