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Rieko Ioane will team up with brother Akira on Friday as the New Zealand Māori announced a lineup with four players borrowed from the senior All Blacks camp for the match against the US Eagles at Toyota Park in Chicago. The Olympic duo are among the most popular talents in New Zealand thanks to their exploits on the HSBC Sevens Circuit and in Super Rugby. Also called into the side are flanker Elliot Dixon, scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow, and fullback Damian McKenzie. The upgrade means that five full internationals will adorn the Māori lineup with loosehead Kane Hames also named in the run-on side, with another in Brad Weber on the bench.
Highlanders hooker Ash Dixon will lead the side that also includes All Blacks training squad member Tom Franklin in the second row with fringe candidates Ihaia West and James Lowe in an exciting backline. Marty McKenzie will hope to make it two sets of brothers on the pitch at once should he take the field alongside Damian, and Tasman Makos captain Shane Christie will have to be content with a spot on the bench with new Māori cap Kara Pryor selected at openside flanker. Reserves Marcel Renata and Leighton Price are also set to make their debuts for the esteemed representative side.
The match kicks off at 7pm local time and will be broadcast live on the Rugby Channel.
NEW ZEALAND MĀORI
1 Kane Hames 2 Ash Dixon (capt.) 3 Ben May 4 Jacob Skeen 5 Tom Franklin 6 Elliot Dixon 7 Kara Pryor 8 Akira Ioane 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow 10 Ihaia West 11 James Lowe 12 Tim Bateman 13 Matt Proctor 14 Rieko Ioane 15 Damian McKenzie
16 Joe Royal 17 Chris Eves 18 Marcel Renata 19 Leighton Price 20 Shane Christie 21 Brad Weber 22 Marty McKenzie 23 Sean Wainui
