New Zealand Maori squad (to play England and Ireland)

[MunsterMan]

Earls will be starting though, not for the NZ Baabaas Shame we didn't bring Isaac Boss on tour ahead of Stringer Would have been cool for him to line out for the NZ Barbarians.

 

[MunsterMan]

Damn the mocker gods!

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

I can just guess that there'll a couple more injuries popping up from the woodwork soon.....

It's a shame for you fans though and your national selectors.

 

[Darwin]

The NZ Maori team to play against the New Zealand Barbarians team on Saturday has been named - looks like a full strength lineup:



NZ Maori:
15. Robbie Robinson, 14. Sean Maitland, 13. Jackson Willison, 12. Luke McAlister, 11. Hosea Gear, 10. Stephen Brett, 9. Chris Smylie, 8. Liam Messam (captain), 7. Tanerau Latimer, 6. Jarrad Hoeata, 5. Daniel Ramsay, 4. Isaac Ross, 3. Clint Newland, 2. Corey Flynn, 1. Bronson Murray.
Reserves: 16. Dane Coles, 17. Ben Afeaki, 18. Romana Graham, 19. Hayden Triggs, 20. Colin Bourke, 21. Aaron Smith, 22. Dwayne Sweeney.



The Barbarians team:
15. Jared Payne, 14. Bryce Heem, 13. Rene Ranger, 12. Ben Smith, 11. Fetu Vainikolo, 10. Colin Slade, 9. Alby Mathewson, 8. Pater Saili, 7. Alando Soakai (captain), 6. Scott Waldrom, 5. Kevin O'Neill, 4. Josh Bekhuis, 3. Charlie Faumuina, 2. John Afoa, 1. Jamie Mackintosh

Reserves: Andrew van der Heijden, Dean Budd, Rhyan Caine, Lachie Munro, Daniel Bowden, two Irish players to be added




Although this game is really just ment to be a warm-up for the Maori team before their matches against Ireland and England, a good performance here could lead to a callup to the AB's trinations squad. The likes of Flynn, Latimer, Gear, and McAlister from the Maori's, and Afoa, Mathewson, Ben Smith, Slade and Ranger from the Baba's will be hoping for strong performances.

 

[nickdnz]

I'm hoping for a few tries by Hosea Gear!

 

[Darwin]

I'm hoping for a few tries by Hosea Gear!

He could score a few tries - especially since the player he is marking (Bryce Heem) has not even played provincial rugby (let alone Super 14 rugby).

 

[MunsterMan]

John Afoa could be the worlds largest hooker ever?

Paddy Wallace (first 5/8 and can cover flyhalf) would be an excellent option for the NZ Baabaas, he should be starting in New Plymouth to be honest. Our injury problems have left us pretty short on cover, but Johne Murphy (winger) and Chris Henry (blindside) would be decent bench cover but hardly international class yet at least. Murphy is an experienced enough GP and Heineken Cup winger if Heem has a bad day.

 

[Darwin]

John Afoa could be the worlds largest hooker ever?

Paddy Wallace (first 5/8 and can cover flyhalf) would be an excellent option for the NZ Baabaas, he should be starting in New Plymouth to be honest. Our injury problems have left us pretty short on cover, but Johne Murphy (winger) and Chris Henry (blindside) would be decent bench cover but hardly international class yet at least. Murphy is an experienced enough GP and Heineken Cup winger if Heem has a bad day.

The AB selectors are trying to convert Afoa into a hooker. His biggest weakness as a prop is his scrummaging - while he might be a weak scrummaging prop he will probably be above average as a hooker. His work around the park, both with the ball in hand and defensively, is strong - if he learns how to throw into a lineout he could make a very good hooker.

Looking at the Barbarians team it looks like the two Irish players added will have to be front-rowers, as there are no front-row players on the bench.

EDIT: Just saw it confirmed that Damian Varley and Tom Court are the two Irish players added
(http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/3793188/Irish-players-named-for-NZ-Barbarians)
To be honest I've never heard of Varley - is he young?

 

[durbutter]

~27 i think. Only a fulltime pro for 2 or 3 years, Wasps signed him. He proved decent and was signed to Munster and has cemented his place as 2nd choice hooker. I would rate him as avarage to be honest.

Court has come on leaps and bounds in the last 2 years and is one of irelands best props imo.

 

[Conal]

varley is bout 28 got called uo into hooker after rory best,jerry flannery where injured
we where brining 3 hookers anyway
so that makes him 5th choice

 

[MunsterMan]

I rate him highly, think he could be better than Flannery if given the opportunity. Does the basics very well and is like a 7 at the breakdown.

 

[William18]

Anyone catch the NZ Maori game vs the NZ Barbarians today? One of the best games of rugby that I have seen in a long, long while. It showed me that we do still have a fair amount of depth in New Zealand rugby. I'm really looking forward to see how they go against Ireland and England, we have to make sure that the NZ Maori are getting a few high quality games each season.

 

[nickdnz]

Anyone catch the NZ Maori game vs the NZ Barbarians today? One of the best games of rugby that I have seen in a long, long while. It showed me that we do still have a fair amount of depth in New Zealand rugby. I'm really looking forward to see how they go against Ireland and England, we have to make sure that the NZ Maori are getting a few high quality games each season.

it was a good game, but didn't boast my confidence in NZ Maori beating England. It was a very close game.

 

[ranger]

My take on the baabaas game;

- Ranger, Gear, McAllister would be superstars if they were in another country

- Maitland, Matthewson, Messam and Soakai are good enough to start at international level.

-Flynn and Waldrom are rusty

-Ben Smith showed he could play international rugby in the midfield, he could be a quicker version of Conrad Smith

-Colin Bourke is the most underrated player in the universe.

-Ross is far too loose for a lock

-Macintosh, Slade, Aaron Smith, Robinson, Latimer, Bekhuis and Afoa are pretty handy and very close to international standard

-Willison, Ramsay, Graham, Afeaki, Saili, Heem are young but show promise, could be good in time.

-Smylie, Hoeata, Newland, Oneil are solid journeymen

-Vainikolo is great and **** at the same time

-Bronson Murray and Dane Coles are hopeless. Bronson Murray could be the worst professional prop in NZ

 

[durbutter]

Did either of the irish boys get a run?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

How was the Maoris scrum...?

 

[Darwin]

How was the Maoris scrum...?

Not good. They were destroyed a few times by the babas at scrum time. The babas did have a massive front row though - two 130kg props with John Afoa (whose 120+ kg) at hooker.