New Zealand Māori rugby league team is a
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
representative side made up of
New Zealand Māori players. The side represents the
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
Rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
. Like its
union counterpart, the rugby league team previously competed in international competitions.
With some controversy, the team participated in the
2000 World Cup as Aotearoa Māori.
The
Super League International Board
The Super League International Board was the international governing body for Super League-aligned rugby league football nations between 1995 and 1998.
The Board was formed to administer Super League globally during the Super League war, a corpora ...
had agreed to give a place in their World Cup to the New Zealand Māori team as they attempted to gain allies during the
Super League war.
Despite that World Cup not taking place, the
Rugby League International Federation
The International Rugby League (IRL) is the global governing body for the sport of rugby league football. Previously known as the ''Rugby League Imperial Board'', the '' International Rugby League Board'' and latterly the ''Rugby League Internat ...
repeated the offer for the
2000 World Cup when it replaced the Super League International Board following the end of the dispute.
History
A New Zealand Māori team first toured overseas in 1908 when they visited Australia. This tour was a success, and was followed by another tour to Australia in 1909 and to Great Britain in 1910.
The first game of international rugby league on New Zealand soil was between the Māori and the
touring Great Britain Lions of 1910.
A separate body, the Māori Rugby League Board of Control, was formed in 1934 to administer the game in Māori communities.
This governing body was later renamed the Aotearoa Māori Rugby League and in 1992 it was registered as an incorporated society.
The Māori have had a wonderful record of beating international touring teams over the years. In 1983 they visited Britain and a side containing future Kiwis stars like
Hugh McGahan,
Dean Bell
Dean Bell, also known by the nicknames of "Mean Dean", and "Deano", is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer, and coach. A New Zealand international representative centre, he played his club football in England, Australia ...
and
Clayton Friend proved too strong for the amateur opposition they played. For many years, the Māori have competed in the Pacific Cup alongside other teams with a strong presence of New Zealand–based players—Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands, so they thought it was right they should have the opportunity to follow these teams to the World Cup. The invitation to the Māori to take part in the 2000 World Cup came about as a result of promises made to them by the defunct
Super League International Board
The Super League International Board was the international governing body for Super League-aligned rugby league football nations between 1995 and 1998.
The Board was formed to administer Super League globally during the Super League war, a corpora ...
at the height of the
Super League war that tore the game apart in the southern hemisphere.
The Māori team has participated in the
Pacific Cup (since
1974
Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...
), Super League's
1997 Oceania Cup
The 1997 Oceania Cup was an international Rugby league, rugby league football tournament played in the Pacific region. The tournament was operated and contested by Super League-aligned countries during the Super League war as an alternative to the ...
, Papua New Guinea 50th Anniversary (1998),
2000 World Cup, World Sevens Qualification (2003) and
Pacific Rim (2004) competitions.
The Maori competed against
Indigenous Dreamtime team
The Indigenous Australian rugby league team (also known as the Indigenous All Stars or Indigenous Dreamtime team) is a rugby league football team that represents Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. The team was first formed in ...
on 26 October 2008 as the curtain raiser to the first match of the
2008 World Cup. The Māori team lost 34–26.
In 2010, the Maori team played England at Mt. Smart Stadium in Auckland before the 2010
Rugby League Four Nations
The Rugby League Four Nations (known as the Ladbrokes Four Nations in 2016, for sponsorship purposes) was a biennial rugby league football tournament run in partnership between the Australian Rugby League Commission, Rugby Football League and ...
in New Zealand. After trailing 18–0 at halftime, the Maori came back to draw the match at 18–all.
In October 2013, the side faced the touring
Murri Rugby League Team in a two–game series. The Maori side, featuring NRL players
Charlie Gubb
Charlie Gubb is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Widnes Vikings in the Super League.
Early years
Gubb, of Māori descent, attended Wellington College and played for their first XV rugby union ...
,
Sam Rapira
Sam Rapira (born 8 April 1987) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who last played for Toulouse Olympique in the Betfred Championship. He played as a .
A New Zealand international representative he previously played ...
and
Bodene Thompson
Bodene Thompson (born 1 August 1988) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a forward for Bradford Bulls in the RFL Championship.
He previously played for the Gold Coast Titans, Wests Tigers and the New Zealand War ...
, won the first game 48–18 at Davies Park,
Huntly
Huntly ( gd, Srath Bhalgaidh or ''Hunndaidh'') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, formerly known as Milton of Strathbogie or simply Strathbogie. It had a population of 4,460 in 2004 and is the site of Huntly Castle. Its neighbouring settleme ...
. The second game was played at Puketawhero Park,
Rotorua and was won by the Maori side, 32–16.
In October 2014, the team will travel to Australia to play against the Queensland Maori team at Owen Park,
Southport and the
Murri Rugby League Team at BMD Kougari Oval,
Wynnum
Wynnum is a coastal suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Wynnum had a population of 12,915 people. The suburb is a popular destination in Brisbane due to its coastline, jetty and tidal wading pool.
Geography
Wynnum ...
.
In 2018 they took part in the NRL Festival of Indigenous Rugby League held in Redfern Sydney against the First Nation Goannas, they were beat 22–16 in a thrilling finish.
Jerseys
Primary
Alternative
Players
2008 squad
2010 Squad
2013 squad
Team
Name Rohe
1. Zebastion Luisi, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) – Howick Hornets.
2. Thyme Nikau, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) – Howick Hornets
3. Hiwaroa Grant, Te Arawa (Bay of Plenty) – Taniwharau
4. Rusty Bristow, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) – Papakura Sea Eagles
5. Ryan Gordon, Tauranga Moana (Coastline) – Otumoetai Eels
6. Cruz Rauner, Taranaki (Taranaki) – Waitara Bears
7. Cody Walker, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) – Mount Albert Lions
8. Chris Fox, Waikato Maori (Waikato) – Taniwharau
9. Zach Tippins, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) – Mount Albert Lions
10. Jay Pukepuke, Te Waipounamu (Canterbury) – Halswell Hornets
11. Rulon Nutira, Te Waipounamu (Canterbury) – Hornby Panthers
12. Arden McCarthy, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) – Pt Chevalier Pirates
13. Dylan Moses, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) – Pt Chevalier Pirates
14. Chance Tauri, Te Awa Kairangi (Wellington) – Te Aroha Eels
15. Tama Kaha, Te Awa Kairangi (Manawatu) – Levin Wolves
16. Tony Tuia, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) – Howick Hornets
17. Dominic Bartells, Te Awa Kairangi (Wellington) – Wainuiomata Lions
Coach: Darren Pirini, Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland)
2014 Squad
2018 Squad
2019 NRL Harvey Norman All–Stars
The 2019
All Stars match was the eighth annual representative exhibition All Stars match of Australian rugby league. The match was played between the
Indigenous All Stars and the Māori All Stars for the first time, the match was played in Victoria's AAMI Park. The Indigenous All Stars won 34–14
2019 squad
2020 squad
2021 squad
2022 squad
Coaches
Also see ''
:New Zealand Māori rugby league team coaches ''
Win percentage is
rounded to one decimal place.
;Key
G: Games played
W: Matches won
D: Matches drawn
L: Matches lost
Results
See also
*
New Zealand Māori women's rugby league team
*
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team (Māori: Tīma rīki motu Aotearoa) has represented New Zealand in rugby league since 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird o ...
*
New Zealand national rugby union team
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 19 ...
*
New Zealand Māori rugby union team
*
New Zealand Māori cricket team
References
External links
''100 years of Māori rugby league 1908 – 2008''Google Books
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Zealand Maori Rugby League Team