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RNZ News
13 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Māori All Blacks: 'They represent a bloodline'
Eight debutants have been included in the line-up to face Japan on Saturday. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport Ltd 2025 Māori All Blacks v Japan XV Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium 9.05pm Saturday, 28 June Live blog updates on RNZ When several new caps pull on the Māori All Blacks jersey for the first time this Saturday, they will carry their whakapapa onto the pitch with them. A jersey that can only be earned through blood, the Māori All Blacks represent something no other side in world rugby can. Coach Ross Filipo said the meaning of the jersey is often mistaken and the team is instead thought of as an All Blacks development side. "We quite often get asked the question, 'Are you hopeful to become an All Black by way of the Māori All Blacks?'," he said. "This team's extremely unique in the sense that you have to have Māori blood in order to represent this team." He said the side holds a special place on the world stage. "It is the only team in the world where you have to possess the DNA in order to wear the jersey, which makes it separate it from every other team in the world." Filipo said his players drew power from their tipuna (ancestry). "When these players get to put on the jersey, they don't just put on a jersey and represent a country," he said. "They represent their whole bloodline, their whakapapa, their family. "You can only put that jersey on if you have that blood, so it becomes a very personal piece to be able to wear a Māori All Blacks jersey. "You can go and live in any country for a certain amount of time, and the IRB will allow you to play for that country. You cannot do that with that with this jersey." The Māori All Blacks will kick off their season against Japan on Saturday night in Tokyo. Hooker Kurt Eklund will lead the side, alongside eight debutants in Jared Proffit, Kerswhal Sykes-Martin, Jahrome Brown, Gideon Wrampling, Jacob Devery, Zach Gallagher, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara and Xavi Taele. "We've got a great mix of players," Filipo said. "Some have played All Blacks before, others have been playing at the top end of Super Rugby and others get to debut for the first time, so we're extremely excited around this team, and the balance of youth and experience." He said they were bracing for a serious challenge from the 'Brave Blossoms'. "Two very different styles of rugby. I think it's really important that we have to respect the Japanese and the style of rugby that they've been playing for the last few years. "There's been a huge growth within their national game." Māori All Blacks 1. Jared Proffit*, Ngāti Porou 2. Kurt Eklund, Ngāti Kahu (C) 3. Kerswhal Sykes-Martin*, Ngāti Porou 4. Isaia Walker-Leawere, Ngāti Porou 5. Laghlan McWhannell, Ngāti Kahungunu 6. Te Kamaka Howden, Tūhoe 7. Jahrome Brown*, Ngāti Porou 8. Cullen Grace, Ngāti Whakaue 9. Sam Nock, Ngāpuhi 10. Rivez Reihana, Ngāphui, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine 11. Jonah Lowe, Ngāti Pikiao 12. Gideon Wrampling*, Ngāpuhi 13. Bailyn Sullivan, Ngāti Kahungunu 14. Cole Forbes, Ngāti Awa 15. Zarn Sullivan, Ngāti Kahungunu Bench 16. Jacob Devery*, Te Aitanga a Mahaki 17. Pouri Rakete-Stones, Ngāpuhi 18. Benet Kumeroa, Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi 19. Zach Gallagher*, Te Ātiawa 20. Caleb Delany, Ngāti Tūwharetoa 21. Kemara Hauiti-Parapara*, Ngāi Tai, Ngāti Porou 22. Kaleb Trask, Ngāpuhi 23. Xavi Taele*, Ngāi Tahu Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
All Black debutant trio's different paths to the jersey
All Black debutants from left: Du'Plessis Kirifi, Fabian Holland, Timoci Tavatavanawai. Photo:A trio of uncapped players made the pilgrimage to the Coastal Rugby Club in Taranaki where they were officially introduced as new All Blacks. While equally thrilled about receiving the call-ups, they all took different paths to get to the national side. Timoci Tavatavanawai. Photo: Photosport Highlanders co-captain Timoci Tavatavanawai was talked about as a possible inclusion in the squad but he missed the phone call from coach Scott Robertson telling him he was in. He quickly called him back when he realised. "I was doing some gardening at home and then I saw the missed call from Razor and I called him straight away." Fiji-born Tavatavanawai moved to New Zealand in 2017 and his father died in 2022, before he had the chance to return to Fiji to visit him. He could not attend the funeral due to border restrictions at the time. He said his dad shared his All Blacks dream. "It means a lot for me and my family," Tavatavanawai said. "When I came over here from Fiji, me and my old man we set myself a goal (of making the All Blacks). To think of him watching from above and see me achieve my goal it feels awesome." Tavatavanawai has been picked in the midfield alongside Jordie Barrett, who has just returned from playing in Ireland, Rieko Ioane, Billy Proctor and Quinn Tupaea, who is back in the side for the first time since 2022. Joining Tavatavanawai as the other uncapped players are Chiefs prop Ollie Norris, Chiefs hooker Brodie McAlister, Highlanders lock Fabian Holland and Hurricanes flanker Du Plessis Kirifi. Holland moved from the Netherlands to New Zealand as a teenager to chase his dream of becoming an All Black, first arriving in Christchurch, before heading to Dunedin. The-now 22-year-old is set to become the first Dutchman to play test rugby for New Zealand. "It means everything. It's such a special moment," Holland said. "Growing up in the Netherlands, it's something untouchable. You say it out loud but you don't think it's something that could ever be achieved." Fabian Holland of the Highlanders. Photo: Steve McArthur Holland's mum was on hand when he received the call in a case of good timing. "I was with my foster family, the people that take care of me from Dunedin Sharks. They organised a brunch and my mum was over from the Netherlands, coincidentally," Holland said. "I got a phone call (from Robertson) and it got pretty emotional after that. The full waterworks." "Then I called my old man who is still in the Netherlands. I think it was about 1am for him and he was still half asleep. He called me the next morning and said 'Did I dream that' and I told him it was real and it kind of hit him and my sister. It was pretty special." Holland said he now considers New Zealand home. "This place for me is home. The people that I've met, the people that I consider as family, both in Dunedin and Christchurch made this place home. "It's no secret that this (making the All Blacks) has been a dream of mine since a very young age and to get that phone call was very emotional." While Holland has had the longest geographical journey to the All Blacks, Du Plessis Kirifi has arguably had the longest wait to achieve his goal. Du Plessis Kirifi. Photo: Elias Rodriguez / At 28 years old he was on the cusp of giving up on his dream and signing a big money deal in Japan, but thought he'd give it one more crack. "I had a big decision to make at the start of the season about whether I was going to stay in New Zealand or head overseas. My partner, myself and my family felt like I hadn't really given it my all yet and I would be leaving with some questions unanswered," Kirifi said. "It's a pretty special moment." Kirifi was alone when he found out he'd made the cut and first called his partner and his parents. "To be honest I couldn't make sense of what Dad was saying for a minute or two. He went inaudible for a minute. "They were stoked and there were plenty of tears." All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said Kirifi has earned his selection. "Twenty-eight years old, good story isn't it," Robertson said. "He could have gone easily and got some yen but he wanted to be an All Black. When we were doing his contract it wasn't about the money. I'm really proud he's stayed. "He's been so mature, consistent and reliable. He can change the game. He's a player that has the ability to influence the game and he's done it with great discipline, so we're (selectors) really pleased." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Five debutants and some noteable omissions in All Blacks squad
Coach Scott Robertson has sprung a few surprises in the first All Blacks squad of the year, with five debutants and some notable omissions. The 33-man squad to play France in next month's three-test series was named this afternoon at the Coastal Rugby Club in South Taranaki. Rugby reporter Joe Porter was there Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
News.com.au
18-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL round 15 Fremantle v Essendon: Live scores, updates and SuperCoach news
A lengthy Essendon injury list that has prompted the Bombers to play 11 debutants so far in 2025, but Brad Scott is still holding out hope that his side won't fade out of the season again. The last team to field 11 first-gamers in a single season was North Melbourne in 2017 when Scott was in charge. It's still two players short of the modern day record of 13 among non-expansion teams, a number set by the now-defunct Fitzroy who played 13 debutants in 1991. While Scott couldn't rule out more first-gamers amid the injury crisis, he also hoped for the return of plenty of injured players sooner rather than later, conscious there are fears of a serious fade-out from the Bombers. In 2024 Essendon lost nine of the final 12 games, having won eight of the first 11, to drop out of finals contention in alarming fashion. In 2023, the Bombers lost five of the last seven games, including the final two matches of the season by a combined 196 points. It's a trend Scott is keen to avoid, and hopeful the competitiveness of his young players, outside last week's 92-point loss to Geelong, was evidence that shouldn't happen again. 'This is a bit of the thing with trends, there are things you can't deny. You can't turn around and say we haven't had poor second halves of the year in the past two years,' he said. 'But the thing you have to dig down on is the reason. 'At the moment we've also got to be careful with that because we hopefully will get some personnel, not all of our personnel, back in the back half of the year, that that's the panacea.' But Scott said young players being thrown into the big time earlier could provide capacity for quicker than expected improvement. 'You've just got to keep coaching,' he said. 'While we would have loved to have won our last three games, you have a more captive playing group when you get taught a lesson … they want answers, they want to improve, we can give them clear lessons on that. 'Sometimes young players can, not consciously, but subconsciously drift through the first couple of years of their career because they're seen as developing players. 'Our developing players are playing key roles in our senior team against stars of the competition. They haven't shown any signs of being overawed by that. 'We'll learn the lessons and try and turn it around.'
The Sun
16-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Chelsea set to unleash brand new spine TONIGHT with six stars set for debuts against LAFC at the Club World Cup
CHELSEA could unleash a brand new SPINE at the Club World Cup with six new stars hoping to make their debuts today. The Blues are kicking off their US adventure against MLS heavyweights LAFC tonight. 15 15 Enzo Maresca's men face a tricky test against former Chelsea hero Olivier Giroud in Atlanta, Georgia — where temperatures could hit a sticky 30 degrees celsius. But with an even tougher fixture on the horizon against Brazilian giants Flamengo, today's match could provide opportunities for some new faces. Chelsea have taken no less than 28 players to the States, with Conference League winners like Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Reece James included. Promising youngsters such as Tyrique George, Marc Guiu and Josh Acheampong have also travelled. However, there could be as many as six debutants tonight in scenes bound to excite Blues fans. And should they all feature on the pitch at the same time, they would create a new spine to mark the latest point of Chelsea's fast-paced revolution. Hoping to line up between the sticks is Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders. The 19-year-old joined from Genk last summer before returning on loan, playing 21 times to help them finish first in the Pro League's 'regular season' table. Standing at a whopping 6ft 7in, Penders' imposing frame has inevitably seen him dubbed the 'new Thibaut Courtois.' And with Chelsea struggling for an established No1 ever since Courtois' exit to Real Madrid in 2018, the time appears right for Penders to stake his claim. Club World Cup 2025 Guide SOME of the world's biggest clubs are heading Stateside for a MAMMOTH Club World Cup. Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane will be showing their skills to packed crowds across the US. Los Blancos are favourites to lift the trophy in New York but will face stiff competition from around the globe. Watch EVERY match of the Club World Cup 2025 on DAZN Here's everything you need to know ahead of the tournament... INFO Everything you need to know ahead of the Club World Cup Club World Cup draw in FULL LATEST NEWS & FEATURES 15 15 In defence, there could be debuts for not one but TWO centre-backs. The first is Mamadou Sarr, 19, who only joined Chelsea from sister club Strasbourg a week ago. Despite his age, the defender was entrusted with 27 Ligue 1 outings by former boss Liam Rosenior — who reckons Sarr can become 'world class.' His 6ft 4in height means Chelsea already have their replacement for Axel Disasi, who was left out of the Club World Cup squad. 15 And Sarr's technical ability means he can also fill in as a midfielder when needed. He could be joined in the backline by Argentine ace Aaron Anselmino, who signed for Chelsea last summer. The 20-year-old remained at Boca Juniors until January before moving to Stamford Bridge. And although Anselmino did not make his debut in the second half of the season, he is sure to have gained valuable experience training with the seniors. 15 15 Looking further forward, Chelsea could also be set for a new midfield pivot. With Romeo Lavia's injuries making him unreliable support for Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, a new top-class No6/8 was needed this summer. But Chelsea's savvy shopping means they already have the perfect man in Andrey Santos. It's been two-and-a-half years since the 21-year-old was signed from Vasco da Gama — yet he's still to make his bow for the Blues despite having won two caps for Brazil. A disappointing loan spell at Nottingham Forest was followed by a brilliant 18 months at sister club Strasbourg. This season saw Santos net 11 times in 34 outings while helping the French side qualify for the Conference League. 15 15 And he has the potential to even disrupt the blossoming partnership between Caicedo and Fernandez. Meanwhile, a fifth party has joined the midfield fray in the form of Portugal U21s star Dario Essugo. Snapped up in March from Sporting Lisbon, he shined on loan at Spanish side Las Palmas this season. Another youngster at 20, Essugo has been billed as a similar type of player to Caicedo. And his dynamism could be just what Chelsea need to close out tough matches as they go in search of Club World Cup glory. 15 15 Finally, the Blues will be hoping to have solved their goal problems with £30million striker Liam Delap. The former Ipswich man, 22, hit 12 Premier League goals this season and has the same build as iconic Chelsea forwards like Didier Drogba and Diego Costa. Of all six players hoping to make their debuts, Delap has the biggest chance of starting from the off tonight. And should he hit the ground running, Nicolas Jackson will find it hard to reclaim his spot as Chelsea chiefs aim to land Fifa's stunning £100m jackpot. 15 15 15
