Ireland vs Maori All Blacks LIVE rugby: Latest updates from tour opener as Bundee Aki captains Ireland
Ireland begin their summer tour of New Zealand with a game against the Maori All Blacks in Hamilton on Wednesday morning.
Two of the three favourites for next year’s Rugby World Cup, along with hosts France, the three-match series between Ireland and the All Blacks will be a fascinating watch but before the first Test in Auckland on Saturday, the Irish have a warm-up against the Maoris.
A proud representative side, who reflect the country’s heritage and have a long, storied rugby history, the hosts will provide a real challenge for an experimental-looking Ireland side – who are captained by New Zealand-born Bundee Aki.
The Ireland XV contains five uncapped players and the match will be played at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton, where Aki won a Super Rugby title with former club the Chiefs before joining Connacht in 2014, while coach Andy Farrell has stressed the importance of the contest: “It’s huge. It’s everything to these players that are taking the field, it is the biggest game of their lives. I know there is a three-game series coming up but these two Maori games for us and what we’re trying to build and how we’re trying to put people under pressure and see how they come through, that is just as important.”
Follow all the action from Hamilton with our live blog below:
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3’ – Maori All Blacks 0-0 Ireland
Conditions are slick today, with rain throughout the day and the All Blacks now knock on in contact as Zarn Sullivan has the ball dislodged by Ciaran Frawlay. A bit of pushing and shoving afterwards as both teams look to make a statement early that they won’t be intimidated,
Ireland then win the scrum penalty, so that’s 1-1 at scrum-time so far. Ireland will kick for the posts from range.
2' – Maori All Blacks 0-0 Ireland
Nice start from Ireland as James Hume makes a half-break on the right with a show-and-go before Jordan Larmour slips on the surface. The ball then knocked on in contact and it’s the first scrum of the day, with Maori put-in.
Bad news though as Jeremy Loughman took a hit during that sequence and he’s already off for a HIA. He looks pretty woozy. Cian Healy and his 100+ caps on international experience thrust into action
KICK-OFF! 1 – Maori All Blacks 0-0 Ireland
Right, Haka complete and we’re underway in Hamilton. Wayne Barnes the referee for this clash, incidentally.
Anthems complete
Right, stirring renditions of the two anthems have been completed and we’re almost set to get underway in Hamilton. This should be a fascinating clash and plenty of the Ireland boys will be looking to stake a claim for the Test side.
Next up, the first Haka of the summer – the Maori All Blacks always do a particularly heartfelt Haka.
Before that, Ireland captain Bundee Aki lays down an Ireland ‘11’ shirt between the sides in honour of Sean Wainui – the Maori All Blacks star winger who tragically died in a car crash last October. A nice sign of respect
Joe Schmidt joins All Blacks coaching set-up
As mentioned in the story below, the addition of Joe Schmidt to the All Blacks coaching set-up adds a real wrinkle to the Test series against Ireland.
No-one knows Ireland better than Schmidt, after his six-year stint in charge of the Irish side which included three Six Nations titles.
One of the most detailed-orientated coaches in rugby history, he’ll add some real know-how to the All Blacks, even if he’s only a temporary Covid replacement.
Joe Schmidt joins New Zealand after Covid fells coaches before Ireland tour
Joe Schmidt has been rushed into the New Zealand set-up after Covid-19 felled the side’s coaching stocks on the eve of Ireland’s tour.
The former Ireland boss was due to start coaching his home country’s side after the tour but positive tests for head coach Ian Foster as well as assistants John Plumtree and Scott McLeod forced Schmidt to join them early, NZ Rugby said.
“Joe will come in for Tuesday and Thursday’s trainings this week, and we’re really grateful to have his help,” Foster said.
“We’ve planned for this kind of disruption and we’ve got back up plans and people on standby. Joe was one of those people we could call on.
“I’ve got every confidence in our coaching group, and in our senior leaders who are all stepping up in what’s a massive test for us.”
Joe Schmidt joins New Zealand after Covid fells coaches before Ireland tour
The current trip marks Ireland’s first since Andy Farrell took over from Schmidt after the 2019 World Cup.
Inexperienced Ireland side face ‘biggest game of lives’ against Maori All Blacks
Andy Farrell says his experimental Ireland side face the “biggest game of their lives” after selecting five uncapped players to take on the Maori All Blacks.
Leinster’s Ciaran Frawley will start at fly-half, with provincial team-mate Jimmy O’Brien at full-back in a team captained by New Zealand-born centre Bundee Aki.
Munster prop Jeremy Loughman, Leinster lock Joe McCarthy and Connacht flanker Cian Prendergast are the other international rookies included.
Wednesday’s match in Hamilton marks the start of Ireland’s summer tour, with the first of three Tests against New Zealand coming on Saturday in Auckland.
The Irish will also play the Maori team for a second time on July 12 in Wellington.
Inexperienced Ireland side face ‘biggest game of lives’ against Maori All Blacks
The inexperienced Irish starting XV contains 12 players with six caps or fewer
‘Huge privilege’: Bundee Aki proud to captain Ireland against Maori All Blacks
Bundee Aki says it will be a “huge privilege” to captain Ireland against the Maori All Blacks after initially suspecting head coach Andy Farrell was joking about giving him the responsibility.
New Zealand-born Aki is set to lead a youthful side containing five uncapped players on Wednesday as the Irish kick-off their summer tour of his homeland.
The match will be played at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton, where the 32-year-old centre won a Super Rugby title with former club the Chiefs before joining Connacht in 2014.
“(I’m) privileged to be here, be a part of this team and to lead the boys out,” Aki told a press conference. “It’s special to do it here, where I played my Super Rugby.
“It is a huge privilege, it’s an honour. A very proud moment for myself and my family. A kid from south Auckland, not many opportunities come your way.
Bundee Aki proud to captain Ireland against Maori All Blacks
The 32-year-old will lead a youthful side containing five uncapped players
Maori All Blacks team to face Ireland
Meanwhile, for the Maori All Blacks, experienced scrum-halves Brad Weber and TJ Perenara will co-captain them having missed out on Ian Foster’s full All Blacks squad.
Perenara, who started when New Zealand lost to Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in November, is named among the replacements with Weber leading the starting side out.
There are 10 players set to make their debut for the Maori while a number of experienced Super Rugby campaigners including Tyrel Lomax, Shaun Stevenson and Josh Ioane are named.
Maori All Blacks: Zarn Sullivan; Shaun Stevenson, Billy Proctor , Rameka Poihipi , Connor Garden-Bachop; Josh Ioane, Brad Weber (co-capt); Ollie Norris, Kurt Eklund, Tyrel Lomax, Josh Dickson, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Cameron Suafoa, Billy Harmon, Cullen Grace.
Replacements: Tyrone Thompson, Tamaiti Williams, Jermaine Ainsley, Maanaki Selby-Rickit, TK Howden, TJ Perenara (co-capt), Ruben Love, Bailyn Sullivan.
Ireland team to face the Maori All Blacks
Ireland have gone youthful and experimental with their line-up for this morning’s clash, with just three days before the first Test against New Zealand. It’s hard to imagine many of these players will be involved against the All Blacks from the start on Saturday.
There are five uncapped players in the starting XV, as Leinster’s Ciaran Frawley will start at fly-half with provincial team-mate Jimmy O’Brien at full-back. Munster prop Jeremy Loughman, Leinster lock Joe McCarthy and Connacht flanker Cian Prendergast are the other international rookies included.
As mentioned, the side is captained by New Zealand-born Bundee Aki, who is one of only three players with more than six caps in Ireland’s maiden starting XV, alongside Jordan Larmour (30) and Keith Earls (96).
Ireland Jimmy O’Brien; Jordan Larmour, James Hume, Bundee Aki (capt), Keith Earls; Ciaran Frawley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Dave Heffernan, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Joe McCarthy, Cian Prendergast, Nick Timoney, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Michael Lowry.
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