The Māori All Blacks squad has been announced ahead of their Japan tour, with the team revealed at Ōrākei Marae, marking the first time the side has been unveiled at a marae.
The 26-player squad features a mix of established representatives and new talent, with the group set to be led by newly appointed head coach and former Māori All Black Tāmati Ellison.
The team will travel to Japan to face Japan XV in the 2026 Lipovitan D Challenge Cup fixture, as the Māori All Blacks begin a new chapter under Ellison’s leadership.
Māori Rugby Board chair Anne-Marie Jackson spoke with Te Ao Māori News ahead of the announcement, saying the marae setting provided an important opportunity to ground players and staff in te ao Māori before their departure.
“He tino mīharo hoki, nō mātou anō te whiwhi, o te poari Māori, ki te whakaae ki te karanga o te whānau kia hoki mai, kia haere mai ki roto i tō koutou wāhi ātaahua o Ngāti Whātua.”
Māori All Blacks Pou Tikanga, Te Wehi Wright, says there is no better place for the squad to be introduced.
“Kua toru tau mātou e whai ana i tēnei āhuatanga ināianei. Ia te tau, ia te tau ka whano ki hōkai kē atu, ā, tuakiri nei. Nā reira, kāre i tua atu i te haramai ki te mātotorutanga o te ao Māori, ki te hura i tā tātou kaupapa.”
Push for increased Māori All Blacks fixtures
Calls for an increased schedule for the Māori All Blacks have continued, with advocaters highlighting the importance of giving players more opportunities to compete, develop and represent their culture and country.
When asked about advocating for more matches for the side, Jackson said expanding the team’s fixture list was essential for growth and exposure to higher levels of competition.
“Of course, one game is the start of the aspiration, as we know, we have many aspirations at the poari Māori. as well as to whakamana the aspirations that sit in every whīra, in every home and every hapū and whānau who love whutupōro Māori. So, those are the aspirations, to grow the schedule of the Māori All Blacks to be able to be playing our tier one nations around the world.”
Following today’s announcement, Jackson shared his words of wisdom to the new recruits ahead of the Japan fixture saying,
“Nau mai, haramai, nau mai haramai ki roto i tēnei tīma tino nui ki a tātou, te iwi Māori, arā ko te whakapapa Māori te mea tuatahi, me te kaitākaro anō hoki. He tamatoa koe, he tamatoa tonu koe.”
Māori All Blacks squad
The 26-player Māori All Blacks squad is:
- Torian Barnes — Ngāti Whātua, Blues, Canterbury
- Nikora Broughton — Ngārauru, Ngāti Ruanui, Highlanders, Bay of Plenty
- Jahrome Brown — Ngāti Porou, Chiefs, Manawatū
- Kyle Brown — Waikato, Chiefs, Canterbury
- Tahlor Cahill — Ngāpuhi, Crusaders, Canterbury
- Caleb Delany — Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Hurricanes, Wellington
- Caleb Devery — Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Hurricanes, Hawke’s Bay
- Cole Forbes — Ngāti Awa, Blues, Bay of Plenty
- Te Kamaka Howden — Tūhoe, Highlanders, Manawatū
- Taha Kemara — Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea, Crusaders, Waikato
- Benet Kumeroa — Te Ātihaunui a Pāpārangi, Chiefs, Bay of Plenty
- Adam Lennox — Ngāti Kūia, Ngāti Raukawa, Highlanders, Taranaki
- Laghlan McWhannell — Ngāti Kahungunu, Blues, Waikato
- Sam Nock — Ngāpuhi, Blues, Northland
- Ollie Norris — Ngāpuhi, Chiefs, Waikato
- Reon Paul — Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, Chiefs, Bay of Plenty
- JJ Pokai — Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Chiefs, Taranaki
- Jaref Proffit — Ngāti Porou, Chiefs, Taranaki
- Pouri Rakete-Stones — Ngāpuhi, Hurricanes, Hawke’s Bay
- Rivez Reihana — Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Crusaders, Northland
- Marcel Renata — Ngāti Whānaunga, Blues, Northland
- Payton Spencer — Ngāti Kahungunu, Muaupoko, Blues, Auckland
- Bailyn Sullivan — Ngāti Kahungunu, Hurricanes, Waikato (2025) and Hawke’s Bay (2026)
- Xavi Taele — Ngāi Tahu, Blues, Auckland
- Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi — Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa, Chiefs, Bay of Plenty
- Tyrone Thompson — Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Chiefs, Hawke’s Bay
The Māori All Blacks’ fixture against Japan XV will be broadcast on Māori+ Saturday, 27 June.
