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Maori All Blacks set for Nov match in S’pore

SINGAPORE — The New Zealand Rugby Union yesterday confirmed Singapore as the venue for the final match of the Maori All Blacks’ Asian tour, where the team will take on aspiring Super Rugby franchise the Asia Pacific Dragons at the National Stadium.

Carlos Spencer (with ball) playing for the New Zealand Maori. The team changed their name to the 
Maori All Blacks two years ago. 
PHOTO: REUTERS

Carlos Spencer (with ball) playing for the New Zealand Maori. The team changed their name to the
Maori All Blacks two years ago.
PHOTO: REUTERS

SINGAPORE — The New Zealand Rugby Union yesterday confirmed Singapore as the venue for the final match of the Maori All Blacks’ Asian tour, where the team will take on aspiring Super Rugby franchise the Asia Pacific Dragons at the National Stadium.

The match on Nov 15 is the first appearance for the Maori All Blacks — a team that features top New Zealand rugby players of Maori ancestry — in Singapore. The team’s latest tour will see them play Asian powerhouses Japan on Nov 1 and 8 before heading here to play the Asia Pacific Dragons coached by former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga.

Singapore Rugby Union (SRU) president Low Teo Ping said having the Maori All Blacks play a match here caps “a very exciting year for Singapore rugby”. “It will be a great opportunity for Singaporeans to catch world-class rugby live, and comes on the back of international tournaments such as the World Club 10s and the SCC International Rugby 7s,” said Low, whose association also made a bid to host a leg of the IRB’s Sevens World Series.

Added Low: “We already have two home-grown heroes donning the Asia Pacific Dragons jersey, and we hope to see Jay-Hykel (Jailani), Reiner (Leong) and possibly a few more be part of the wider training squad in preparation for this game.”

Some of the players to have played for the Maori All Blacks include Zinzan Brooke, Christian Cullen, Carlos Spencer, Piri Weepu and former All Black captain Taine Randell. The Maori All Blacks have played more than 100 Test matches and have won against all but three of the major rugby nations — South Africa, Wales and New Zealand.

New Zealand Maori Rugby Board Chairman Wayne Peters points to Singapore and South-east Asia as an emerging market for rugby.

“The Asia Pacific Dragons will also include several younger Asian players in a wider training squad, which will provide them with valuable exposure to a professional rugby environment,” he said.

ADELENE WONG

Tickets go on sale this Friday (July 11) at SportsHub Tix: sportshub.com.sg/sportshubtix

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