A centenary Ireland may wish to forget

ONE HUNDRED years ago, on Hospital Hill which overlooks the Rotarua International Stadium, the New Zealand Maori team played their first official game.

A century on, having toured extensively and scalped England, Argentina, Scotland, Fiji and, of course, the 2005 Lions, they mark the occasion with the second of a three-match Centenary series against a decidedly callow Ireland.

Ireland’s first meeting with the Maoris is richly resonant of history, and no team is more in touch with its history than the New Zealand Maoris. Their team sheet comes complete with each player’s provinces and whakapapa, which is their tribe or land they come from.

“In Maori culture everything is linked back to our land, which is spiritual for this team,” explains former Maoris coach Jamie Joseph, a former Maori and All Black from the early 1990s.

Viewed in that light, it’s possibly the toughest match Ireland could have squeezed into their schedule between facing the All Blacks and the Wallabies. The Maoris play with relatively little pressure, but perhaps there is pressure to win these Centenary matches.

“As a Maori team we’re used to the guys going to the All Blacks,” says Joseph, “but thankfully in this country there are some talented players and all bar two have played Super 14. So we’ve got reasonable experience and half-a-dozen All Blacks.”

The All Blacks are hooker Corey Flynn, captain Liam Messam of Waikato Chiefs, his fellow flanker Tanerau Latimer, inside centre Luke McAlister and winger Hosea Gear, two-try match-winner against the Barbarians.

Stephen Brett is the brilliant understudy to Dan Carter at the Crusaders, and they have bundles of running talent in their backs and a lively backrow.

Everything about the way the Maoris points to them playing with a high-tempo approach similar to the All Blacks. Ready as they claim to have been for this, Irish players didn’t seem particularly alert to quick throws and taps last week.

Adapting to the relentless recycling and ball-in-hand rugby which now reins hereabouts is one thing, but Ireland’s defence was also badly exposed. In addition to sharpening their re-alignment and line speed, Ireland also need to sharpen up their breakdown work and what was a messy lineout.

By right, Ireland should be hurting, and Joseph expects as much. “I’ve played Ireland myself and I know how passionate they are as a rugby team and a rugby nation,” says Joseph. “I’d say they’ll be hurting and we’ll get it. The guys are aware of that, and if they’re not, they will be by tonight, and if they’re still not, they’ll be made aware of it in the first five minutes mate, don’t you worry,” he says with a broad smile.

This looks a daunting challenge for a particularly inexperienced pack. With their injury toll, Ireland may have over-reached here.

Replacements

NZ MAORIS: D Coles (Wellington), C Newlands (Hawke’s Bay), R Graham (Waikato), K Lowe (Hawke’s Bay), R Tipuna (Wellington), W Ripia (Taranaki), J Willison (Waikato).

IRELAND: S Cronin (Connacht), J Hayes (Munster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), D Wallace (Munster), P Stringer (Munster), R O’Gara (Munster), R Kearney (Leinster).

Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa).