Maori All Blacks named to face British & Irish Lions

Māori All Blacks Head Coach Colin Cooper has named an experienced squad to play the British & Irish Lions in Rotorua next Saturday.

The 2017 Māori All Blacks Squad for the New Zealand Lions Series is (* denotes new cap):

Forwards

Props
Chris Eves - North Harbour - Waikato/Tainui (7 appearances)
Kane Hames - Tasman - Ngāi Tuhoe/Ngāti Porou (5) 
Mike Kainga - Taranaki - Ngāti Kahungunu (2)
Ben May - Hawke’s Bay - Ngāti Maniapoto (12)
Marcel Renata - Auckland - Ngāti Whānaunga / Te Aupouri (4)

Hookers
Ash Dixon (captain) - Hawke’s Bay - Ngāti Tahinga (8)
Hikawera Elliot - Counties Manukau - Ngāti Awa (9)

Locks
Tom Franklin - Otago - Ngāti Maniapoto (4)
Leighton Price - Taranaki - Waikato/Ngāti Maniapoto (3)
Joe Wheeler - Tasman - Ngāi Tahu (2)

Loose forwards
Elliot Dixon - Southland - Ngāpuhi (9)
Akira Ioane - Auckland - Ngāpuhi/Te Whānau ā Apanui (5)
Liam Messam - Waikato - Ngāti Maniapoto (12)
Reed Prinsep - Canterbury - Te Rārawa (2)
Kara Pryor – Northland - Ngāti Awa/Ngāti Pikiao/Ngāti Rangitihi (2)

Backs

Halfbacks
Bryn Hall* - North Harbour - Ngāti Ranginui 
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi* - Taranaki - Ngāti Pikiao 

First five-eighths
Otere Black - Manawatu - Ngāi Tuhoe/Te Whānau ā Apanui/Ngāti Tūwharetoa (4)
Ihaia West - Hawke’s Bay - Ngāti Kahungunu/Ngāti Porou (7)  

Midfielders
Tim Bateman - Canterbury - Ngāi Tahu (12)
Charlie Ngatai - Taranaki - Ngāti Porou/Te Whānau ā Apanui/Te Whakatōhea (9)
Matt Proctor - Wellington - Ngāi Te Rangi/Ngāpuhi (9)
Rob Thompson* - Canterbury - Ngāti Kahungunu 
James Lowe - Tasman - Ngāpuhi/Ngāi Te Rangi (5)

Outside backs
Damian McKenzie - Waikato - Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Ngāti Tahinga (3)
Nehe Milner-Skudder - Manawatu - Ngāti Porou/Tapuika (2)
Declan O’Donnell - Taranaki - Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Ngāti Porou (1)
 
Coaching and management team

Head Coach - Colin Cooper - Ngāti Pūkenga/Ngāti Porou
Assistant Coach - Tana Umaga
Set-piece Coach - Carl Hoeft
Manager - Tony Ward
Kaumatua - Luke Crawford - Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Ngāti Porou
Media Manager - Hannah Fleming - Te Atiawa/Ngati Te Whiti
Doctor - Zig Khouri
Physiotherapist - Ash Draper
Strength and Conditioning coach - Brad Anderson - Ngāpuhi
Analyst - Jayson Ross - Ngāti Kahungunu
Logisitics/Massage - Paul Minehan