Support for big push in Maori rugby

SHOOTING FOR GOAL: Maori Rugby Board members Val Morrison (left) and Albie Gibson share a goal of wanting to encourage rugby participation and support across all levels of the game among Maori. But Morrison (Ngati Porou East Coast) and Gibson (Poverty Bay) will be on opposite sides when the two provinces meet in Ruatoria tomorrow. Picture by Paul Rickard

“IT’S a Ngati takeover,” jokes Val Morrison who has joined Albie Gibson on the Maori Rugby Board, an affiliated body of New Zealand Rugby (NZR).

Morrison’s Te Araroa-born cousin, former Counties and Maori All Black winger Peter Goldsmith, is an independent director on the board, which prompted Morrison’s quip.

Morrison and Gibson say they want to provide opportunity and aspiration to players at all levels of the game in an era when many players ‘‘vanish” when they leave school.

Gibson was automatically appointed to the board last year as chairman of Te Tini a Maui (lower North Island or central) region, while Morrison was voted on to the board as the region’s elected delegate, immediately before New Zealand Rugby’s annual general meeting last month.

Morrison sits on the executive of the Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Football Union, while Gibson does likewise with Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union.

Both men believe Maori rugby can provide a pathway for players, coaches and administrators. Gibson gives the example of All Black halfback Aaron Smith, who was playing in the relative obscurity of Te Tini a Maui rugby before being picked for the Maori All Blacks.

Many resources put into age groupFrom the Maori team, Ngati Kahungunu-affiliated Smith was playing for the All Blacks within two years. Many resources and a big push had gone into age-group Maori rugby.

Morrison said four local players featured recently in a Te Tini a Maui under-18 team who defeated a side in Auckland coached by former All Black No.8 Arran Pene and the legendary Buck Shelford.

Gibson said a Levin training camp featured 10 coaches. Scouts and selectors from the Chiefs and the Hurricanes also attended.

A coaching wananga in April was attended by 60 coaches, including Colin Cooper and Shelford. Ngati Porou East Coast and Turanganui a Kiwa under-18 players will take part in a Rotorua training camp in July, after which a New Zealand Maori u18 team will be selected.

But Gibson and Morrison believe a lack of Maori rugby development officers across the country is an issue. A positive development is the return of Taranaki Maori rugby into Te Tini a Maui region, despite the amber-and-blacks being a constituent union of the Chiefs franchise.

Increasing diversity was identified at NZR’s annual meeting as being crucial to the sport. Morrison and Gibson feel diversity is not so much an issue in Poverty Bay and on the Coast. About 80 percent of players in Poverty Bay are Maori.

“Poverty Bay is very supportive of Maori rugby,’’ Gibson said. Some other unions were envious.

Lack of womenThe lack of women in governance roles was identified by NZR as another area of concern.

But East Coast is one of only three unions out of the 26 in the country to have a female chief executive (Cushla Tangaere).

Poverty Bay has two women coaches: Trish Hina and Amoe Tarsau. NZR is trying to promote rugby among the large Asian community in Auckland. Asians are perceived as a group with little natural interest in the national game, and Morrison believes the problem can be overcome.

“When I go to NRL games in Australia, I see many Asians in the crowd,” he said.

“So there is opportunity there.’’

Morrison and Gibson were encouraged by the East Coast visit of Ngati Porou All Black Nehe Milner-Skudder, along with the World Cup.

The visit was of huge promotional value, they said. Both men were disappointed New Zealand Maori did not have a match against Wales, who have just arrived in the country.

But later this year the Maori All Blacks play the USA in Chicago, Munster in Ireland, and Harlequins in England.

Harlequins are celebrating their 150th anniversary and last played the Maori team at Twickenham in 1926, the visitors winning 11-5.

Next year the British and Irish Lions play the Maori All Blacks in Rotorua and will seek revenge for their defeat in 2005.

“Everyone wants to play the Maori,’’ Gibson said.