Timely Return: Hawke's Bay's Maori All Blacks captain Ash Dixon in action against the United States last year. Photo/NZME
IF mates of Maori All Black and Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby captain Ash Dixon with tongue in cheek accused him of saving himself for internationals he would understand.
After just three Super Rugby outings for the Highlanders this season Dixon has retained his captaincy role with the Maori All Blacks team which will take on the Lions in Rotorua next Saturday. He will assemble in Rotorua today with fellow Magpies, first five-eighth Ihaia West and prop Ben May and former Magpies, hooker Hika Elliot and lock Leighton Price.
"It's a bit of a bummer. I was hoping to play both games but I couldn't," he said referring to the Highlanders' clash against the Lions in Dunedin on Tuesday night.
"Either way it's a privilege. It's pretty special to lead this year's Maori side against the Lions because that's a team players don't get to play against that often."
A two-time world age group champion, Dixon, 28, admitted there was a time earlier in the Super campaign when he didn't know whether or not he would be back again this season as he struggled to shake off a niggly back injury.
"I've been coming back slowly and I'm back into the groove again. I know we are going to be taking on the superstars of the Lions forwards as they look for a solid rehearsal before taking on the All Blacks in the first test. They've got two more games before they face us so they will be very much improved from what we saw against the Blues on Wednesday night."
A veteran of 74 first-class games for the Magpies, Dixon, agreed with the suggestion the Lions will place more emphasis on the test matches than the games against the Super teams and the tourists will treat the Rotorua clash as their "fourth test".
"People tell us our northern hemisphere tour last year will have prepared us well for the Lions. There are similarities between the Lions and the teams we played last year but the Lions are a couple of levels up. These guys are test players who will be firing on all cylinders.
"We are going to see a hungry team firing against us. We have got to equal that and bring what we are about."
Dixon, who is of Ngati Tahinga descent, pointed out the balance within the Maori squad reflected the extent of their assignment ... taking on an international test team.
"There's not a lot of youth but plenty of experience."
There are only three newcomers to the Maori jersey, both halfbacks, Bryn Hall of the Crusaders and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi of the Hurricanes and Highlanders midfield back Rob Thompson.
"There's no pressure on our team and we won't have a lot of time together. But we will make the most of the week ahead ... we know what it means to be playing together as Maori boys in games like this. We know it will be close to a top Lions team and we know what they will bring. It's important we enjoy the week and show what we know about Maori rugby," Dixon said.
Like West, Dixon is aware of the history involved with previous matches between the Maori All Blacks and Lions including the 2005 encounter in Hamilton which the hosts won. There is expectation of a repeat.
There's no doubt the ammunition is there. Dixon, Elliot, May and one-match All Black prop Kane Hames will cope admirably in the tussle of the frontrows with support from North Harbour's Chris Eves. Otago's Tom Franklin and Tasman's Joe Wheeler are just the type of grafting locks needed to combat the physicality the Lions can bring.
Former All Black loosie Liam Messam brings the necessary experience and will call for composure when required while Blues loosies Akira Ioane and Kara Pryor will be handy when the tempo needs to be lifted.
Hall has been playing some of the best rugby of his career for the Crusaders and will provide quality service for the likes of West and Hurricane Otere Black when they are in the pivot roles. Chiefs excitement machine James Lowe has been named as a midfield back rather than his more familiar wing role.
Picture him linking up with the likes of fullback Damian McKenzie and wingers Nehe Milner-Skudder and Declan O'Donnell. These blokes should have too much gas for their Lions counterparts.
Let's hope the weather is favourable. Excitement was written all over the face of Maori All Black coach Colin Cooper when the team was announced.
"We've got a very exciting group coming together to experience this special and rare occasion. The majority of us have been working together over the past couple of years so we already have an understanding of each other and the clarity around what we're looking to achieve."
Cooper said the magnitude of the match was huge and representing Maoridom meant they were never short of motivation.