Rugby: Pryor makes Maori ABs

Taniwha captain on the day Dan Pryor fights for the ball against Hawke's Bay Magpies at Napier on October 17.

Northland rugby golden boy Dan Pryor was shifting house, en route from his Ngunguru home to Dunedin to join the Highlanders, when he heard he'd been named in the Maori All Blacks.

While Pryor was too busy to be waylaid by the pesky press, his bosses at Northland Rugby Union were happy to share their delight at his success.

Union chief executive Jeremy Parkinson said Pryor being named yesterday in the country's Maori team came after the valuable Taniwha flanker's "watershed year" in 2013 and having built on that this year.

"We're very proud of him. He's made the Highlanders and now he's also been named in the Maori All Blacks," Parkinson said.

"Last year he got the players' Player of the Year and the ITM coaches' Player of the Year.

"This year he's been one of our best players and he's been captain for the Taniwha a couple of times."

Parkinson said the "charismatic" Pryor had turned down some attractive overseas offers to play in the ITM Cup.

The dreadlocked player told the Advocate earlier this month the timing of the Highlanders signing had been good, as he neared the completion of his Bachelor of Business at Auckland University of Technology (AUT).

He said he had been "sort of looking at maybe heading overseas in the next couple of years". "I am stoked, I've obviously been playing this game [at ITM Cup level] for four years and it's good to get a crack at another level."

Pryor, who had a Super Rugby season with the Blues in 2012, vowed then that "I'm coming back here - my heart is up here".

He is one of 11 new caps named in the Maori All Blacks squad to take on Japan next month.

The 27-strong Maori All Black squad departs on Monday, October 27, for its first ever visit to Japan.

Coach Colin Cooper said he was pleased with the squad's mix of youth and experience.

"The team has a proud legacy and an enviable record against national teams so I am sure all 27 players will be working hard to ensure this tour honours that legacy," he said.

Full Squad:
• Hookers: Joe Royal (Bay of Plenty), Ash Dixon (Hawke's Bay), Codie Taylor* (Canterbury)
• Props: Chris Eves (Manawatu), Mike Kainga* (Bay of Plenty), Nicholas Barrett (Auckland), Brendon Edmonds* (Hawke's Bay)
• Lock: Tom Franklin* (Otago), Joseph Wheeler (Tasman)
• Loose forwards: Shane Christie (vc) (Tasman), Blade Thomson (Taranaki), Liam Squire (Tasman), Elliot Dixon (Southland), Sean Polwart* (Auckland), Dan Pryor* (Northland)
• Halfbacks: Jamison Gibson-Park (Taranaki), Chris Smylie (Taranaki)
• First five-eighths: Ihaia West (Hawke's Bay), Marty McKenzie* (Taranaki)
• Midfield backs: Jason Emery* (Manawatu), Charlie Ngatai (c) (Taranaki), James Lowe* (Tasman)
• Outside backs: Matt Proctor (Wellington), Kurt Baker (Taranaki), Joe Webber* (Waikato), Nehe Milner-Skudder* (Manawatu), Robbie Robinson (North Harbour)
*not capped