Rugby: NZ Maori to tour Canada

The New Zealand Maori rugby team are to undertake a short tour of Canada this year.

Three matches, two of them against Canada, were confirmed today by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU).

New Zealand Maori will play Canada in Toronto on July 26 and Kingston, Ontario on August 2. As well, they will play Canada East in Ottawa on July 30.

Those games are in additional to earlier matches already arranged which will pit New Zealand Maori against Tonga in Albany on June 2 and England in New Plymouth on June 9.

NZRU deputy chief executive Steve Tew said the union remained committed to developing Maori rugby.

He said the players were great ambassadors for the New Zealand game.

"We were keen to continue organising annual matches for New Zealand Maori against top-class international sides.

"We believe that if Maori rugby continues to prosper then New Zealand rugby will prosper."

Under the International Rugby Board (IRB) schedule, the All Blacks were due to play one test in Canada this year -- and its replacement -- a brief tour by New Zealand Maori, is still subject to IRB approval.

"Canada were very accommodating and understand that assembling an All Blacks side to play a one-off test on the other side of the world in the middle of the Tri-Nations didn't make sense," Tew said.

Confirmed matches for New Zealand Maori in 2003:-

June 2: v Tonga, Albany

June 9: v England, New Plymouth

July 26: v Canada, Toronto, Ontario

July 30: v Canada East, Ottawa, Ontario

August 2: v Canada, Kingston, Ontario.

- NZPA