Maori chase 120 years of tradition

Wanganui's Heartland hooker Roman Tutauha will captain Whanganui Maori in the curtain raiser game tomorrow

When you are contesting for the oldest known trophy in Maori rugby, you don't take any chances.

A handy team of representatives players, including the current Steelform Wanganui hooker coming to captain them and the No2 lineout jumper making a return from injury, make up a strong Whanganui Maori team who will be attempting to wrest the Tuera Shield from Taranaki Maori at Cook Gardens tomorrow.

Roman Tutauha will lead the team from hooker while lock Sam Madams will come off the bench for his first game in a month.

Flanker Kieran Hussey, unable to break through the traffic jam of loose forwards into the Heartland squad, and second-five Jaye Flaws, named vice captain, were also rock solid performers for the Development XV recently.

Jessy Kemp was with the NZ Heartland XV at the Under 19 national tournament in Taupo, while former Heartland centre Troy Brown did not play for the Wanganui Development XV after initial selection, but rang up Whanganui Maori assistant coach Justin Lock to confirm his eagerness for this match.

"The expectations of some of the players, they do take Maori rugby as an honour," said Alan Davis, Whanganui Maori Rugby Board chairman.

Davis agreed they had wanted as many of the Maori-descended players from the three tiers of the union's adult representatives squads as possible - due to both form and having recent match fitness, given club rugby ended in early August.

"It has been chosen on what we have available.

"We wanted to have our Heartland boys playing, and we've picked up one or two of them anyway, as well as our Development guys and even a few of the Under 20's."

Looking at the lineup, it was confirmed by coaching staff that a couple of the more seemingly Pakeha players can still trace their Whakapapa - genealogy - back to Maori grandmothers.

Davis stated the Board used the ability to trace Whakapapa to an Maori ancestor back as far as three generations as acceptable qualification.

"There's a criteria that we've made it quite out there.

"But it's going along the same vein as the NZRFU [eligibility rules]."

It will all be for the prize which Whanganui's Kaumatua had a hand in creating - the Tuera Shield.

Introduced in 1896, the shield has been regularly contested between the neighbouring provinces and Davis said at times in its long history the shield was also opened up for games with Maori sides from Hawke's Bay, King Country and Manawatu.

"It was a prestigious shield to play for at the time.

"It's the oldest playing Maori taonga at this time."

The Taranaki squad which plays tomorrow also contains a couple of former Wanganui standouts.

First five Mark Davis and lock Jon Smyth were both part of multiple Meads Cup winning teams - Smyth as recently as being a loan player last year.

Kickoff is 12.45pm at Cooks Gardens in the curtain raiser to the Wanganui vs Thames Valley match.

Whanganui Maori
1. Tawhio Gupwell; 2. Roman Tutauha (c); 3. Josh Hirinui 4. Christian Hawira; 5. Jack Hodges; 6. Dylan Maloney; 7. Kieran Hussey; 8. Sean Van Der Lubbe; 9. Kahl Elers; 10. Te Tua Kemp; 11. Isaiah Hooper; 12. Jaye Flaws (vc); 13. Troy Brown; 14. Jessy Kemp; 15. James Forsyth.
Reserves: 16. Keanu Puki-Kaa; 17. Isaac Fonotoe; 18. Dale Pene; 19. Mikaere Penetito; 20. Aaron Paranihi; 21. Luke Whale; 22. Sam Madams.
Coach: Vaan Rauhina; Assistant Coach: Justin Lock. Manager: Joe Fazakerley.

Taranaki Maori
1. Tipuna Mita; 2. Matt Goodwin; 3. Jacob Northcott; 4. Luke Macleod; 5. Jon Smyth; 6. Dylan Kerei; 7. Hayden Patene; 8. Kieran Young; 9. Sean White; 10. Mark Davis; 11. Taylor Patene; 12. Brent Landers; 13. Nathan Hohaia; 14. Max Betham; 15. Bobby Jones
Reserves: 16. Matt Waaka; 17. Dwayne Taylor; 18. Dylan Schuler; 19. Shamus Hurley-Langton; 20. James Langton; 21. Kallum Reade; 22. Adam White.
Coach: Toka Walden; Assistant Coach: Murray Horo. Manager: Ray Peters; Assistant Manager: James Langton. Strapper: Trevor Manton.