Reunion marks 110 years for Ma¯ori

THIS year’s team weren’t the only lot of Ma¯ori All Blacks at FMG Stadium Waikato last night.

While the current-day squad was preparing for their one-off clash against Moana Pasifika, a host of former players gathered for a reunion to mark the 110th anniversary of the first official New Zealand Ma¯ori team to take the field.

Although a New Zealand Natives side made a long and successful tour to Britain in 1888-89, it wasn’t until 1910 when the team was given official status amid concern about the loss of Ma¯ori players to league.

And so, New Zealand Ma¯ori’s first game came against the Rotorua sub-union in Rotorua on May 21 that year – a game that the Ma¯ori, captained by Alex Takarangi, won 25-5.

Since then, the Ma¯ori All Blacks – renamed that in 2012 – have built up a rich history, notching an enviable winning record against test sides.

No international opposition was lined up this year because of the pandemic, with a twogame tour to Russia called off, but just as it looked like the Ma¯ori would not have any fixture at all for 2020, the game against Moana Pasifika was announced last month.

And as the hours ticked down to that final game of a long year of footy, the war stories ramped up in the Brian Perry Stand, as more than a century of history was relived through some fond, and foggy, memories for a group of 50-plus players brought together in a gathering organised by Ma¯ori TV, New Zealand Ma¯ori Tourism, Te Aupikitanga Trust and New Zealand Rugby.

The oldest living Ma¯ori All Black, 92-year-old Theo Kipa, made the trip up from Feilding. He was the youngest player selected for the Ma¯ori’s 1949 tour to Australia, aged 20.

‘‘That was a learning curve for me,’’ he recalled.

‘‘I learnt a lot.’’

Nowadays, it’s all great memories.

‘‘I think of all my mates I played rugby with, and I’ve caught up with some of the families as well,’’ he said.

‘‘We turn back the pages, and I haven’t forgotten the type of players they’ve been over a long period of time.’’