Boult helps inspire inaugural M¯aori team
It started with a conversation while watching an All Blacks prematch haka.
Just over a year later the idea became reality when Black Caps star Trent Boult presented caps to New Zealand Cricket’s first Ma¯ ori Schools team at the Basin Reserve in Wellington yesterday.
The lucky 12 filed up in the Long Room to be greeted by a Boult hongi, their new caps and a pounamu carved and blessed by Ray Kingi.
Under captain Ollie White the team will play their first match at Wellington’s Karori Park today, against a Governor General’s XI captained by former Black Cap Hamish Marshall. School Sport New Zealand chief executive Garry Carnachan said the idea was put to NZC after he and NZ Cricket Players’ Association chief executive Heath Mills had the conversation during an All Blacks test against France.
Mills’ brother Kyle was among the recent New Zealand internationals with Ma¯ori ancestry, along with Boult, Jesse Ryder, Peter McGlashan, Daryl Tuffey, Tama Canning, Heath Davis, Adam Parore, Maia Lewis and current White Fern Lea Tahuhu.
NZC was receptive and yesterday’s ceremony featured board member Liz Dawson and chief executive David White. The latter is also the proud father of the skipper, whose Nga¯ ti Apa ancestry is from his mother’s side.
Boult said he would have jumped at such an opportunity at school. ‘‘Hopefully it just promotes that there are opportunities for young Ma¯ ori to get into the game,’’ he said.
‘‘It comes a lot from the schools, the background, the accessibility to a game that pretty much lasts all weekend. It’s not easy on any family. Hopefully not just myself but a lot of Maori that have represented New Zealand in several sports inspire kids to get out there and give it a crack.’’
The team was picked from an initial group of 50 players nominated by their schools, major associations or iwi.
Joel Clark (Nga¯ Puhi me Nga¯ti Ra¯hiri Tumutumu, Whanganui Collegiate), Tim Florence (Nga¯ti Wha¯tua, Auckland Grammar School), Ryan Jackson (Nga¯ Ma¯hanga a Tairi, St Patrick’s College Silverstream), Joel Lavender (Te A¯ ti Awa me Nga¯ Puhi, Marlborough Boys’ College), Ruben Love (Te A¯ ti Awa, Palmerston North Boys’ High School), Rhys Mariu (Nga¯i Tahu me Nga¯ti Tu¯ wharetoa, St Andrew’s College, Christchurch), Bailey McDonald (Nga¯i Tu¯ hoe, Lindisfarne College, Hastings), Kuwyn Price (Nga¯ti Porou me Nga¯ti Haua¯, St Paul’s Collegiate, Hamilton), Nathan Robinson (Nga¯ti Hei, King’s College, Auckland), Brayden Thomas (Te A¯ ti Awa, Southland Boys’ High School), Ollie White (Nga¯ti Apa, Auckland Grammar School), Mitchell WilliamsNorth (Rongomaiwahine, Napier Boys’ High School).