‘We’re all connected through blood’

When the Ma¯ ori All Blacks take to the field against Moana Pasifika in Hamilton tonight, there will be a team unity stronger and more unique than any other rugby side in the world.

While you’ll hear All Blacks talk about ‘‘playing for the jersey’’, representing the Ma¯ ori All Blacks sees players embrace an even richer, deeper, tangible bond.

‘‘The difference is that in this team we’re all connected through blood,’’ veteran loose forward Liam Messam told Stuff.

‘‘And that sets us apart from any other team here in New Zealand, that we’re connected through DNA.

‘‘Obviously the All Blacks is the pinnacle for any player here in New Zealand. But I’m also very proud to be a Ma¯ ori All Black.’’

The 36-year-old, who affiliates to

the Nga¯ i Tuhoe iwi, will start at No 8 in what could be the last game in his professional career, and what will be his first outing for the Ma¯ ori in three years.

‘‘It’s a huge honour,’’ he says of what it means to wear the jersey. ‘‘It also comes with a lot of responsibility for us. But it’s a responsibility we’re very proud to take upon, and we can go out there and all be role models for our youth coming through.

‘‘You’re playing for the Ma¯ ori, you’re playing for your family, you’re playing for your iwi, you’re playing for your people. It’s something that’s really unique, and really special to New Zealand rugby, this Ma¯ ori team.’’

Just ask winger Sean Wainui how special it is – the man who scored three tries across the two games against Fiji last year.

‘‘It’s a team I’ve dreamed to play for, as a little kid,’’ the 25-year-old Whatatutu-born, Taranaki and Chiefs rep told Stuff. ‘‘I always used to watch them, pretty much religiously.

‘‘So to be able to make it my first time, back in 2015, was probably the best day of my life. And to be able to make it again, the feelings of excitement never go away.

‘‘It’s so special for me because I get to represent my whanau, all my people. To be able to do that on the world rugby stage is just awesome. Proud as.’’

Wainui affiliates to Nga¯ i Tuhoe, Nga¯ Ariki Kaiputahi and Nga¯ ti Porou, and says it is ‘‘a privilege’’ to be in a team which burns a whole new desire.

‘‘Ever since I’ve played, there’s a different feeling when you’re playing Ma¯ ori rugby,’’ he says. ‘‘It’s just something inside you, like you’re playing for the brother next to you.’’

What helps grow the team cohesion no end is the amount of time the Ma¯ ori side spend doing non-rugby things during their week of preparation.

There is training thrown in for good measure, but connecting to iwi and learning more about each other’s whakapapa is of utmost importance.

‘‘It’s bigger than rugby when you’re in this team,’’ Messam says. ‘‘Rugby’s the vehicle that gets us to shine, but there’s obviously bigger and deeper things that are more important.’’

So, for each player, and even staff member, they have to deliver their pepeha (an introductory speech about oneself), describing where they’re from, their background and the like.

Messam said Monday night’s ceremonies was one of the most powerful he’d been a part of, with everyone standing so proud and confident, with even half a dozen doing theirs in te reo. ‘‘It’s a great way for us to connect as a team, and it’s a great way for those players who maybe haven’t been brought up through that side of life, which is all good,’’ he says.

‘‘Our kaumatua said it’s not a test, it’s just a great way to learn a bit more about yourself and your family and get a better understanding, and connect to your spiritual side, because as Ma¯ ori we’re very spiritually connected to those things.’’

That kaumatua is Luke Crawford. He has been the Ma¯ ori All Blacks cultural advisor for 10 years, then in 2018 expanded that role to be Ma¯ ori cultural advisor for New Zealand Rugby.

For more than an hour a day he takes the team through karakia (prayer), waiata (singing), haka, and tells them stories.

‘‘It’s awesome, because we get to enhance our Ma¯ ori side, and get the right tikanga, which is protocols, for the group,’’ Wainui says.

‘‘And that pretty much makes our team, the uniqueness of our team. No other team in the world would be doing this.

‘‘All that stuff is really enjoyable and really good for all the boys who come in and don’t really get that

‘‘You’re playing for your family, you’re playing for your iwi, you’re playing for your people.’’

Liam Messam

‘‘We wear all our people on us, all our past players, all our ancestors.’’

Sean Wainui, top left with Reed Prinsep, top right on the guitar during a marae visit

back home or who haven’t sought after where they’re from before.

‘‘That’s the beauty of it too, because when they come into the team everyone gets a bit more eager to learn more, and eager to go back home and learn a lot more,’’ he says.

The Ma¯ ori will then carry their heritage with them onto FMG Stadium Waikato.

This will be the 20th year the team perform their Tı¯matanga haka – which describes the evolution of life and the creation of New Zealand from the four winds – and even the jersey they wear into battle carries unique significance.

‘‘We wear all our people on us, all our past players, all our ancestors,’’ Wainui says.

‘‘On one side of our jerseys we’ve got Rangi and Papa, representing the women’s side and the man’s side. In Ma¯ ori, we always represent a woman and a man, because without women we wouldn’t be here. So it’s quite cool.’’

And even though today gives the Ma¯ ori side the chance to build on their impressive history of victories, Messam says the scoreboard has always been secondary in his mind when turning out for this team, where there are bigger factors to play for.

‘‘For me, personally, it’s got nothing to do with results, even though that Ma¯ ori team has a great success rate.

‘‘Win or loss, [I’m] just really proud to be in this team. As long as we’re leaving our legacy and making sure we’re enhancing the mana of that jersey.’’