Māori All Blacks
The Māori All Blacks, previously called the New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Maoris and New Zealand Natives, are a rugby union team from New Zealand. They are a representative team of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and a prerequisite for playing is that the player has Māori whakapapa. Today all players have their ancestry verified before selection in the team.
The team's first match was in 1888 against Hawke's Bay. This was followed by a tour of Europe in 1888 and 1889 where the team played their first games against national teams, beating Ireland in Dublin before losing to [Wales national Rugby union|rugby union team|Wales] and England. Their early uniforms consisted of a black jersey with a silver fern and white knickerbockers. The New Zealand Māori perform a haka—a Māori challenge or posture dance—before each match. The haka was later adopted by the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, as were their black shirts. In 2001, the Māori first performed the "Timatanga" haka, which describes the evolution of life and the creation of New Zealand from the four winds.
Since being given official status in 1910, the New Zealand Māori have selected some of rugby union's great players, including fullback George Nēpia who played 46 games for New Zealand from 1924 to 1930, halfback Sid Going who played 86 matches for his country and former New Zealand captain Tane Norton, who represented New Zealand in 61 games, including 27 tests, and later became president of the New Zealand Rugby Union.
History
Beginning
The 1888–1889 New Zealand Native football team organised by Joseph Warbrick toured New Zealand, Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The team became the first New Zealand side to perform a haka during its match v Surrey, and also the first to wear an all black uniform. It was a wholly private endeavour, not organised by the NZRU.The first New Zealand Māori team given official status was selected in 1910. That year the team toured New Zealand and Australia, playing a range of combined New Zealand provinces and Australian state teams. An American Universities squad was touring Australia at the same time and two fixtures were against the New Zealand Maoris. Both were played at Sydney and were won by the New Zealanders 14–11 and 21–3 respectively. In their 19 total matches played they won 12, drew 3 and lost 4 games.
The New Zealand Maoris had not played a match outside New Zealand or Australia until 1926, when they undertook a European tour of France, England and Wales. They also played two games in New Zealand before they left, two more in Australia on the way, and also stopped in Sri Lanka for one game before travelling to France to start the European fixtures. On the return to New Zealand they stopped in Victoria, Australia for a final game in which they won 41–3. In all there were 40 games played. The New Zealand Maoris won 30 of those, drew 2 and lost 8. Full-back George Nēpia remains the most notable player of that period.
Māori players and South Africa
New Zealand has a long history of sporting contact with South Africa, especially in rugby union. Until the 1970s, this involved discrimination against Māori players, since the segregationist laws in South Africa for most of the twentieth century did not allow people of different races to play sport together. South African officials requested that Māori players not be included in teams which toured the country. Despite some of New Zealand's best players being Māori, this was agreed to, and Māori players were excluded from the first three tours of South Africa by New Zealand, in 1928, 1949 and 1960.Nonetheless, in the early period of apartheid, during their 1956 tour South Africa did play the Māoris in New Zealand. In April 2010 Muru Walters said that in 1956 Ernest Corbett, Minister of Māori Affairs, had told the team to deliberately lose to the Springboks "for the future of rugby". The Māoris lost 37–0. This was followed by Walters calling for the New Zealand government to apologise for the way it treated Māori rugby players.
Professional era
The professional era in rugby union began in 1995. The team lost only four of its 26 games played between 1994 and 2004, including beating England, Argentina, Scotland and Fiji. The Māori continued their winning form in 2004 beating the England Saxons in extra time in the final of the Churchill Cup in Canada.One of their two annual tournaments is the Pacific Nations Cup, a competition involving the Pacific top national teams. From 2008 they replaced the Junior All Blacks, and they were undefeated champions, narrowly beating Australia A in the final game of the tournament. The Churchill Cup was another, which they won in 2004 and in 2006, defeating Ireland A and the USA in pool play in Santa Clara, California and Scotland A in the final in Edmonton, Alberta.
In 2005 the Māori beat the British & Irish Lions for the first time in an official match. Their preparations for this match caused them to withdraw from the 2005 Churchill Cup. In August 2012, the NZRU announced the Māori All Blacks would play three matches in the United Kingdom, including a fixture against Canada. Jamie Joseph was coach with assistance from Daryl Gibson.
In matches in New Zealand in 2010 to mark one hundred years of the team, they defeated Ireland and England.
The team was renamed the Māori All Blacks in 2012, having previously been called the New Zealand Maori and New Zealand Maoris. Many members have gone on to play for New Zealand.
Haka
One of the New Zealand Natives' legacies was the haka, a traditional Māori posture dance with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet, to the accompaniment of rhythmically shouted words; this was first performed during a match on 3 October 1888 against Surrey in England, United Kingdom. The haka was later adopted by the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks.In 2001, the Māori first performed the "Timatanga" haka, which describes the evolution of life and the creation of New Zealand from the four winds. This was written especially for the New Zealand Maori team by team kaumātua Whetu Tipiwai. It tells the Māori story of the creation from the void, the nothingness, the darkness to what we have today. It also tells of a gathering of young warriors, young chiefs, young rugby players who are making a statement and setting aims, objectives and strategies to achieve matauranga, whanaunatanga and taumatatanga.
Honours
- 2004 Churchill Cup champions
- 2006 Churchill Cup champions
- 2007 Churchill Cup finalists
- 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup champions
Matches against international sides
New Zealand Māori matches against international sides, including the New Zealand Natives 1888 and 1889 tour. These results are only against full international sides, including the British & Irish Lions, but not against second national teams.| Opposing Teams | For | Against | Result | Date | Venue | City | Competition |
| 13 | 4 | Won | 1888-12-01 | Lansdowne Road | Dublin | New Zealand Natives tour to British Isles | |
| 0 | 5 | Lost | 1888-12-22 | St. Helen's | Swansea | New Zealand Natives tour to British Isles | |
| 0 | 7 | Lost | 1889-02-16 | Rectory Field | Blackheath | New Zealand Natives tour to British Isles | |
| 12 | 6 | Won | 1913-09-27 | Alexandra Park | Auckland | Australia Tour Match | |
| 8 | 9 | Lost | 1921-09-07 | McLean Park | Napier | South Africa Tour Match | |
| 25 | 22 | Won | 1922-06-24 | Royal Agricultural Showground | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| 13 | 28 | Lost | 1922-06-26 | Royal Agricultural Showground | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| 23 | 22 | Won | 1922-07-08 | Royal Agricultural Showground | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| 14 | 21 | Lost | 1922-08-19 | Athletic Park | Wellington | Friendly | |
| 23 | 27 | Lost | 1923-06-16 | Royal Agricultural Showground | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| 16 | 21 | Lost | 1923-06-23 | Royal Agricultural Showground | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| 12 | 14 | Lost | 1923-06-25 | Royal Agricultural Showground | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| 12 | 3 | Won | 1926-12-26 | Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir | Paris | Tour Match | |
| 18 | 37 | Lost | 1929-10-02 | Athletic Park | Wellington | Friendly | |
| British Lions | 13 | 19 | Lost | 1930-07-09 | Athletic Park | Wellington | British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia |
| 3 | 14 | Lost | 1931-09-09 | FMG Stadium | Palmerston North | Australia Tour Match | |
| 6 | 31 | Lost | 1936-09-23 | FMG Stadium | Palmerston North | Australia Tour Match | |
| 3 | 3 | Draw | 1938-08-20 | Albert Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 5 | 11 | Lost | 1938-08-24 | Albert Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 6 | 3 | Won | 1938-08-27 | Albert Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 4 | 14 | Lost | 1939-09-16 | Rugby Park | Hamilton | Fiji Tour Match | |
| 20 | 0 | Won | 1946-09-25 | Rugby Park | Hamilton | Australia Tour Match | |
| 22 | 6 | Won | 1948-07-31 | Albert Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 8 | 9 | Lost | 1948-08-04 | Albert Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 14 | 6 | Won | 1948-08-07 | Albert Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 12 | 3 | Won | 1949-06-04 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| 8 | 8 | Draw | 1949-06-11 | Brisbane Exhibition Ground | Brisbane | Tour Match | |
| 3 | 18 | Lost | 1949-06-25 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| British Lions | 9 | 14 | Lost | 1950-08-02 | Athletic Park | Wellington | Lions Tour Match |
| 14 | 21 | Lost | 1951-09-05 | Athletic Park | Wellington | Tour Match | |
| 22 | 28 | Lost | 1952-07-26 | Athletic Park | Wellington | Friendly | |
| 12 | 19 | Lost | 1954-08-14 | Churchill Park | Lautoka | Tour Match | |
| 16 | 8 | Won | 1954-08-21 | Buckhurst Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 9 | 6 | Won | 1954-08-24 | Buckhurst Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 0 | 37 | Lost | 1956-08-25 | Eden Park | Auckland | South Africa Tour Match | |
| 13 | 36 | Lost | 1957-08-10 | Athletic Park | Wellington | Fiji Tour Match | |
| 8 | 17 | Lost | 1957-08-24 | Carisbrook | Dunedin | Fiji Tour Match | |
| 14 | 15 | Lost | 1958-06-14 | Brisbane Exhibition Ground | Brisbane | Tour Match | |
| 3 | 3 | Draw | 1958-06-28 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| 13 | 6 | Won | 1958-07-05 | Olympic Park Stadium | Melbourne | Tour Match | |
| 26 | 8 | Lost | 1958-07-09 | Eden Park | Auckland | Friendly | |
| British Lions | 6 | 12 | Lost | 1959-09-05 | Eden Park | Auckland | Lions Tour Match |
| 16 | 27 | Lost | 1960-05-21 | Teufaiva Sport Stadium | Nukuʻalofa | Tour Match | |
| 28 | 6 | Won | 1960-06-04 | Apia Park | Apia | Tour Match | |
| 31 | 5 | Won | 1960-06-11 | Apia Park | Apia | Tour Match | |
| 5 | 32 | Lost | 1961-07-29 | McLean Park | Napier | France Tour Match | |
| 26 | 9 | Won | 1964-07-25 | Buckhurst Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 3 | 9 | Lost | 1965-08-28 | Athletic Park | Wellington | South Africa Tour Match | |
| British Lions | 14 | 16 | Lost | 1966-08-13 | Eden Park | Auckland | Lions Tour Match |
| 19 | 26 | Lost | 1969-08-16 | Lancaster Park | Christchurch | Tonga Tour Match | |
| 6 | 19 | Lost | 1969-09-06 | Eden Park | Auckland | Tonga Tour Match | |
| 11 | 6 | Won | 1970-07-25 | Lancaster Park | Christchurch | Fiji Tour Match | |
| 9 | 9 | Draw | 1970-08-08 | Eden Park | Auckland | Fiji Tour Match | |
| British Lions | 12 | 23 | Lost | 1971-06-02 | Eden Park | Auckland | Lions Tour Match |
| 11 | 6 | Won | 1973-05-10 | Apia Park | Apia | Tour Match | |
| 12 | 0 | Won | 1973-05-12 | Apia Park | Apia | Tour Match | |
| 3 | 11 | Lost | 1973-05-22 | Teufaiva Sport Stadium | Nukuʻalofa | Tour Match | |
| 6 | 4 | Won | 1973-06-02 | Buckhurst Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 9 | 3 | Won | 1973-06-09 | Churchill Park | Lautoka | Tour Match | |
| 8 | 18 | Lost | 1973-08-08 | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua | Friendly | |
| 24 | 9 | Won | 1974-08-17 | Eden Park | Auckland | Fiji Tour Match | |
| 39 | 25 | Won | 1974-08-31 | Athletic Park | Wellington | Fiji Tour Match | |
| 23 | 16 | Won | 1975-07-19 | Rugby Park | New Plymouth | Tonga Tour Match | |
| 37 | 7 | Won | 1975-08-02 | Eden Park | Auckland | Tonga Tour Match | |
| 19 | 6 | Won | 1976-07-17 | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua | Samoa Tour Match | |
| 24 | 8 | Won | 1976-07-24 | Eden Park | Auckland | Samoa Tour Match | |
| British Lions | 19 | 22 | Lost | 1977-07-13 | Eden Park | Auckland | Lions Tour Match |
| 19 | 13 | Won | 1979-05-19 | Buckhurst Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 26 | 3 | Won | 1979-05-22 | Apia Park | Apia | Tour Match | |
| 26 | 9 | Won | 1979-05-25 | Teufaiva Sport Stadium | Nukuʻalofa | Tour Match | |
| 22 | 9 | Won | 1980-08-30 | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua | Fiji Tour Match | |
| 12 | 12 | Draw | 1981-08-25 | McLean Park | Napier | South Africa Tour Match | |
| 19 | 25 | Lost | 1982-11-13 | National Stadium | Cardiff | Tour Match | |
| 66 | 3 | Won | 1982-11-20 | Campo Central de la Ciudad Universitaria | Madrid | Tour Match | |
| 28 | 4 | Won | 1983-06-06 | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua | Tonga Tour Match | |
| 52 | 4 | Won | 1983-06-13 | Eden Park | Auckland | Tonga Tour Match | |
| 22 | 12 | Won | 1988-11-05 | Instalaciones Deportivas La Cartuja | Seville | Tour Match | |
| 29 | 17 | Won | 1992-10-10 | National Stadium | Rarotonga | Tour Match | |
| 33 | 10 | Won | 1992-10-24 | Teufaiva Sport Stadium | Nukuʻalofa | Tour Match | |
| 35 | 34 | Won | 1992-10-31 | National Stadium | Suva | Tour Match | |
| British Lions | 20 | 24 | Lost | 1993-05-29 | Athletic Park | Wellington | Lions Tour Match |
| 34 | 13 | Won | 1994-06-04 | Lancaster Park | Christchurch | Fiji Tour Match | |
| 28 | 15 | Won | 1996-06-14 | Ericsson Stadium | Auckland | Samoa Tour Match | |
| 25 | 10 | Won | 1996-11-01 | National Stadium | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 29 | 20 | Won | 1996-11-08 | Teufaiva Sport Stadium | Nukuʻalofa | Tour Match | |
| 39 | 17 | Won | 1997-06-14 | McLean Park | Napier | Argentina Tour Match | |
| 34 | 20 | Won | 1997-08-21 | Apia Park | Apia | Tour Match | |
| 66 | 7 | Won | 1998-06-19 | Lowe Walker Stadium | Whangarei | Tonga Tour Match | |
| 62 | 14 | Won | 1998-06-23 | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua | England Tour Match | |
| 24 | 8 | Won | 1998-11-14 | Murrayfield Stadium | Edinburgh | Tour Match | |
| 57 | 20 | Won | 1999-08-03 | National Stadium | Suva | Tour Match | |
| 18 | 15 | Won | 2000-06-17 | Yarrow Stadium | New Plymouth | Scotland Tour Match | |
| 29 | 41 | Lost | 2001-06-09 | Sydney Football Stadium | Sydney | Tour Match | |
| 43 | 24 | Won | 2001-06-26 | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua | Argentina Tour Match | |
| 23 | 27 | Lost | 2002-06-15 | Subiaco Oval | Perth | Tour Match | |
| 47 | 12 | Won | 2003-06-02 | North Harbour Stadium | Albany | Tonga Tour Match | |
| 9 | 23 | Lost | 2003-06-09 | Yarrow Stadium | New Plymouth | England Tour Match | |
| 65 | 27 | Won | 2003-07-26 | Kingsland | Calgary | Tour Match | |
| 30 | 9 | Won | 2003-08-02 | York Stadium | Toronto | Tour Match | |
| 69 | 31 | Won | 2004-06-12 | Calgary Rugby Park | Calgary | Churchill Cup | |
| 29 | 27 | Won | 2005-06-03 | Albert Park | Suva | Tour Match | |
| British & Irish Lions | 19 | 13 | Won | 2005-06-11 | Waikato Stadium | Hamilton | Lions Tour Match |
| 74 | 6 | Won | 2006-06-08 | Buck Shaw Stadium | Santa Clara | Churchill Cup | |
| 59 | 23 | Won | 2007-05-26 | Franklin's Gardens | Northampton | Churchill Cup | |
| 20 | 9 | Won | 2008-06-07 | North Harbour Stadium | Albany | Pacific Nations Cup | |
| 11 | 7 | Won | 2008-06-14 | Churchill Park | Lautoka | Pacific Nations Cup | |
| 17 | 6 | Won | 2008-06-21 | Waikato Stadium | Hamilton | Pacific Nations Cup | |
| 65 | 22 | Won | 2008-06-28 | McLean Park | Napier | Pacific Nations Cup | |
| 31 | 28 | Won | 2010-06-18 | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua | Centenary Series Match | |
| 35 | 28 | Won | 2010-06-23 | McLean Park | Napier | Centenary Series Match | |
| 32 | 19 | Won | 2012-11-23 | Oxford University | Oxford | Tour Match | |
| 40 | 15 | Won | 2013-11-03 | BMO Field | Toronto | Tour Match | |
| 29 | 19 | Won | 2013-11-09 | PPL Park | Philadelphia | Tour Match | |
| 61 | 21 | Won | 2014-11-01 | Noevir Stadium | Kobe | Tour Match | |
| 20 | 18 | Won | 2014-11-08 | Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium | Tokyo | Tour Match | |
| 27 | 26 | Won | 2015-07-11 | ANZ National Stadium | Suva | Fiji Tour Match | |
| 54 | 7 | Won | 2016-11-04 | Toyota Park | Chicago | Māori All Blacks tour to Northern Hemisphere | |
| British & Irish Lions | 10 | 32 | Lost | 2017-06-17 | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua | British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand |
| 51 | 9 | Won | 2017-11-03 | BC Place | Vancouver | Māori All Blacks tour to Northern Hemisphere | |
| 59 | 22 | Won | 2018-11-03 | Soldier Field | Chicago | Māori All Blacks tour to America and South America | |
| 35 | 3 | Won | 2018-11-10 | Estádio do Morumbi | São Paulo | Māori All Blacks tour to America and South America | |
| 73 | 0 | Won | 2018-11-17 | Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo | Las Condes | Māori All Blacks tour to America and South America | |
| 10 | 27 | Lost | 2019-07-13 | ANZ National Stadium | Suva | Māori All Blacks and Fiji two-match series | |
| 26 | 17 | Won | 2019-07-20 | Rotorua International Stadium | Rotorua | Māori All Blacks and Fiji two-match series | |
| 35 | 10 | Won | 2021-06-26 | Sky Stadium | Wellington | Māori All Blacks and Samoa two-match series | |
| 38 | 21 | Won | 2021-07-03 | Mount Smart Stadium | Auckland | Māori All Blacks and Samoa two-match series | |
| 32 | 17 | Won | 2022-06-29 | FMG Stadium Waikato | Hamilton | 2022 Ireland rugby union tour of New Zealand | |
| 24 | 30 | Lost | 2022-07-12 | Sky Stadium | Wellington | 2022 Ireland rugby union tour of New Zealand | |
| 36 | 10 | Won | 2024-06-29 | Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium | Tokyo | 2024 July internationals | |
| 14 | 26 | Lost | 2024-07-06 | Toyota Stadium | Toyota | 2024 July internationals | |
| 53 | 20 | Won | 2025-06-29 | Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium | Tokyo | 2025 July internationals | |
| 26 | 29 | Lost | 2025-07-05 | Semenoff Stadium | Whangārei | 2025 July internationals |
Overall
Updated: 5 July 2025Players
Current squad
On 24 June 2025, Head Coach Ross Filipo named a 29-player squad for their July internationals against Japan XV and Scotland.Note: 'Bold denotes players who are internationally capped, Caps correct as of 29 June 2024
| Player | Position | Date of birth | Caps | Franchise/province | Iwi |
| Hooker | 0 | / | Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki | ||
| Hooker | 7 | / | Ngāti Kahu | ||
| Prop | 2 | / | Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi | ||
| Prop | 0 | / | Ngāti Porou | ||
| Prop | 4 | / | Ngāpuhi | ||
| Prop | 0 | / | Ngāti Porou | ||
| Prop | 0 | / | Ngāti Tiipa / Ngāti Āmaru | ||
| Lock | 0 | / | Te Ātiawa | ||
| Lock | 2 | / | Ngāti Kahungunu | ||
| Lock | 0 | / | Whakatōhea | ||
| Lock | 12 | / | Ngāti Porou | ||
| Loose forward | 1 | / | Ngā Rauru / Ngāti Ruanui | ||
| Loose forward | 0 | / | Ngāti Porou | ||
| Loose forward | 1 | / | Ngāti Tūwharetoa | ||
| ' | Loose forward | 3 | / | Ngāti Whakaue | |
| Loose forward | 4 | / | Ngāi Tūhoe | ||
| Halfback | 0 | Ngāi Tai / Ngāti Porou | |||
| Halfback | 5 | / | Ngāpuhi | ||
| First five-eighth | 2 | / | Ngāi Tahu / Ngāpuhi / Ngāti Hine / Ngāti Tūwharetoa | ||
| First five-eighth | 2 | / | Ngāpuhi | ||
| Centre | 1 | / | Te Aupouri / Ngāti Kahu | ||
| Centre | 1 | / | Te Ātiawa | ||
| Centre | 4 | / | Ngāti Kahungunu | ||
| Centre | 0 | / | Ngāi Tahu | ||
| Centre | 0 | / | Ngāpuhi / Ngāti Hine | ||
| Wing | 2 | / | Ngāti Awa | ||
| Wing | 5 | / | Ngāti Pikiao | ||
| Fullback | 1 | / | Ngāti Kahungunu |
- Kade Banks joined the squad as temporary injury cover for Daniel Rona.