NZ Maori name strong squad

Former All Blacks Hosea Gear and Luke McAlister have been named in the New Zealand Maori squad for the Centenary series.

Gear and McAlister named in squad for Centenary series

The New Zealand Maori squad has been named for next month's Centenary series, with former All Blacks Corey Flynn, Hosea Gear, Tanerau Latimer, Luke McAlister, Liam Messam and Isaac Ross all named. Messam will lead the squad which includes a dozen players who have yet to make their NZ Maori debuts although the strong-looking squad contains only two - Manawatu scrum-half Aaron Smith and Wellington lock Daniel Ramsay - without Super rugby experience. The matches against the New Zealand Barbarians, Ireland and England are part of the celebrations to mark 100 years of the New Zealand Maori rugby team. "It is a special honour and rare privilege to play for the Maori team and will be especially meaningful in this year of celebration and I would like to congratulate those players picked in the squad for the first time," said New Zealand Maori coach Jamie Joseph, himself a former NZ Maori player. "We are lucky to have a lot of experience in the team and they will ensure that those new players are quickly brought up to speed. "We have a fantastic programme including two major matches against Ireland and England. "They will be challenging games and will give players the chance to really make their mark and play the style of rugby the New Zealand Maori side is famous for," he added. Flynn and Gear have previously enjoyed success in the NZ Maori jersey, with Crusaders hooker Flynn first playing for the side in 2002. He captained them to Churchill Cup success in 2004, while Hurricanes winger Gear first turned out for the team in 2004. For McAlister, meanwhile, selection offers the chance to push his claims for All Blacks selection for the Tri-Nations. The midfield's Super 14 season was hampered by injury and poor form which resulted in him being overlooked by New Zealand coach Graham Henry when he named his 26-man squad for Tests against Ireland and Wales next month. Forwards: Ben Afeaki (North Harbour), Colin Bourke (Bay of Plenty), Dane Coles (Wellington), Jacob Ellison (Wellington), Corey Flynn (Canterbury), Romana Graham (Waikato), Jason Hoeata (Taranaki), Tanerau Latimer (Bay of Plenty), Karl Lowe (Hawke's Bay), Liam Messam (Waikato, captain), Bronson Murray (Northland), Clint Newland (Hawke's Bay), Daniel Ramsay (Wellington), Isaac Ross (Canterbury), Hayden Triggs (Otago).
Backs: Stephen Brett (Canterbury), Hosea Gear (Wellington), Sean Maitland (Canterbury), Luke McAlister (North Harbour), Willie Ripia (Taranaki), Robbie Robinson (Southland), Aaron Smith (Manawatu), Chris Smylie (North Harbour), Dwayne Sweeney (Waikato), Andre Taylor (Manawatu), Jackson Willison (Waikato).