THE ELIGIBILITY criteria for the Maori rugby team is about as vague as that which applies to, well, come to think of it, the Irish rugby team (or soccer team for that matter). A thimbleful of Maori blood will do. According to one New Zealand Herald rugby writer, "basically, in all about 20 years time, we'll all be pretty much eligible mate
The ever-expanding Maori net has benefits for the All Blacks. Sean Fitzpatrick's long-standing understudy, Stormin' Norm Hewitt, has been `moved' to the Maoris for their forthcoming games against Ireland, Argentina and Mann Sanioa, because coach John Hart believes the match practise would be more beneficial to Hewitt than sitting on the All Blacks' bench.
Meantime, others with a drop of Maori blood will no doubt see the team as a handy entry into representative rugby.
The Maoris do not see this as a diminution of their heritage, nor are they seeking to become an independent international team. But they do see these games as another valuable step toward further international recognition. An end-of-season tour to France is on the cards.
"This is our window of opportunity," explained coach Matt Te Pou yesterday. "We have no chance to bring the players together in June or July, and our next chance of coming together is after our national provincial championships. We've gone three years unbeaten and we want to finish off this year four years unbeaten.
"This is a chance to establish our credibility. Ultimately, whenever an international touring team comes to New Zealand we would like to be on the agenda," added Te Pou.
Evidence of their importance within the Maori community was clear from yesterday's training session. A visit to the match stadium was insufficient. Instead, the Maoris drove 20 miles to Hato Paora College, a Maori school outside Fielding.
A boarding school, its Monday to Friday daily routine begins with breakfast at 7 a.m.. Ranks or Chapel follows at 8.0, school is from 9.0 onwards, followed by rugby or basketball at 3.30, dinner at 5.0, more rugby for the senior As at 6.0, study from 7.0 and dorm time at 9.00. Saturday is devoted to rugby and Sunday to mass with optional study time.
On arrival, the squad listened to a Maori choir of schoolboys before exchanging greetings in the traditional Maori fashion - by rubbing foreheads and shaking hands.
An awe-struck gathering of uniformed schoolboys watched the ensuing session. Surprisingly, on the day before the game with the Irish Development team, it was a long, 90-minute plus, fairly physical session.
Replacement prop Phil Coffin called the shots in the opening drills, in which four groups criss-crossed, rapidly passing four balls between them. Executed at high speed, the hall was not once dropped.
The drills, never lasting more than seven or eight minutes, were interspersed with full-pitch `match' scenarios, with the forwards and backs splitting up before coming together again. It wasn't entirely perfect; six balls were dropped, but they were regularly applauded.
"We had 17 Maoris in the All Black trial and six are actually in the team," said Te Pou. "Our ambition is to have 15 in the team one day. But to play for the Maoris gives as much pride to our players as playing for the All Blacks. We wear the fern and we're extremely proud of that."
