Maori All Blacks bolster squad ahead of first Ireland match

Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue / Ngāti Raukawa), Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi) and Max Hicks (Ngāti Ranginui / Ngāi te Rangi) will join the Māori All Blacks squad this week ahead of the team’s first match against Ireland on Wednesday 29 June at FMG Stadium Waikato.

Nock debuted for the Māori All Blacks in 2018 and was selected in the squad last year. He was part of the Blues team this season, playing in the Super Rugby Pacific final against the Crusaders last weekend and is a key player for Northland in the Bunnings NPC.

Hicks joins the squad for the first time after showing huge potential in the 2021 Bunnings NPC for Tasman Mako. Hicks was selected for the Highlanders this year and debuted in the Super Rugby Pacific 2022 competition.

Joining Nock and Hicks is Grace, the youngest player to be named in the New Zealand Super Rugby squads for 2020. Following a stand-out season for the Crusaders, Grace was selected in the All Blacks squad in the same year (2020) and joins the Māori All Blacks as a debutant.

Māori All Blacks Head Coach Clayton McMillan said:

“It’s great to have three quality additions to the wider squad, we welcome back Sam Nock and the two debutants Cullen Grace and Max Hicks. These guys will give us a more flexibility to prepare and put up our best performance against the top tier team Ireland over the coming weeks.”

Māori All Blacks vs Ireland: Wednesday 29 June  at FMG Stadium Waikato, HAMILTON

Māori All Blacks v Ireland: Tuesday 12 July at Sky Stadium, WELLINGTON