Makos trio get Maori callup [Fairfax]

Three Tasman Makos will have to put their celebrations on hold after they were named yesterday in the Maori All Blacks team to play Canada and the United States next month.

Tasman Makos' captain and flanker Shane Christie is one of 11 players returning from last year's side and will be joined by his two Tasman team mates, fellow loosie Liam Squire and lock Joe Wheeler. Hooker Quentin MacDonald, who was included in last year's squad, missed selection.

While Christie's selection was predictable, Squire and Wheeler were both stunned by their respective call-ups to the national side. Firstly though, they have Friday's ITM Cup championship final against Hawke's Bay to consider before they can fully appreciate their latest accolade.

Despite an outstanding season with the Makos, Squire admitted he was gob-smacked by the news.

"I'm rapt, I wasn't actually thinking I'd get a shot," he said.

"I'm rapt for Joey and Shane too, that's quite cool. I'm surprised, that's for sure."

Squire, whose maternal grandmother is Maori, said he'd had no contact with the selectors although had been made aware of their interest in him through his agent. "I didn't think too much of it," he said.

Although delighted with the news, it will be several days before he gets to celebrate his selection.

"I've got the Hawke's Bay game to stay focused on, I'm happy about being named, but I've got another job to do first."

After an already stellar season for the strapping loosie, he hoped to cap it all off with victory in Friday's final.

"That'd be the icing on the cake, winning on Friday night."

Wheeler said he'd received a letter midway through the ITM Cup competition saying he was in contention but like Squire, never thought too much about it.

"It's been in the back of my mind to keep playing well and to hopefully make the tour, but obviously all my focus and energy was on performing for the Makos," said Wheeler.

"It's pretty cool and I'm pretty proud. It's a pretty proud team and it's an honour to be able to represent [Maori]. Hopefully if we get a win on Friday night I can celebrate two things, that'd be pretty cool."

The 2m-tall and 109kg lock has performed consistently for the Makos this season.

"It's been good to stay injury free . . . to put a full season together with the Highlanders and build on some of the form I had there and come back [to Tasman] and get plenty of game time for a team that I love playing for. It's gone all right, but it's just cool to be part of a great team and that's made it a lot easier.

 

"With three of us selected from Tasman it shows the team is doing a good job."

However, Wheeler was bitterly disappointed for MacDonald.

"He's been the form hooker in the [ITM Cup] competition and I was pretty surprised to see he hadn't made the tour. It's devastating for him because he deserves it, he was the Makos player of the year and he's been absolutely outstanding for us.

"I'm gutted for him because obviously we flat together and we're good mates. It would have been awesome to go on tour with him."

The 26-man squad will be captained by Hurricanes and Wellington back Tim Bateman and features six former All Blacks. Bateman takes over the captaincy from Tanerau Latimer who was unavailable as he is due to have surgery on a long standing injury.

The team departs on Monday, October 28.

Maori All Blacks: Forwards: Hika Elliot, Corey Flynn, Ben Afeaki, Nick Barrett, Chris Eves, Kane Hames, Joe Royal, Jarrad Hoeata, Luke Katene, Joe Wheeler, Luke Braid, Shane Christie, Elliot Dixon, Liam Squire, Blade Thomson. Backs: Jamison Gibson-Park, Piri Weepu, Ihaia West, Tim Bateman (captain), Charlie Ngatai, Jackson Willison, Kurt Baker, Zac Guildford, Robbie Robinson, Andre Taylor, Matt Proctor