Māori All Blacks: The Team, Eligibility, Fixtures and Legacy

The Māori All Blacks are one of New Zealand rugby’s oldest and most distinctive teams: a national men’s side selected entirely from players of Māori descent, administered by New Zealand Rugby. Their story runs deeper than the scoreboard, connecting elite professional sport with whakapapa (genealogy) and te ao Māori (the Māori world). This guide explains who the Māori All Blacks are, the eligibility rule that governs selection, the haka they perform, their landmark results, how their fixtures are arranged, where they play, and how fans in Aotearoa New Zealand can follow them.

What are the Māori All Blacks?

The Māori All Blacks are widely regarded as New Zealand Rugby’s second national men’s team, ranked just below the senior All Blacks. They are not a development or age-grade side; the squad is drawn from established professional and provincial players, and playing for the team is treated as a genuine honour rather than a stepping stone alone.

What sets the side apart is its selection principle. Every player must have Māori whakapapa — that is, verifiable Māori ancestry. The team therefore functions both as a high-performance rugby side and as a public expression of Māori identity, with players representing their iwi (tribe) as well as their country.

That identity shapes how the team prepares. When a squad assembles it usually gathers for a period of cultural learning alongside the on-field training, with players encouraged to share their whakapapa, learn the meaning behind the team’s protocols and connect with the history of the places they visit. Kaumātua (elders) and cultural advisors are a normal part of the environment, and the group typically opens a campaign with a pōwhiri (formal welcome). For many players, this combination of elite sport and cultural connection is the main reason the jersey is so highly valued.

Relationship to the All Blacks

The Māori All Blacks and the All Blacks are separate teams with separate records. Playing for the Māori side does not make a player an All Black, and vice versa. In practice, many players wear both jerseys across a career, and a strong Māori All Blacks campaign can put a fringe player on the national selectors’ radar. Because the two teams rarely, if ever, meet, comparisons are made through shared opponents rather than head-to-head results.

Eligibility: the whakapapa requirement

The single defining rule of the team is ancestry. To be selected, a player must be able to demonstrate Māori whakapapa. This is different from the residency and nationality rules that govern most international rugby, where eligibility can be established through birthplace, a parent or grandparent, or a period of residence.

The requirement has tightened over time. The original Native and Māori sides of the late 1800s and early 1900s were more loosely defined, and over the decades a small number of non-Māori players did feature. Today the standard is clear: confirmed Māori whakapapa is a prerequisite, and New Zealand Rugby works with players, their whānau (family) and iwi to establish ancestry before selection.

How selection fits the season

Because the team assembles only for specific windows, selectors watch form across Super Rugby Pacific and the NPC (the domestic provincial competition) before naming a squad. A typical group blends experienced internationals with in-form provincial players, giving the coaching staff a chance to test depth against strong opposition.

The haka: Te Tīmatanga

The Māori All Blacks perform their own haka, Te Tīmatanga, rather than the All Blacks’ Ka Mate or Kapa o Pango. A haka is a ceremonial Māori posture dance, and this one was written for the team by kaumātua (elder) Whetu Tipiwai and first performed in 2001.

The name Te Tīmatanga means “the beginning.” The words describe the creation of the world — the movement from darkness and the void into light and life, and the shaping of New Zealand by the four winds. For the players it is a way of grounding the team in a shared story before kick-off, and it is one of the most recognisable moments of any Māori All Blacks fixture.

History and milestones

The team’s roots reach back to the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team, a pioneering group that toured for roughly 14 months between June 1888 and August 1889. The Natives played an extraordinary 107 rugby matches across Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, winning 78, losing 23 and drawing six. They were the first New Zealand representative side to tour the northern hemisphere, among the first to wear a predominantly black uniform, and helped introduce British crowds to the haka. A distinct New Zealand Māori side was given official status in 1910.

Since then the team has built a reputation for upsetting touring nations. That tradition sits within the broader history of rugby union in New Zealand, and a handful of results stand out for local fans.

Landmark modern results

The most celebrated modern win came in 2005, when the Māori All Blacks beat the touring British & Irish Lions 19–13 in Hamilton — their first victory over the Lions. Other notable matches include a win over England during the 2010 centenary series and a series-opening win over Ireland in 2022. More recently, Scotland edged the side in a tight 2025 Test in Whangārei for their first-ever win against the Māori, a reminder that these fixtures are genuinely competitive.

Fixtures: how the schedule works

The Māori All Blacks do not play in a weekly league or an annual round-robin tournament. Instead, their matches are arranged individually by New Zealand Rugby, usually as one-off Tests or short series. This makes the calendar less predictable than a domestic competition, so checking upcoming Māori All Blacks fixtures a season ahead is worthwhile.

Broadly, campaigns fall into a few patterns: mid-year home Tests against touring nations or invitational sides, occasional tours to the northern hemisphere or Asia, and standout matches against composite teams such as the British & Irish Lions when they visit New Zealand. Recent seasons have included Tests against Ireland (2022), Scotland (2025) and a Japan XV.

Coaching and recent direction

Tamati Ellison was appointed head coach for 2026, succeeding Ross Filipo. Coaching appointments for the Māori All Blacks are typically shorter-term and tied to specific assemblies, and the coaching group places emphasis on cultural preparation alongside on-field structure.

Playing style

The Māori All Blacks are associated with an attacking, ball-in-hand approach: quick ruck ball, offloading, and backs who look to counter-attack from deep. Like any modern side they also rely on set-piece and defensive organisation, but the identity most fans recognise is a willingness to play with width and tempo.

In practice this means forwards who can clear rucks quickly and pass before contact, halves who move the ball early, and outside backs comfortable in open space. The style suits one-off Tests, where a team can commit fully to an expansive plan rather than manage a long league season.

It is worth keeping the results in perspective. The Māori All Blacks assemble for only a handful of matches a year, often with limited time together, and they regularly face full national sides or invitational teams that have prepared for longer. That context makes their record of competitive Tests and occasional upsets more notable, and it also explains why a narrow loss — such as the 2025 Test decided after the final hooter — is not treated as a decline in standard.

Where they play: home venues

Rather than concentrating on the country’s largest metropolitan stadiums, Māori All Blacks home Tests are often taken to regional grounds, bringing international rugby closer to provincial communities. Compact venues also create a close, vocal atmosphere for supporters.

• FMG Stadium Waikato (Hamilton): known as Waikato Stadium in 2005, this was the scene of the win over the Lions and the 2022 series opener against Ireland.
• McLean Park (Napier): host of the 2010 win over England during the centenary series.
• Semenoff Stadium (Whangārei): a Northland venue that hosted the 2025 Test against Scotland.
• Sky Stadium (Wellington): a larger capital-city ground used for higher-demand fixtures, including the second 2022 Test against Ireland.

How to watch and follow in New Zealand

Sky Sport is the main broadcaster of international and domestic rugby in New Zealand and typically carries Māori All Blacks Tests live, on both satellite television and its streaming apps. New Zealand Rugby’s own platform, NZR+, is a further source of rugby content and highlights. Official highlights and match reports are also published on the All Blacks and New Zealand Rugby websites after each game.

Tickets for home Tests are sold through official ticketing outlets and the relevant provincial union, and high-profile matches can sell quickly, so it pays to buy through authorised channels rather than resale sites. Supporters looking to buy an official rugby jersey should also stick to licensed retailers to avoid counterfeits.

The pathway and high-performance role

The Māori All Blacks sit within a wider talent system. Young players progress through community and school rugby, provincial academies and franchise programmes before reaching this level — the same route mapped out in more detail in New Zealand’s elite rugby pathway.

For established players, a Māori All Blacks call-up offers international-standard competition and, for some, a bridge toward higher honours. Fullback and wing Josh Moorby, who represents Ngāti Maniapoto and debuted for the side against Ireland in 2022, is a recent example of a player using the platform on the way to a strong professional career. The team’s cultural programme — connecting players with their iwi and history during camp — is a deliberate part of that development, not an add-on.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who can play for the Māori All Blacks?

Selection is open only to players who can demonstrate Māori whakapapa (verifiable Māori ancestry). This is the team’s defining eligibility rule and differs from the residency and nationality criteria used elsewhere in international rugby. New Zealand Rugby confirms ancestry with players, their whānau and iwi before selection.

What is the Te Tīmatanga haka?

Te Tīmatanga is the Māori All Blacks’ own haka, written for the team by kaumātua Whetu Tipiwai and first performed in 2001. Its name means “the beginning,” and the words describe the creation of the world and of New Zealand, from darkness into light and life. It is distinct from the All Blacks’ Ka Mate and Kapa o Pango.

Have the Māori All Blacks beaten the British and Irish Lions?

Yes. The Māori All Blacks beat the touring British & Irish Lions 19–13 on 11 June 2005 at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton. It was their first win over the Lions and remains one of the team’s most celebrated results.

Who coaches the Māori All Blacks?

Tamati Ellison was appointed head coach for 2026, taking over from Ross Filipo. Coaching roles with the team are usually tied to specific assemblies rather than being full-time, year-round positions.

Where can I watch the Māori All Blacks in New Zealand?

Sky Sport is the main broadcaster and typically shows Tests live on television and via its streaming apps, while New Zealand Rugby’s NZR+ platform and the official All Blacks website carry highlights and match content. Tickets for home Tests are available through official ticketing outlets and the relevant provincial union.