Māori All Blacks get more Super Rugby power for Ireland clashes

SQUAD UPDATE: The Māori All Blacks have bolstered their squad ahead of matches against Ireland.

Cullen Grace, Sam Nock and Max Hicks will join the Māori All Blacks squad this week ahead of the team’s first match against Ireland on Wednesday, June 29 in 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 NPC.

Hicks joins the squad for the first time after showing huge potential in the 2021 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, June 29 at 19.05 (NZST) at Waikato Stadium, HAMILTON

Māori All Blacks v Ireland: Tuesday, July 12 at 19.05 (NZST) at Wellington Regional Stadium, WELLINGTON