The 12 finalists for Te Matatini have been announced, among them are defending champions Te Whānau a Apanui, boundary-pushing Auckland group Angitu and star-studded newcomers Te Taumata o Apanui.
Over the past five days, 55 groups divided into four pools have competed at Pukekura, the Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth.
The 12 finalists are:
Tūhourangi Ngāti Wahiao
Te Pou-o-Mangataawhiri
Te Kapa Haka o te Whānau a Apanui
Ngā Tūmanako
Angitu
Te Waka Huia
Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue
Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai
Te Taumata o Apanui
Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti
Mōtai Tangata Rau
Ngāti Rangiwewehi
The finalists will perform one more time on Saturday in Te Matangirua, finals day.
The scores from the preliminary rounds do not carry over into the finals, so the teams who made it have a chance to lift their performance and clinch the title.
Tickets and gate sales for the final day are sold out.
The first group will perform at 8.30am, with the final group set to take the atamira just after 4pm. The prizegiving will start just after 5pm with the overall winners announced soon after.
The winner takes home the supreme title of Toa Whakaihuwaka, the Ngāpo Pimia Wehi Duncan McIntyre Trophy and bragging rights for the next two years.
Select committee told 'it’s just hoha, it’s a game of chess'.