Gear called in by Maori

Injured Hurricanes winger Brad Fleming has been replaced by North Harbour and Crusaders winger Rico Gear in the New Zealand Maori rugby team to play Australia in Sydney on June 9.

Fleming withdrew from the side with a recurring leg injury received during the Super 12. Gear, aged 23, played for the New Zealand A side on their tour of Europe last year and was a member of the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning sevens team.

He is in England with the New Zealand team for the international sevens series in London this weekend and Cardiff next week, but has been forced to pull out with a late injury. However, he has been cleared to join the Maori team for the Sydney match.

- NZPA