Plenty at stake for Maori in warmup match

Passion won't be in short supply at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground tomorrow night (9.30pm NZT) despite the Waratahs' rugby match against New Zealand Maori having a distinctly festival feel to it.

Players on both sides, shorn of their frontline All Blacks and Wallabies, get a chance to throw a figurative one-finger salute at the respective national selectors.

And Maori Waratah Morgan Turinui might receive an interesting welcome after off-the-cuff comments saying his teammates laughed at the relaxed eligibility criteria for a Maori team, who were "more a New Zealand invitational team than anything".

Turinui is one of three Wallabies with a point to prove, unwanted for coach John Connolly's 33-man squad named on Monday, along with captain David Lyons and prop Matt Dunning.

In the other dressing shed, inspirational skipper Jonno Gibbes will lead out a fresh-faced side without their All Blacks and Junior All Blacks and featuring six newcomers to the Maori jersey.

A 20-test Wallabies midfielder, Turinui said matches against the Maori were always special.

"The Maori aren't fielding their top echelon of All Blacks at the moment, but you've got Gibbes, Shannon Paku, Paul Tito, Richard Kahui, outstanding players right across the board," he told NZPA.

"We've got a few Wallabies so it's a quality game.

"There's that other element as well to throw into the mix -- guys on both sides might be a bit disappointed and feel they may not have deserved to play in this game."

Turinui said the prospect of facing the haka performed by the Maori was something the younger Waratahs had been talking about.

The Maori only assembled this week on the first step of a journey to the Churchill Cup tournament in Canada and the United States.

New coach Donny Stevenson yesterday named first five-eighth Callum Bruce, fullback Cory Jane, flanker Tanerau Latimer, wing Anthony Tahana, halfback Corey Tamou and centre Pehi Te Whare to make their run-on debuts.

Hurricanes pair Tito and Paku were named on the bench after their exertions in the Super 14 final last weekend.

On a likely hard and fast SCG, the natural Maori flair was expected to take over with speedsters Jane and Hosea Gear out wide.

"Our game's always been about using width and that seems to be the way the game's going now. If you've got the attack you need to use it. It's just about where and when," said Stevenson, adding their preparations were "a bit rushed".

Waratahs loose forward Stephen Hoiles was yesterday ruled out with a knee injury, while most Australian interest will centre on prop Al Baxter who was released by Connolly to play half a game off the bench.

In a bid to boost the Wallabies' propping depth, Connolly requested Baxter play on the unfamiliar loosehead side where he will oppose Deacon Manu.

TEAMS:

New Zealand Maori:

Cory Jane, Hosea Gear, Pehi Te Whare, Neil Brew, Anthony Tahana, Callum Bruce, Corey Tamou, Thomas Waldrom, Tanerau Latimer, Jono Gibbes (captain), Ross Filipo, Kristian Ormsby, Deacon Manu, Scott Linklater, Joe McDonnell.

Reserves:

Luke Mahoney, Greg Feek, Paul Tito, Liam Messam, Brendan Haami, Matt Berquist, Shannon Paku.

Waratahs:

Peter Hewat, Tim Wright, Ben Jacobs, Morgan Turinui, Chris Siale, Daniel Halangahu, Brett Sheehan, David Lyons (captain), James Campbell, Dean Mumm, Ben Hand, Will Caldwell, Aaron Broughton-Rouse, Al Manning, Matt Dunning.

Reserves:

Josh Mann-Rea, Al Baxter, Tim McGann, Tom Egan, Dave Rimmer, Tom Carter, Clint Eadie.

- NZPA