Rugby: Irish will 'test' NZ Maori legacy

Shane Horgan (centre) and the Irish team respect what rugby means to Maori. Photo / Alan Gibson

One team is trying to save face, the other is upholding 100 years of tradition - take it as read that motivation will not be hard to source tonight.

For Ireland, the clash with the Maori represents a shot at redemption after misfiring against the All Blacks.

For the Maori, the stakes might be even higher. There was an acknowledgement yesterday that they are not just playing for their predecessors, but possibly for their future.

But guests first. Ireland's team might have an experimental look about it, but captain Geordan Murphy said it would be a sign of disrespect to opponents they have never met before to play a second-string team.

"We've got 15 players who are really looking forward to pulling on the Irish shirt," the fullback said. "The coaches have faith in these guys ... We're very respectful of the game and what it means to the Maori culture."

With a test in Brisbane against the Wallabies next weekend, a set of strong performances tonight could unseat some of the more established players in the squad.

"It's an opportunity, yes," Murphy acknowledged. "Every time you put on the shirt of a country it's an opportunity to impress the coaches.

"It'll be nice to go out there and put on a good performance. We feel we let ourselves down last week and we're anxious to try to address that."

There must have been a temptation for coach Declan Kidney to throw some of last week's starters into the Rotorua furnace, if only to try to restore some confidence after a gruelling match in New Plymouth.

"Confidence is a funny thing. Sometimes sitting and watching a match might give you a different type of inspiration," he said. "Every time a team has toured New Zealand the Maori were always known as the 'fourth test'. That's the way we see it, it's like another test match for us."

For the Maori, too. They have consistently used the word "test" to describe tonight's match and next week's encounter against England in Napier.

While not technically true, it is a reminder how seriously this side is treating the legacy that began in Rotorua when the Maori defeated a side representing the Rotorua sub-union in 1910. Allied to the absence of a Maori programme last year and continuing doubts over its future, the importance of the next six days is not being downplayed by this squad.

"Our job this year is to play positively and be good role models on and off the field," coach Jamie Joseph said. "That risk [the Maori programme being axed] is there, it's always been there, but this team can only control what we can, and that's to win. If we go out and be positive and be good role models then surely we're a step closer to maintaining what we have."

Adding an Irish accent to the debate, Murphy said there should always be a future for the side.

"The Maori team has great heritage and definitely has a place in rugby. I've enjoyed watching Maori teams in the past and I'd be very disappointed if they didn't keep playing games."

Murphy watched from the stands as the Maori beat the Lions at Hamilton in 2005. On that occasion it took superhuman efforts from two hometown, loose-forward Chiefs - Jono Gibbes and Marty Holah - to get them over the line.

Tonight, look for something similar from Bay of Plenty boys Tanerau Latimer and Colin Bourke, plus Rotorua-raised Messam.

NZ MAORI v IRELAND
Rotorua, 7.35 tonight

NZ MAORI
Robbie Robinson
Sean Maitland
D. Sweeney
Luke McAlister
Hosea Gear
Stephen Brett
Aaron Smith
Colin Bourke
Tanerau Latimer
Liam Messam (c)
Jarrad Hoeata
Hayden Triggs
Ben Afeaki
Corey Flynn
Bronson Murray
Reserves: Dane Coles, Clint Newland, Romana Graham, Karl Lowe, Ruki Tipuna, Willie Ripia, Jackson Willison.

IRELAND
G. Murphy (c)
Shane Horgan
Gavin Duffy
Paddy Wallace
Johne Murphy
J. Sexton
Eoin Reddan
Chris Henry
Niall Ronan
Rhys Ruddock
Dan Tuohy
Ed O'Donoghue
Tom Court
John Fogarty
Marcus Horan
Reserves: Sean Cronin, John Hayes, Donncha O'Callaghan, David Wallace, Peter Stringer, Ronan O'Gara, Rob Kearney.