Junior ABs have every right to replace Maori

I completely agree with this decision, never heard of an African American USA team have we? Black English team? Indiginous Australian team? So why on earth should we have a Maori side. It just invites racism, why can't we have a white only NZ team? No if we did it would be deemed racist. I say scrap the NZ maori team altogether and fund the Heartlands XV.

"The abs are now just a commodity used to generate sufficient money to satisfy the sponsors and perpetrate the commodity."

Well put Len! And who better to generate that then the Maori, when they face the other island nations in the haka face offs... it always makes the news! It's mean as!!

Andy....Tanirau Latimer and Scooter Waldron are both Maori and genuine opensides who made the wider training squad this year. Latimer came into calculations based on his outstanding performances against other national "B" teams like Oz and full national teams like Samoa, Fiji and Tonga in the Pacific Nations Tourny.....basically he was the "best" No7 on show. Liam Messam has played the majority of his rugby at 7 so dont know where you source your info from re Maori cant provide back-up for McCaw?????

Would they perform the same wearing Junior AB's jerseys over Maori jerseys... widely known and well documented by present and past Maori players.....the NZ Maori environment brings out the best in Maori players. Not surprising players Maori and non Maori alike find it tough to motivte yourself for NZ "C"...oh sorry Junior AB's! No history - no feeling - no ownership

Come on James, Think. If the Maori contenders are good enough, they'd be inculded in the Junior ABs.

Fair enough if the NZRU are paying the bills. Posibly the Maori community and stakeholders should consider taking on the finacial issues associated with our team to ensure it's long term viability? It is very disappointing they are not on next years rugby calander.

I think people need to understand that it is the economic climate which put an end to the NZ Maori,Junior All Blacks are the better choice they were by far too strong in the Pacific Nations Cup when they were playing, but Maori barely won their games and were lucky to have won the final in which I am glad they did.But the JAB's bring most of the next best talent in every position within the country.

Though i fully agree that the JAB's should take precedence over the maoris as it opens up the eigibilty to all players but apart from the Australia A team was there really any other competition amongst the PNC teams? Some of the Jnr AB's would've had a harder runout in club rugby. The maoris should play every touring side and tour once every 2 or three years

Just another DUMB move by our rugby union.When are they going to learn?

To add to the fixture list, why not get the Maori side to play the Barbarians next June?

If they are likely to go to Oz to play the Wallabies, why not a second game in NZ? It would generate huge interest as it would be their first time in NZ too (I think?).

Get them over here for a game in one of the provincial centres (e.g. Napier) to ensure a sell-out. What a great game it would be with two sides whose traditional game is attack.

Absolutely the correct decision. How can our number 2 team be limited to only a few players of the right ethnicity?

Any Maori player that's good enough to push for the AB jersey will still get picked in the Jnr ABs, but so will any white or PI players. At the moment our biggest area of concern is backup to McCaw, and openside is not a position that has many Maori contenders at the moment so why shoot ourselves in the foot?

The Maori should be used for inbound tours as suggested, or perhaps an annual game against the Pacific Islanders.