Wellington going for three-peat of Central North Island Maori titles

The annual Te Tini A Maui (Central North Island Maori) Tournament is being played in Levin this weekend, featuring teams from throughout the Hurricanes catchment area.

Wellington's Te Upoko O Te Ika is gunning for a three-peat of titles, having successfully defended the Hikaia Amohia Trophy - pictured above -  at last year’s tournament in Masterton beating Whanganui 36-22 in the Men’s A Division final.

The Te Tini A Maui Tournament dates back to 1987 and a team has won the title three years in a row just twice before. Hawke’s Bay’s Te Matau a Maui won between 1992-94 and Te Upoko O Te Ika won between 2009-11.

This year six representative teams from Wellington, Whanganui Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa-Bush Manawatu and host union Horowhenua-Kapiti are taking part at Playford Park.

The teams are split into two divisions of three teams based on last year’s seedings, with Te Upoko O Te Ika top seed and in Division 1 and Whanganui top seed in Division 2.

Matches are 60 minutes duration on Saturday and then the straight final on Sunday is 80 minutes.

As well as the Senior Men (Tane), there are Senior Women (Wahine) and U18 (Taiohi) tournaments, with three teams in each.

The Wahine teams - two Manawatu sides and one from Horowhenua Kapiti - play a tri-series 7s tournament, as do the Taiohi teams from Te Matau a Maui, Manawatu and Horowhenua-Kapiti. New winners will be found in each, after last year’s host side. 

The Hikaia Amohia Trophy is named after the King Country Kaumatua for his dedication to Maori rugby. King Country hosted, and won, the first tournament in 1987, while Wellington are the defending champions.

The U18s winners will receive the Jimmy Aupouri Memorial Taonga and the Women are playing for the Toko Te Kani Taonga.

Regional Maori Rugby Tournaments also being played for in Te Waipounamu (South Island) and in Te Hiku O Te Ika (Northern), with an inter-regional tournament coming up later in the year.

Draws

Tane Seedings:

Division 1: Te Upoko o Te Ika, Te Matau-a-Maui, Manawatū
Division 2: Whanganui, Wairarapa-Bush, Horowhenua-Kapiti

Draw Saturday 2 February (subject to change)

Tane:
10.00am: Te Upoko O Te Ika v Manawatu – field 1
10.00am: Wairarapa Bush v Whanganui – field 2
1.00pm: Te Matua A Maui v Manawatu – field 1
1.00pm: Wairarapa Bush v Horowhenua-Kapiti – field 2
4.00pm: Whanganui v Horowhenua-Kapiti – field 1
4.00pm: Te Upoko O Te Ika v Te Matau A Maui – field 2

Tama:
11.15am: Horowhenua-Kapiti v Manawatu – field 1
3.00pm: Te Matua A Maui v Manawatu – field 1

Hine:
11.15am: Horowhenua-Kapiti v Manawatu B – field 2
3.00pm: Manawatu A v Manawatu B – field 2

Draw Sunday 3 February (subject to change):

10.00am: Horowhenua-Kapiti v Te Matau A Maui (Tama) – field 1
11.00am: Manawatu A v Horowhenua-Kapiti (Hine) – field 1
12.45pm: Winner Div 1 v Winner Div 2 (Tane) field 1

The Te Upoko O Te Ika team is (subject to change):

Forwards (two to add):
Apa Heemi
Danny Herewini
Marcus Roil
Jarrod Burnett
Manassah Wineera
Mykel Herewini
Dean Ropata
Tane McMillan-Parata
Louis Karl
Sam Wasley
Bruce Kauika-Petersen

Backs:
Eammon Tawhiwhirangi
Declan Hay
Glen Walters
Greg Mullany
Taurima Morris
Kewa McMillan-Parata
Andy Ellis
Levi Grace
Max Pearson
Jared Kahu

Past Men’s Division A Winners:

1987: King Country
1988: Hawke's Bay
1989: Wellington
1990: Wellington
1991: Poverty Bay
1992: Te Matau a Maui – (Hawke's Bay)
1993: Te Matau a Maui – (Hawke's Bay)
1994: Te Matau a Maui – (Hawke's Bay)
1995: Wellington
1996: Te Matau a Maui – (Hawke's Bay)
1997: Tuwharetua Maniapoto
1998: Te Matau a Maui – (Hawke's Bay)
1999: Te Upoko O Te Ika (Wellington)
2000: Te Matau a Maui – (Hawke's Bay)
2001: Te Upoko O Te Ika (Wellington)
2002: Te Upoko O Te Ika (Wellington)
2003: Horouia
2004: Wellington
2005: Wellington
2006-2007: Not Held
2008: Manawatu
2009: Te Upoko O Te Ika (Wellington)
2010: Te Upoko O Te Ika (Wellington)
2011: Te Upoko O Te Ika (Wellington)
2012: Manawatu
2013: Te Upoko O Te Ika (Wellington)
2014: Manawatu
2015: Taranaki
2016: Te Upoko O Te Ika (Wellington)
2017: Te Upoko O Te Ika (Wellington)