NRL All-Stars clash moves to exciting new location
Winning captain Cody Walker during the Indigenous All Stars v Maori All Stars at AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia. 15 February 2019. Copyright photo: Brendon Ratnayake / www.photosport.nz Rugby League
New Zealand Maori team has added an extra level of spice to the NRL All Star clash in recent years to start the NRL season and in 2023 they will be taking the game to a new and exciting location.
The concept was introduced back in 2010 with the Maori side being involved to great success since 2019.
In another first for the concept, the game is set to leave Australia and be played in New Zealand come February 2023 celebrating 50 years since the first Indigenous rugby league tour of New Zealand and 50 years since Arthur Beetson became the first Indigenous athlete to captain Australia.
According to Rugby Pass Rotorua’s International Stadium will host both men’s and women’s games in a double header between the Maori and Indigenous teams.
This comes after New Zealand Warriors played their first home game since the pandemic after sacrificing their home games for the sake of the competition since 2020.
In their return home, the Warriors defeated a struggling Wests side 22-2 but are still on the look out for a new coach.
It is said that they have given up on attempting to lure St Helens boss Kristian Woolf away from his current project with the Super League Champions and have turned their attentions to Penrith assistant coach Andrew Webster.
Webster also spent time in Super League as an assistant coach at Hull KR.