What do we think?

NEW ZEALAND MAORI: Kevin Locke (Warriors), Sandor Earl (Penrith), Timana Tahu (Parramatta), Clinton Toopi (Gold Coast Titans), Arana Taumata (North Queensland Cowboys), Rangi Chase (Castleford), Jeremy Smith (Wakefield), Willie Heta (Otahuhu), Aaron Heremaia (Warriors), Weller Hauraki (Crusaders), Justin Horo (Parramatta), Bodene Thompson (Gold Coast Titans), Kevin Proctor (Melbourne Storm). Interchange: James Tamou (North Queensland Cowboys), Sam McKendry (Penrith), Russell Packer (Warriors). (One to be added).

Squad looks pretty strong to me

We'll still do 'em! Where's it being played?

Toss of a coin for me.
Those backs are easily as good or better than Englands.

Mt Smart Stadium (NZ Warriors home ground)


Also this is the Toa Samoa Squad for the game against NZ (this a double header)
SAMOA: Tony Puletua (St Helens), Francis Meli (St Helens), Ali Lauitiiti (Leeds), David Faiumu (Huddersfield), David Solomona (Warrington), George Carmont (Wigan), Harrison Hansen (Wigan), Ben Roberts (Canterbury-Bankstown), Constantine Mika (Newcastle), Mark Taufua (Newcastle), Joseph Paulo (Penrith), Masada Iosefa (Penrith), Terence Seuseu (Manly), Willie Isa (Melbourne), Daniel Vidot (Canberra), Josh McGuire (Brisbane), Taulima Tautai (Cronulla), Quentin Togaga'e (Souths Logan), Frank Winterstein (Crusaders). One player to be named from Samoa domestic players: Tupu Ulufale, Tanielu Pasene, Vailoa Kereti, David Masoe.
Teofilo Lepou.
Coach: Steve Price (this is a different Steve Price from the one from Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and NZ Warriors fame)

Depends what team we put out. Out first choice side wouldn't lose to that team.

They're not at all.

Its a decent put together squad but they wont be giving England many headaches.
That Samoa team looks strong for a minor nation

Makes you wish as a supporter of League that team's like the Samoa and Tonga get more of a run around

Forgot to mention that Samoa will play Tonga prior to the Australia vs PNG game in the 4 Nations

The Maori is a better team than PNG will put out with far more top grade experience.
England would not put out a seconds team surely? why play fringe players it defeats the purpose of a hit out an a loss by any team England puts out will not be a good start to the tour.

Samoa V Tonga is a cracking idea! I like it.
The difference is Jonesy, say hypothetically it was a club league game, i know its not but run with it; the England side would put 80 or 90 on PNG, genuinely. National pride, especially to the Kumuls is massive and when you're willing to hit harder, run harder than the guy stood opposite you that gulf in class narrows hugely. It shows, eventually but this Maori side will simply not have that desire.
On paper that Maori side is better tha PNG, but at the end opf the day its a false team stuck together simply to give England a little workout before the proper games start

I have to confess I don't know them all but I have seen Clinton Toopi play quite a few times and that doesn't convince me of your argument

Toopi wouldnt be in Englands first choice 6 centres, and we've not got any...

We will find out next weekend I guess.
I have not seen Shenton do much this year.
Tahu or Shenton? let me think, who will win that contest?
Contest is probably not the right word.

Strongly disagree, Toopi's defence is very very suspect in my opinion.

Maybe he will play with more passion for the Maori than he did for the Pounds in SL?

How many of those Samoans have played for NZ?! It's like a NZ 'b' team. So the chopping and changing at International level continues on both sides of the globe. Will it ever settle down?

For what it's worth, we've not seen this England team play yet and we're already speculating on their demise. There's some good players in this England side, I think they may shock one or two people on here.

Shenton had Mr Hodges in his pocket throughout last years 4N despite still being very young. You'll see Shenton come alive next year in a dominant Saints team.
Tahu's a good player dont get me wrong, probably better than Shenton at this stage but there aint a lot in it.
I actually misread what you said, I thought you wrote that those backs were easily better than Englands not as good, ive just re-read it now. Id take Englands though tbh and we're not even taking our imo best 2 centres to the 4N this year. How Gleeson didnt get picked I dont know and Bridge is streets better than Atkins but chose to stay home as his partner is giving birth, fair comment really. England will win by about 16 next week without breaking too much of a sweat.

Timana Tahu, the dual code Australian international, picked for the NZ Maori side.

If you can find a country on a map, you qualify to play for them according to the RLIF. It's getting way, way out of hand

The Maoris side is not an official side and it not a Test match, its like playing an Australian Aboriginal side.
Tahu's father is a Maori.
Its just a cobbled together team to give England someone vastly better than Wales to play a warm up against.

Regardless, it makes a mockery of our international set up. official or unofficial, players should not be allowed to jump between countries to make up numbers. It damages our international game and makes the games international body look like a joke.

Maybe Dico but Hodges has not been up to it for a couple of seasons with injuries and loss of pace, he really should not have been on that tour.
He has barely played a handful of games since

But playing for the Maori side is not representing a country, its representing a culture.
I know what you mean but there are worse instances out there.
I am looking forward to this game, I hope its televised.

Agreed re- the Maori game.

As for Samoa, it is a crying shame on the RLIF Tonga v Samoa hasn't been made a permanent annual stand alone fixture given the quality of the RLWC encounter in 2008 which clearly showed it should be.

That Maori squad looks pretty avg to me, the Samoa one looks much stronger.

Possibly because most of the best Maori players are already in the Kiwi team...

along with Fiji, There should be a tri nations every year the 4nations is in Oz/NZ featuring the three non qualifying pacific nations and a 4nations with all 4 of them when it is in Europe.

The pacific cup doesn't have enough prestige and attract the NRL stars (that didn't make the Oz or NZ teams!)