Blues flyer Rieko Ioane is one of 10 new caps in the Maori All Blacks squad named in Wellington on Tuesday.

Young Blues brothers Akira and Rieko Ioane and Chiefs playmaker Damien McKenzie are among 10 new caps in a Maori All Blacks squad that highlights the team's increasingly prominent role in New Zealand rugby's high performance pathway.

Maori head coach Colin Cooper said the 27-man squad named to play matches against Fiji and a New Zealand Barbarians was the "most exciting" of his three-year tenure.

"Players we've developed over the last two or three years have gone onto Super teams and onto the All Blacks, which is the real role of this team," Cooper said. "We certainly want it to be a high performance team and we've done that with our selections as you will see with a number of young, up and coming players, not just for the future of Maori rugby, but for New Zealand rugby."

ATSUSHI TOMOURA/GETTY IMAGES Chiefs midfield back Charlie Ngatai will captain the Maori All Blacks in two matches next month.

The Maori programme was vital to provide a stepping stone for youngsters like the Ioane brothers, and to further expose lesser known players like Waikato lock Jacob Skeen and Taranaki centre/wing Sean Wainui.

"Would Maori rugby survive it was stand alone in the modern era? I think coming under the high performance banner gives us that opportunity to become a professional player, become an All Black, to play on the international stage," Cooper said.

The 10 new players selected for the Charlie Ngatai captained squad were Highlanders prop Josh Hohneck, Tasman hooker Quentin MacDonald, Chiefs halfback Brad Weber, Hurricanes first five-eighth Otere Black, Taranaki backs Codey Rei, Wainui, Skeen, McKenzie, and the Ioane boys.

Akira, a loose forward, and Reiko, a centre signed to the Blues for next season, are best known for their Samoan heritage through their father Eddie, a former test lock, but are Te Whanau-a-Apunui through their Maori mother Sandra, a former Black Fern.

"Akira came out of the woodwork with the Blues really with what he was doing with ball in hand and then went on with the New Zealand under-20s, so he's certainly a future player and we're excited to get hold of a guy like that to help develop him and make him an even better player," Cooper said. "It will be good just to hang out with them [the Ioane boys] and see what makes them tick and work with the All Blacks coaches to develop these kids for the future."

Backs coach Tabai Matson was similarly enthused about the prospects of Reiko, who shot to prominence with the New Zealand sevens team earlier this year.

"He's another very exciting young guy, he's actually eligible for the New Zealand under-20s programme for another couple of years… we have four uncapped backs and three who were in the New Zealand Under-20s so it's an exciting backline.

"He's going to end up being a world class midfielder isn't he. It's his physical presence and athleticism that are the key things and with the sevens you can see his work rate coming through. "I don't know him that well, but I've heard he's a good leader and has a great work ethic, so its all lining up for him to be a key contributor to New Zealand rugby."

Matson said he was spoilt for choice at first-five with McKenzie, his older brother Marty, and Otere Black.

Despite the new caps, Cooper's squad has plenty of experience and features 14 players directly or indirectly involved in Saturday's Super Rugby final between the Hurricanes and the Highlanders.

Chiefs development players Skeen and Wainui are perhaps the least well known selections.

Takapuna Grammar old boy Wainui was a key member of the New Zealand Under-20s side that recently won the junior world championship, while Skeen made his ITM Cup debut for Waikato last year.

"There is a shortage of locks, not just in the Maori, but in the country," Cooper said. "He's [Skeen] certainly got the athleticism and skill, he just hasn't had the experience. We have [Hayden] Triggs and Blade Thomson who are experienced and we wanted to bring in a young guy for the future. He's been brought in to see how he handles the next step up."

The Maori squad will have precious little time to prepare to play Fiji on July 11, departing next Wednesday, just four days after the Super Rugby final.

The team will also play the New Zealand Barbarians on July 18, a match Cooper said was vital to the All Blacks' World Cup build up.

"At the end of the day both teams are there to give the All Blacks the best preparation to win the World Cup and that game will be used to assist that."

Players not considered for the Maori squad due to injury were Tom Franklin, Mike Kainga, James Lowe, Sean Polwart, Dan Pryor and Joe Webber.



AT A GLANCE

Maori All Blacks squad

Forwards: Hookers: Joe Royal, Ash Dixon, Quentin MacDonald. Props: Chris Eves, Brendon Edmonds, Josh Hohneck, Ben May. Locks: Hayden Triggs, Jacob Skeen, Blade Thomson. Loose forwards: Shane Christie, Elliot Dixon, Akira Ioane, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Mitchell Crosswell. Backs: Halfbacks: Jamison Gibson-Park, Brad Weber. First five-eighth: Damian McKenzie, Otere Black. Midfield backs: Jason Emery,Charlie Ngatai (captain), Sean Wainui. Outside backs: Kurt Baker, Rieko Ioane, Marty McKenzie, Matt Proctor, Codey Rei.