Māori Rugby Development

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) fosters Māori rugby at the community level through the existing regions, their tournament structures and through specific development programs. These programmes operate in the form of coach and player camps - E To Toa and E Tu Rangatahi. NZR will invest $200,000 per year for the next four years on Māori rugby camps and regional tournaments to support national Māori rugby development.


Whakataukī Māori proverb

“Te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere.”

“Te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao”.


“The bird who feeds on the miro berry owns the forest”

“The bird who feeds on knowledge owns the world”


E To Toa Camps​​​​​​​

These camps are designed to encourage young Māori rugby talent between the age of 16-18 years to stay in our game, identify and develop this talent both on and off the field within Kaupapa Māori and provide a genuine pathway from regional Māori rugby tournaments to Provincial Union academies and higher honours. Each camp is 3 to 4 days long and held on local Marae.

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Whakataukī Māori proverb

Tama Tu Tama Ora, Tama Noho Tama Mate” To stand is to live, to lie down is to die”


“Find Tama, Keep Tama & Make Tama Better”

“More & better milk = More & better cream

Camp Ngā Pou Hua (Core Values / Key Pillars)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

  • Raupatuhia te Maarotanga, Kia Nganahia, Kia Reweke - Conquering the Impossible to Strive for Excellence
  • Kotahi Te Waka - Kotahi Te Hoe - Kotahi Te Ara Tika - Ki Mua: One Waka - One Paddle - One Right Path - Moving Forward Together
  • Taua ki te Tuu, kia Ranga, kia Tuu he Rangatira, kia pupuri te Mauri: Standing with a purpose, weaving leaders together to become chiefs, upholding the Mauri of our Ancestors”.


Rangatiratanga                                     Sovereignty coming together as one

Mana Motuhake                                   Identity who we are and where we come from, strengthening our mana

Ta Wharautia                                        To protect and shelter each other

Nga Taonga Tuku Iho                          History Understanding our past to proceed forward with clarity

Kokiritanga                                           Engage with our young to grow and develop them into great leaders

Pupuri Te Mauri                                   Retaining, establishing and maintaining strong connections through your mauri and my mauri

Taaua Ki Te Tū                                     Standing strong we are making a stand for what’s right, what we believe in         

Whakarangatira                                    Respecting core values to stay strong to the Kaupapa.


E Tu Rangatahi programmes

These programmes are designed to develop and encourage young Māori to be proud of who they are, lead awesome lives and to follow their dreams and aspirations. They are held across the country at local Provincial rugby unions with proactive schools that target Māori players boys and girls between the ages of 14-15 years. A key component of this programme is to use rugby skill development with an emphasis teaching life-skills within kaupapa Māori. We encourage each participant to take a look at their life and ask important questions that will help them make positive future decisions.

Questions such as: Who are you, Who do you represent, Where are you from, Where are you heading, What support do you have and What support do you need?

We utilise rugby skills such to reinforce life lessons:

  • Catch and pass drills to teach focus, adding value, aiming for and hitting targets
  • Contact drills to teach support, attack, drive, perseverance and never giving up
  • Defence drills to teach alignment, courage, back each other up and facing challenges
  • Fun games to teach team work, unity, helping each other and commitment


Whakataukī Māori proverb

“Te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere.”

“Te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao”.


“The bird who feeds on the miro berry owns the forest”

“The bird who feeds on knowledge owns the world”


    Key stages of Māori Rugby regional tournaments


    Stage 1: Regional Tournaments

    • Provincial Union Māori age grade teams attend regional Māori rugby tournaments.  


    • Stage 2: Regional camps April 2024 ( 350 Players) 
    • Hold Northern Central and Southern Regional Māori rugby U18 camps during April School Holidays.                 

    Stage 3: National Māori rugby Camp 2024 (44 Players, both Boys and Girls)

    • Top 44 players ( 88 total ) Boys and girls selected to attend a National Camp. Player MUST have attended a regional camp
    • Top Management selected also, and must have attended either the April camps or a rangatira workshop

    Stage 4: National Māori U18 teams (25 players)

    • National Māori U18 teams ( Ngā Whatukura & Ngā Māreikura ) selected from the best players across the country



    ​​​​​​​Message from National Māori Liaison Officer, Tiki Edwards

    Nga mihi kia koutou katoa - Greetings to you all.

    Hi, I'm Tiki Edwards, Māori Development Manager for New Zealand Rugby and my job is to help promote, foster and grow the game of rugby for all Māori.