Maori Radio Live At Top Rugby Matches

Te 18 o nga ra o Pipiri 2002

National Maori language radio service Ruia Mai will present a bumper weekend of rugby with live broadcasts from both the New Zealand Maori and Barbarians clash as well as the All Blacks and Ireland test.

Sports manager Henare Pryor and reporter Tamati Waaka will commentate live from North Harbour Stadium this Friday, June 21, and Eden Park the following night.

The pair will also provide coverage of both games on this Saturday's (22/6) sports show, Te Papa Taakaro, which broadcasts between 7am and 9am.

Pryor and Waaka have just returned from Australia where they broadcast live from all three NZ Maori games against Queensland (28-25), New South Wales (18-43) and Australia (27-23).

Friday's game will be the final match for the NZ Maori squad in 2002 and is played on the eve of the All Blacks-Ireland test at Eden Park.

This provides contenders for the All Blacks from both teams with an opportunity to press forward their claims for selection in the All Blacks for the upcoming Tri-Nations.

Confirmed broadcast times for this weekend's games are:

* NZ Maori v NZ Barbarians
North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Friday, June 21
7:45pm - 10.15pm (kick-off 8pm)

* All Backs v Ireland
Eden Park, Auckland
Saturday, June 22
6.45pm - 9.15pm (kick-off 7pm)

The broadcasts are available to the national network of iwi radio stations and will be labelled on the Punga Net.

Listeners can also tune in via the station's Auckland frequency 1179AM, or on the website www.ruiamai.co.nz.

ENDS

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