2025 UK Pre-Season Friendlies
27 days ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
The Australia Indigenous Dreamtime side have defeated the New Zealand Maori by 34-26 in a highly entertaining contest at the Sydney Football Stadium this afternoon.
Advertised as a curtain raiser to the World Cup Opening Ceremony, and the main Kangaroos v Kiwis match to follow later this evening, the Aboriginal v Maori clash proved to be the perfect precursor to the night's events.
Following a sensational Haka ceremony - which included a line of Aboriginal spears advancing towards a pack of concerned looking Maori jerseys - the match kicked off in fine style.
Maori took an early lead but the Dreamtime team struck back to lead 10-4 after 20 minutes of play.
A further exchange of tries saw the Dreamtime take a handy 16-8 lead at half time.
The second half saw a Maori comeback, the visitors posting a 26-22 lead with just 12 minutes remaining.
But the Dreamtime side lifted in the final stages, coming from behind to score two more tries and run out deserving winners.
Australia Indigenous Dreamtime 34: Tries: R Wesser 2, R Jensen 2, J Carney, Y Gordon Goals: J Soward 4/5, D Watkins 1/1 defeated New Zealand Maori 26: Tries: S McKendry, S Kenny-Dowell, C Stanley, J Rpana, A Taumata Goals: B Goodwin 2/4, C Stanley 1/1
Sydney Football Stadium Kick off: 4:00pm (AESDT) Referee: Tony Archer (AUS)
By the clock: Australia Indigenous Dreamtime v New Zealand Maori IND v NZM
3 min: TRY NZM. NZM 4-0 18 min: TRY IND (J Carney). 4-all 19 min: CONVERSION IND (J Soward). IND 6-4 22 min: TRY IND (R Wesser). IND 10-4 26 min: TRY NZM (S Kenny-Dowell). IND 10-8 33 min: TRY IND (R Jensen). IND 14-8 33 min: CONVERSION IND (J Soward). IND 16-8 ---- 48 min: TRY NZM (C Stanley). IND 16-12 49 mim: CONVERSION NZM (B Goodwin). IND 16-14 54 min: TRY IND (R Jenson). IND 20-14 54 min: CONVERSION (J Soward). IND 22-14 59 min: TRY NZM (J Rpana). IND 22-18 59 min: CONVERSION (B Goodwin). IND 22-20 67 min: TRY NZM (A Taumata). NZM 24-22 67 min: CONVERSION (NZM). NZM 26-22 71 min: TRY IND (R Wesser). 26-all 71 min: CONVERSION (J Soward). IND 28-26 79 min: TRY IND (Y Gordon). IND 32-26 80 min: CONVERSION (J Soward). IND 34-26
Teams:
Australia Indigenous Dreamtime team: 1. Rhys Wesser (Penrith Panthers/South Sydney Rabbitohs) 2. Justin Carney (Canberra Raiders) 3. Maurice Blair (Penrith Panthers) 4. Jamal Idris (Canterbury Bulldogs) 5. Ty Williams (North Queensland Cowboys) 6. Jamie Soward (St George-Illawarra Dragons) 7. Preston Campbell (c) (Gold Coast Titans) 8. Carl Webb (vc) (North Queensland Cowboys) 9. Ian Lacey (Ipswitch Jets) 10. George Rose (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles) 11. Daine Laurie (Wests Tigers) 12. Derrick Watkins (Brisbane Broncos) 13. Dean Widders (South Sydney Rabbitohs) 14. Chris Sandow (South Sydney Rabbitohs) 15. Rod Jensen (Huddersfield Giants) 16. Yileen Gordon (Canterbury Bulldogs) 17. Peter Jensen (Thirlmere/Tahmoor Roosters) 18. Denis Moran (Narwan Eels) (one to be omitted)
New Zealand Maori: 1. Bronx Goodwin (Unattached/Tanui) 2. Jordan Rpana (Gold Coast Titans/Ngati Toa) 3. Chase Stanley (St George-Illawarra Dragons/Ngapuhi) 4. Karl Johnson (Comets/Ngapuhi) 5. Shaun Kenny-Dowell (Sydney City Roosters/Kai Tahu) 6. Arana Taumata (Canterbury Bulldogs/Tuwharetoa) 7. Rangi Chase (St George-Illawarra Dragons/Ngati Kahungunu) 8. Weller Hauraki (Parramatta Eels) Ngapuhi 9. Ben Ellis (C) (St George-Illawarra Dragons) Tuwharetoa 10. Sam McKendry (Penrith Panthers) Ngapuhi 11. Craig Smith (Unattached former NZ International/Te Whanau Apanui) 12. Wairangi Koopu (NZ Warriors/Ngapuhi) 13. Lee Te Maari (Canterbury Bulldogs/Tanui) 14. Charlie Herekotukutuku (North Sydney Bears) 15. Joseph Cahill (Sydney Roosters/Ngati Kahungunu) 16. Chance Bunce (Cronulla Sharks/Ngapuhi) 17. James Tamou (Sydney Roosters/Tuhoe) 18. Kevin Proctor (Melbourne Storm/Ngapuhi) (one to be omitted) Head Coach: Luke Goodwin (NSW Maori RL/Tanui)
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