Weepu starts for Maori All Blacks

Maori All Blacks coach Colin Cooper has included World Cup-winner Piri Weepu in the starting XV to face Canada on Sunday.

Maori All Blacks coach Colin Cooper has included World Cup-winning scrum-half Piri Weepu in the starting XV to face Canada in Toronto on Sunday.

Cooper has named a very strong team for the Maori's opening match of the North American Tour including Zac Guildford. on the wing. The side will be captained by Hurricanes playmaker Tim Bateman.

The team features five players in the starting XV making their debut – Kane Hames, Joe Wheeler, Liam Squire, Luke Braid and Guildford – with another six new caps on the bench.

Sunday's game is a sell-out with 22,000 fans expected, making it the largest ever rugby crowd in Canada.

Maori All Blacks: 15 Robbie Robinson, 14 Andre Taylor, 13 Charlie Ngatai, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Tim Bateman, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Elliot Dixon, 7 Luke Braid, 6 Liam Squire, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Ben Afeaki, 2 Hikawera Elliot, 1 Kane Hames,
Replacements: 16 Chris Eves, 17 Nick Barrett, 18 Ash Dixon, 19 Blade Thomson, 20 Shane Christie, 21 Jamison Gibson, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Matt Proctor

Date: Sunday, November 3
Venue: BMO Field, Toronto
Kick-off: 13.00 local
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)