The Māori All Blacks will play Moana Pasifika, the franchise set to join the Super Rugby competition from 2022, in Hamilton next month.
It will be the Maori All Blacks only game of the year and their first since they beat Fiji in Rotorua last year.
Moana Pasifika will be coached by former All Black captain Tana Umaga and include players of Pacific heritage, made up of current and former international players.
The Māori All Blacks sole game of the year will be against Moana Pasifika. Photo: Photosport
The Pacific squad for the game on Saturday, December 5th, will be named later this month.
Moana Pasifika, which is Auckland based are one of two Pacific franchises set to join a new-look Super Rugby competition in 2022, which will return to a 12-team format.
The second franchise is Fiji based.
Moana Pasifika Patron Sir Bryan Williams said the match is of great significance to the Pasifika community.
"It's also another big step toward our desire to have a Pasifika professional team in Super Rugby and to provide an aspirational pathway for players to progress through to the national teams of Samoa, Tonga and Fiji."
New Zealand Māori Rugby Board Chair Dr Farah Palmer said the match was a chance for communities to come together and connect at the end of a year that had disrupted the lives of all New Zealanders.
"Many of our whānau and rangatahi have struggled during 2020 as we've dealt with COVID and I know our Māori All Blacks players will appreciate the chance to represent their iwi, hapū and their whānau, and to provide some positivity for their community."
Sir Bryan Williams and Ofisa Tonu'u who are both involved in the Moana Pasifika franchise. Photo: PHOTOSPORT