Beginning in July 1889 The
1888–1889 New Zealand Native football team organised by
Joseph Warbrick toured New Zealand, Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The team became the first New Zealand side to perform a
haka during its match v Surrey, That year the team toured New Zealand and Australia, playing a range of combined New Zealand provinces and Australian state teams. An American Universities squad was touring Australia at the same time and two fixtures were against the New Zealand Maoris. Both were played at Sydney and were won by the New Zealanders 14–11 and 21–3 respectively. In their 19 total matches played they won 12, drew 3 and lost 4 games. The New Zealand Maoris had not played a match outside New Zealand or Australia until 1926, when they undertook
a European tour of France, England and Wales. They also played two games in New Zealand before they left, two more in Australia on the way, and also stopped in Sri Lanka for one game before travelling to France to start the European fixtures. On the return to New Zealand they stopped in Victoria, Australia for a final game in which they won 41–3. In all there were 40 games played. The New Zealand Maoris won 30 of those, drew 2 and lost 8. Full-back George Nēpia remains the most notable player of that period.
Professional era The professional era in rugby union began in 1995. The team lost only four of its 26 games played between 1994 and 2004, including beating
England,
Argentina,
Scotland and
Fiji. The Māori continued their winning form in 2004 beating the
England Saxons in extra time in the final of the
Churchill Cup in Canada. One of their two annual tournaments is the
Pacific Nations Cup, a competition involving the Pacific top national teams. From 2008 they replaced the
Junior All Blacks, and they were undefeated champions, narrowly beating Australia A in the final game of the tournament. The Churchill Cup was another, which they won in
2004 and in 2006, defeating
Ireland A and the
USA in pool play in
Santa Clara, California and
Scotland A in the final in
Edmonton, Alberta. In 2005 the Māori beat the
British & Irish Lions for the first time in an official match. Their preparations for this match caused them to withdraw from the
2005 Churchill Cup. In August 2012, the
NZRU announced the Māori All Blacks would play three matches in the United Kingdom, including a fixture against Canada.
Jamie Joseph was coach with assistance from
Daryl Gibson. In matches in New Zealand in 2010 to mark one hundred years of the team, they defeated Ireland and England. The team was renamed the Māori All Blacks in 2012, having previously been called the New Zealand Maori and New Zealand Maoris. Many members have gone on to play for New Zealand. ==Haka==