Val Morrison IV NTOTW 7 9 2021

Jimmy Mill was one of two Ngati Porou who played for the Maori All Blacks team who lost to a visiting Springboks team 9-8.  It was reported that the team were offended that New Zealanders cheered the team of ‘coloured’ men.  Jimmy went on to travel the world with the hugely successful All Black’s Invincible’s team, helping score tries and kick conversions.  So when the NZ Rugby Union left him out of the All Blacks tour of 1928, he was offended, his family saying it was an ‘insult to his mana’.  Today marks the 100th anniversary of that Maori All Blacks game against the Springboks.  Erana Reedy caught up with Jimmy Mills’ grand-nephew and the new Chair of the East Coast Rugby Union, Val Morrison.