The New Zealand Maori team will replace the Junior All Blacks in next year’s IRB Pacific Nations Cup tournament.

The Junior All Blacks won the first two tournaments in 2006 and 2007 but NZRU professional rugby manager Neil Sorensen said a review of the organisation’s High Performance Strategy had identified the need for a change in focus for both the Junior All Blacks and New Zealand Maori in 2008.

“The review has identified the need for New Zealand Maori to play more matches at home and by competing in the Pacific Nations Cup, we will achieve this.

“As for the Junior All Blacks, our concern is that players selected for this team play a huge amount of rugby in the Super 14 followed immediately by a further five weeks of rugby in the Pacific Nations Cup. These players then return to their provinces to prepare for the Air New Zealand Cup. For the sake of player welfare we have decided not to assemble a Junior All Blacks team next year.