Ireland and England on NZ Maori's centenary menu

The New Zealand Maori rugby team's centenary celebrations have received a fillip with today's announcement they will take on Ireland and England in June.

The matches - against Ireland, whom they play for the first time in their history on June 18 at Rotorua, and England on June 23 at Napier - are part of a three-match programme for the team.

Their opponents for the first match at Whangarei on June 12 are still to be confirmed.

Last year, the New Zealand Maori did not have a playing programme after the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) went into cost cutting mode.

The first match involving an official New Zealand Maori team was played on May 21, 1910 when they took on a Rotorua sub-union team and won 25-5.

The centenary series was announced today by NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs, New Zealand Maori Rugby Board (NZMRB) chairman Wayne Peters and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples at a special launch function at Parliament.

Hobbs said the NZRU was delighted to be able to confirm the series after months of work behind the scenes to ensure the centenary was celebrated appropriately with a programme befitting the status of New Zealand Maori and the contribution of Maori rugby over the past century.

"Maoridom and rugby have enjoyed a strong and passionate connection over more than 100 years and the New Zealand Maori team has been a focal point for that," Hobbs said.

"We have worked jointly with the New Zealand Maori Rugby Board to achieve an outstanding series of matches which we are sure will capture the imagination of rugby supporters across the country and, in particular, in Northland, Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay and neighbouring regions."

Meanwhile, the NZRU and the NZ Maori Rugby Board are appealing for contacts to reach out to all surviving former New Zealand Maori players.

A number of events are being planned around the centenary matches and the two organisations are seeking ways of contacting those players who have appeared for New Zealand Maori to invite them to attend one of the centenary functions.