Amazonian tribe discovered in All Black touring squad
NEWSDESK: When you select a 51 man All Black squad to tour Japan and Europe, it presents certain logistical challenges.
But when four members of an Amazonian tribe who'd had no previous contact with the western world were discovered among the All Black squad while being loaded on a luxury coach, it was a new one on manager Darren Shand.
Lost Amazonian tribe - a welcome addition to the All Blacks' touring group.
"Most of the issues we deal with are around incorrectly fitting trackies or protein powder mix-ups, not communicating through a series of grunts and sign language, and confiscating poison darts!" said Shand. "These boys are a long way from home, but they've shown a lot of heart."
Head coach Steve Hanson saw only positives.
Steve Hanson - positive.
"Big brands have to be flexible, and these guys have brought something different to the table. They've shown the boys some new tricks already - they can throw a net over a reserve mid field back from across a hotel lobby, and have top foraging skills. I might have to check if there's any New Zealand grandparents in the mix, haha," said Hansen.
It's yet to be determined how long the tribesmen will spend with the squad, but they've been provided with full Adidas training kit, a Playstation 4 and plenty of warm clothing for the harsh European winter, which will be a far cry from their home near the equator.
Shand would not confirm the group's chief had been added to the leadership group, and whether tribe member Davi Kopenawa had a run at blindside flanker in a training session closed to media.
Thanks for reading - Richard
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