New Zealand national rugby union team
Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Redirect Template:About Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox national rugby team
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Famed for their international success, the All Blacks have often been regarded as one of the most successful sports teams in history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987, 2011, and 2015, second only to South Africa's Springboks, who have won the Rugby World Cup four times.Template:Efn They were the first country to retain the Rugby World Cup. Since their international debut in 1903, the All Blacks have played test matches against 19 nations, of which 12 have never won a game against the team. New Zealand has a 76 per cent winning record in test match rugby, and has secured more wins than losses against every test opponent. The team has also played against three multinational all–star teams, losing only 8 of 45 matches. Since the introduction of the World Rugby Rankings in 2003, New Zealand has held the number-one ranking longer than all other teams combined.<ref name="WorldRank">Template:Cite web</ref> They jointly hold the record for the most consecutive test match wins for a tier-one ranked nation, along with England.
The All Blacks compete with Argentina, Australia and South Africa in the Rugby Championship, and have won the trophy twenty times in the competition's 29–year history. The team has completed a Grand Slam tour against the four Home Nations four times (1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010). World Rugby has named New Zealand the World Rugby Team of the Year ten times since the award was initiated in 2001,<ref name="World Rugby Award winners">Template:Cite news</ref> and an All Black has won the World Rugby Player of the Year award ten times over the same period. Nineteen former All Blacks have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall Of Fame.
The team's first match took place in 1884 in New South Wales and their first international test match in 1903 against Australia in Sydney. The following year New Zealand hosted their first home test, a match against a British Isles side in Wellington.Template:Efn There followed a 34–game tour of Europe and North America in 1905 (which included five test matches), where New Zealand suffered only one defeat: their first test loss, against Wales.
New Zealand's early uniforms consisted of a black jersey with a silver fern and white shorts. By the 1905 tour they were wearing all black, except for the silver fern, and the name "All Blacks" dates from this time.
The team perform a haka before every match; this is a Māori challenge or posture dance. Traditionally the All Blacks use Te Rauparaha's haka Ka Mate, although players have also performed Kapa o Pango since 2005.
History
[edit]Introduction of rugby to New Zealand
[edit]
Rugby union, known almost universally in New Zealand as just "rugby", was introduced to the nation by Charles Monro in 1870;<ref name=McCarthy11>McCarthy (1968), p. 11.</ref> he had discovered the sport while completing his studies at Christ's College in Finchley, England.<ref name="Monro">Template:Cite news</ref> The first recorded game in New Zealand took place in May 1870 in the city of Nelson, between the Nelson rugby club and Nelson College.<ref name=Ryan1993p16>Ryan (1993), p. 16.</ref> The first provincial union, the Canterbury Rugby Football Union, was formed in 1879,<ref name="CRFUFormed">Gifford (2004), p. 27.</ref> and New Zealand's first internationals were played in 1882 when the "Waratahs" from New South Wales toured the country.<ref name=McCarthy12>McCarthy (1968), p. 12.</ref> The Australian team did not face a New Zealand national team but played seven provincial sides; the tourists won four games and lost three.<ref name="Slatter33">Slatter (1974), p. 33.</ref> Two years later, the first New Zealand team to travel overseas toured New South Wales, winning all eight of their games.<ref name="NSWTour">Gifford (2004), p 29.</ref>
A privately organised British team, which later became the British & Irish Lions, toured New Zealand in 1888. The visitors only played provincial sides and no test matches were played.<ref name="Giffordp30">Gifford (2004), p 30.</ref> Wales and Scotland were represented in the British team, but the players were drawn mainly from Northern England.<ref name=Fagan52>Fagan (2013), pp. 52–53.</ref>
International competition begins
[edit]Template:See also In 1892, following the canvassing of provincial administrators by Ernest Hoben, the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) was formed by the majority of New Zealand's provincial unions, but did not include Canterbury, Otago or Southland.<ref name="NZRUNoCanty">Gifford (2004), p. 32.</ref>Template:Efn The first officially sanctioned New Zealand side toured New South Wales in 1893, where the Thomas Ellison captained team won nine of their ten matches.<ref name=Mulhollandp12>Mulholland (2009), p. 11.</ref><ref name=McCarthy23>McCarthy (1968), p. 23.</ref> The following year New Zealand played its first home "international" game, losing 6–8 to New South Wales.Template:Efn<ref name=McCarthy24>McCarthy (1968), p. 24.</ref> The team's first true test match occurred against Australia on 15 August 1903 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in front of over 30,000 spectators and resulted in a 22–3 victory.<ref name=Elliottp109>Elliott (2012), p. 109.</ref>
A representative New Zealand team first toured the British Isles in 1905. The side is now known as the "Originals", as the "All Blacks" name emerged during this tour when, according to team member Billy Wallace, a London newspaper reported that the New Zealanders played as if they were "all backs".<ref name="ABname">Template:Cite web</ref> Wallace claimed that because of a typographical error, subsequent references were to "All Blacks". This account is most likely a myth: because of their black playing strip, the side was probably referred to as the Blacks before they left New Zealand. Even though the name All Blacks most likely existed before the trip, the tour did popularise it.<ref name="ABname"/>
The Originals played 35 matches on tour, and their only loss was a 0–3 defeat to Wales in Cardiff.<ref name=Elliottp192>Elliott (2012), p. 192.</ref> The match has entered into the folklore of both countries because of a controversy over whether All Black Bob Deans had scored a try that would have earned his team a 3–3 draw.<ref name=McLean1959p2325>McLean (1959), pp. 23–25.</ref>Template:Efn In contrast to the success of the Originals on the field, the team did antagonise some in the Home Nations' rugby establishment; both administrators and the press complained that the All Blacks did not play the game within the amateur and gentlemanly spirit promoted by the International Rugby Football Board. This complaint continued to dog New Zealand teams until the 1930s.<ref name=Ryan201114091422>Ryan (2011), pp. 1409–1422.</ref>
The success of the Originals had uncomfortable consequences for the amateur NZRFU. In 1907, a party of professional players was assembled to tour the British Isles and play rugby leagueTemplate:Snda professional offshoot of rugby union that was played by clubs that split from England's Rugby Football Union (RFU) due to disagreements over financial compensation for players.<ref name=McCarthy51>McCarthy (1968), pp. 51–53.</ref> When the "All Golds", as the team came to be known, returned they established rugby league in New Zealand, and a large number of players switched to the professional code.<ref name=McCarthy51/><ref name=Elliottp222>Elliott (2012), pp. 222–224.</ref> English and Welsh authorities were alarmed by the threat of professionalism to rugby in New Zealand, and in 1908 an Anglo-Welsh side undertook a tour to New Zealand to help promote the amateur valuesTemplate:Efn under which they believed sport should be played.<ref name=McCarthy56>McCarthy (1968), p. 56.</ref><ref name=Ryan2011p1411>Ryan (2011), p. 1411.</ref>Template:Efn The tourists were defeated 2–0 in the three-test series by New Zealand, but the Anglo-Welsh did manage to draw the second test 3–3.<ref name="Vincent129">Vincent (1998), p. 123.</ref>
Development of a legacy
[edit]International rugby was suspended during the First World War,<ref name=McCarthy61>McCarthy (1968), p. 61.</ref> but a New Zealand Services team did compete in inter-services competition known as the King's Cup.<ref name=McCarthy66>McCarthy (1968), p. 66.</ref> After their departure from Europe the side toured South Africa before their return to New Zealand, and that tour paved the way for a South African team to tour New Zealand in 1921.<ref name=McCarthy67>McCarthy (1968), pp. 67–68.</ref> The SpringboksTemplate:Sndas the South African team is knownTemplate:Sndplayed New Zealand in a test series that ended all square. New Zealand conducted a return tour to South Africa in 1928, and the test series was again drawn; both teams winning two tests each.<ref name="Harding234235">Harding (2000), pp. 234–235.</ref>
The 1924 All Black tourists to the British Isles and France were dubbed "the Invincibles" because they won every game. However, the team was deprived of a potential grand slam when Scotland refused to play them because they were upset the tour was organised through the RFU rather than the IRFB.<ref name=McLean1987p42>McLean (1987), p. 42.</ref><ref>Palenski (2003), p. 74.</ref> The first British Isles side since 1908 toured New Zealand in 1930. Although the Lions won the first test, the home side regrouped and went on to win the series 3–1.<ref name=McCarthy132>McCarthy (1968), pp. 132–134.</ref> New Zealand toured the British Isles again in 1935–36, losing only three gamesTemplate:Sndincluding two testsTemplate:Sndduring a 30-match tour.<ref name=McCarthy140>McCarthy (1968), p. 140.</ref> In one of these losses, Alexander Obolensky famously scored two tries to help England to a 13–0 win; their first over New Zealand.<ref name="Obolensky">Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1937, South Africa toured New Zealand and decisively won the test series despite losing the first test; this 1937 South African team was described as the best team ever to leave New Zealand.<ref>Palenski (2003), p. 192.</ref><ref name="Harding39">Harding (2000), p. 39.</ref> It was not until 1949 that New Zealand next played the Springboks when they toured South Africa with Fred Allen as captain.<ref name="Harding43">Harding (2000), p. 43.</ref><ref name="Harding48">Harding (2000), p. 48.</ref> Although each test against South Africa was very close, New Zealand lost the series 0–4.<ref name=McCarthy207>McCarthy (1968), p. 207.</ref> As part of this 25-match, 4-test series, an All Blacks 'second string' side<ref name="Roar1949">Template:Cite news</ref> travelled up to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to face the Rhodesia representative side in two non-Test Internationals. The result of the first match saw Rhodesia run out winners, 10–8. Three days later, the second match resulted in a 3–3 draw. Two of the Rhodesian players were later capped for South Africa (being eligible due to Rhodesia's treatment as a province of South Africa, for rugby reasons) in the All Blacks second test of the tour. No International caps were awarded to either side for these two matches.<ref name="AB1949SA">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="RhodesiaNZ49">Template:Cite news</ref>
At the same time as an All Black team was touring South Africa, Australia were touring New Zealand.<ref name=McCarthy217>McCarthy (1968), pp. 217–218.</ref> The two tours coincided because Māori players were not able to go to South Africa at the time due to apartheid (the All Black team in South Africa refused to do the haka in protest), meaning the Australians played against a New Zealand team made up of the best Māori and the reserve non-Māori players, while the South Africans encountered the best pākehā (white) players.<ref name=Howell128/>Template:Efn On the afternoon of 3 September New Zealand, captained by Johnny Smith, were beaten 6–11 by Australia in Wellington.<ref name="AustLoss">Template:Cite web</ref> New Zealand then lost their second test 9–16, giving Australia a Bledisloe Cup series win in New Zealand for the first time.<ref name=McCarthy217/><ref name=Howell128>Howell (2005), p. 128.</ref> 1949 was an annus horribilis for the All Blacks as they lost all six of their test matches, and the experience of playing two test series simultaneously has not been repeated.<ref name=McCarthy217/><ref name=Verdon109>Verdon (2000), p. 109.</ref>
The two consecutive series losses to South Africa made their 1956 tour of New Zealand highly anticipated. New Zealand were captained by Bob Duff and coached by Bob Stuart, and their 3–1 series win was their first over the Springboks and the Springboks' first series loss that century.<ref name="Harding52">Harding (2000), pp. 52–53.</ref> During the series, New Zealand introduced Don Clarke, and brought prop Kevin Skinner out of retirement to help secure the win.<ref name="Harding56">Harding (2000), p. 56.</ref> Skinner, a former New Zealand boxing champion, had retired from international rugby, but was convinced to return for the third and fourth tests.<ref name=Verdon119>Verdon (2000), p. 119.</ref> One reason for Skinner's selection was to "sort out" the South African props, while Clarke become known as "The Boot" for his goal kicking.<ref name="TheBoot">Template:Cite web</ref>
New Zealand's 3–1 series win over the Lions in 1959 proved to be the start of a dominant period in All Black rugby.<ref name=McCarthy267>McCarthy (1968), pp. 267–272.</ref> This was followed by the 1963–64 tour to Britain and Ireland, led by Wilson Whineray, in which New Zealand were deprived of a Grand Slam by a scoreless draw with Scotland.<ref name="GrandSlamAttempts">Template:Cite news</ref> The only loss on this tour was to Newport RFC, who won 3–0 at Rodney Parade, Newport on 30 October 1963.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 1967 side won three tests against the home nations, but was unable to play Ireland because of a foot-and-mouth scare.<ref name="GrandSlamAttempts"/> This tour formed part of New Zealand's longest winning streak, between 1965 and 1970, of 17 test victories.<ref>Palenski (2003), p. 269.</ref> This was also the longest test winning streak by any nation at the time; it was equalled by the Springboks in 1998, and surpassed by Lithuania in 2010.<ref name="Lithuania streak">Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Efn
NZ then lost the 1970 away series in South Africa. Although the 1966 Lions had been defeated 0–4 in their New Zealand tour, there was a reversal of fortune five years later when the 1971 Lions, under the captaincy of Welshman John Dawes, beat New Zealand in a test series, which remains the Lions' only series victory in New Zealand.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The 1972–3 tourists narrowly missed a Grand Slam with a draw against Ireland.<ref name="GrandSlamAttempts"/> The tour was notable for the sending home of prop Keith Murdoch, who was alleged to have been involved in a brawl in a Cardiff hotel while celebrating the defeat of Wales.<ref name="MurdochHome">Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1978, Graham Mourie captained New Zealand to their first Grand Slam, including a 13–12 victory over Wales. That game generated controversy after New Zealand won as the result of a late penalty. Lock Andy Haden had dived out of a line-out in an attempt to earn a penalty, but referee Roger Quittenden insisted the penalty was against Welsh lock Geoff Wheel for jumping off the shoulder of Frank Oliver.<ref name="HadenDive">Template:Cite news</ref> New Zealand's only loss on the tour was the famous 12–0 defeat by Irish province Munster at Thomond Park.<ref name="MunsterLoss">Template:Cite news</ref> A play that focused on the loss was later written by John Breen, called Alone it Stands.<ref name="AsitStands">Template:Cite news</ref>
Controversial tours
[edit]
For the 1960 All Blacks tour of South Africa, the South African authorities insisted that Maori players be excluded from the team. The subsequent controversy led to the New Zealand Rugby Union refusing any other tour of the country for the following 10 years until the 1970 tour, when Maori players were accepted as "honorary whites".<ref name="Stuff.co.nz_3673480">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="NZ_Herald_10639172">Template:Cite news</ref>
The 1976 All Blacks tour of apartheid South Africa generated much controversy and led to the boycott of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal by 33 African nations after the IOC refused to ban the team.<ref name="AfricaXXIOlympics">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Harding111>Harding (2000), p. 111.</ref> New Zealand again failed to win the test series in South Africa, and did not secure another series victory until 1996, after the fall of apartheid and the introduction of neutral referees. The 1976 tour contributed to the Gleneagles Agreement being adopted by the Commonwealth Heads of State in 1977.<ref name="Gleneagles1">Template:Cite web</ref>
The 1981 South African tour to New Zealand sparked a protest movement against South Africa's apartheid policy; this type of protest had not been seen in New Zealand since the 1951 waterfront dispute.<ref name="1981wairarapa">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="CountryDivided">Template:Cite web</ref> The NZRU had invited the Springboks to tour because the Muldoon government refused to involve politics in sport.<ref name="Gleneagles2">Template:Cite web</ref> Although New Zealand won the test series, two of the tour's provincial games were cancelled and the whole tour was marred by violence and protest.<ref name="Tour Diary">Template:Cite web</ref> The third and final test match of the tour is sometimes known as the Flour Bomb test, as an anti-apartheid activist in a Cessna light aircraft dropped leaflets, flares, a parachute-supported banner reading "Biko", and flour bombs, into Auckland's Eden Park throughout the match, felling a New Zealand player. The country experienced unrest during the tour, which had a significant impact on New Zealand society.<ref name="1981wairarapa"/><ref name="Tour Diary"/><ref name="TurningPoint">Template:Cite news</ref>
The 1985 All Blacks tour to South Africa was cancelled after legal action on the grounds that it would breach the NZRU's constitution.<ref name="TurningPoint"/> In 1986, a rebel tour to South Africa took place that had not been authorised by the NZRU and the team, named the Cavaliers, included many All Blacks.<ref name="CavaliersABs">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="CABlazey">Template:Cite web</ref> Those that participated in the tour received a ban for two tests from the NZRU when they returned to New Zealand. Allegations that players received payment for the tour were never proved.<ref name="RugbyTime">Template:Cite web</ref>
Early World Cups
[edit]New Zealand hosted and won the inaugural World Cup in 1987 beating France 29–9 in the final. New Zealand conceded only 52 points and scored 43 tries in six games en route to the title, beating Italy, Fiji, Argentina, Scotland, Wales and France.<ref name="1987RWC">Template:Cite web</ref>
The All Blacks suffered a dual blow in early-mid 1990. Undisputed test fullback John Gallagher switched codes and signed to play with English rugby league club Leeds. This came after his 1989 tour understudy Matthew Ridge had signed to play rugby league with Sydney-based club Manly-Warringah less than a week earlier. Around this time union also lost other goal-kicking All Blacks to rugby league including John Schuster (Newcastle Knights in Australia), Frano Botica (English club Wigan) and Kurt Sherlock (Sydney club Eastern Suburbs). New Zealand rugby also lost Waikato goal kicking fullback Daryl Halligan who signed to play league for the North Sydney Bears. As it turned out, they were also very close to losing Zinzan Brooke who was set to join Ridge at Manly when (according to Ridge) a personal dispute between the two saw Brooke back out on a signed contract with Manly (allegedly worth AU$100,000 per season) to stay in rugby union.<ref>Sportscafe-ish Show </ref>
By the 1991 World Cup New Zealand were an ageing side,<ref>Palenski (2003), p. 227.</ref> co-coached by Alex Wyllie and John Hart. After beating hosts England in the tournament opener, they struggled during pool matches against the United States and Italy, and won their quarter-final against Canada.<ref>Palenski (2003), p. 228.</ref> They were then knocked out by eventual winners Australia 16–6 in their semi-final at Lansdowne Road. In the wake of the tournament, there were many retirements, including coach Wyllie, who had enjoyed an 86 per cent win rate during 29 tests in charge.<ref name="Palenski290">Palenski (2003), p. 290.</ref>
Laurie Mains replaced Wyllie in 1992, and was given the job of preparing the side for the 1995 event in South Africa. New Zealand were again one of the favourites to take the championship. Their status as favourites was enhanced when a young Jonah Lomu scored four tries against England in the 45–29 semi-final win.<ref name="Jonah">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They managed to take hosts South Africa to extra time in the final, before losing 12–15 to Joel Stransky's drop goal.<ref name="FoodPoisoning">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="StranskyBoot">Template:Cite news</ref>
Template:AnchorProfessionalism
[edit]The professional era in rugby union began in 1995, spurred by creation of the SANZAR group (a combination of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia)<ref name="SANZARBorn">Howitt (2005), p. 7.</ref> which was formed with the purpose of selling broadcast rights for two new competitions, the domestic Super 12 competition and the Tri-Nations.<ref name="SANZARBorn"/> The first Tri-Nations was contested in 1996, with New Zealand winning all four of their tests to take the trophy.<ref>Howitt (2005), p. 170.</ref> After a 1996 Tri-Nations match hosted by South Africa, won 29–18 by New Zealand,<ref name=Harding181>Harding (2000), p. 181.</ref> preceded a separate three-match test series between the two sides.<ref name=Harding183>Harding (2000), p. 183</ref> Under new coach John Hart and the captaincy of Sean Fitzpatrick, New Zealand won a test series in South Africa for the first time.<ref name="PalenskiSA1996">Palenski (2003), p 206.</ref> Fitzpatrick rated the series win higher than the 1987 World Cup victory in which he had participated.<ref name="PalenskiSA1996"/>
The next three seasons saw mixed results for New Zealand, who won all their Tri-Nations tests in 1997 before losing the title for the first time in 1998.<ref>Howitt (2005), p 185.</ref> In 1998 New Zealand lost all five tests in the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup series (two to South Africa and three to Australia), the first time they had lost four tests in succession since 1949.<ref>Howitt (2005), p 199.</ref> The following year they suffered their worst test loss, 7–28 to Australia in Sydney.<ref name="1999loss">Palenski (2003), p. 233.</ref> At the 1999 World Cup later that year, the All Blacks dominated their pool, handing England a 16–30 defeat at Twickenham. They advanced past Scotland 30–18 in the quarter-finals to play France at Twickenham. After New Zealand finished the first half 17–10 ahead,<ref name="1999loss"/> France then produced a famous half of rugby to which New Zealand had no answer, winning 43–31.<ref name="1999loss"/> Hart subsequently resigned as coach and was replaced by co-coaches Wayne Smith and Tony Gilbert.
Under Smith and Gilbert, New Zealand came second in the 2000 and 2001 Tri-Nations, and in neither season did the side reclaim the Bledisloe CupTemplate:Sndwhich had been lost in 1998. Both coaches were replaced by John Mitchell on 3 October 2001, and he went on to coach New Zealand to victory in both the 2002 and 2003 Tri-Nations, as well as regaining the Bledisloe Cup in 2003. Mitchell's abrasive personal manner and management style, together with his coaching techniques, were the subject of some controversy both at the time and subsequently.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Despite losing to England earlier in the year, the All Blacks entered the 2003 World Cup as one of the favourites and dominated their pool, running up wins against Italy, Canada and Tonga, before winning one of the most competitive matches of the tournament against Wales.<ref name="WalesNZ2003">Template:Cite news</ref> They defeated South Africa in their quarter-final, a team they had never beaten at the World Cup, 29–9, but lost to Australia 10–22 in the semi-final in Sydney. Following the team's lacklustre showing in the tournament, the NZRU terminated Mitchell's contract<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and installed Graham Henry as national coach.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Henry era
[edit]Graham Henry's tenure as coach began with a double victory over 2003 Rugby World Cup winners England in 2004. The two games had an aggregate score of 72–15, and England were kept try-less.<ref name="ABGame1102">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ABGame1103">Template:Cite web</ref> Despite the winning start to Henry's tenure, the Tri-Nations was a mixed success with two wins and two losses. The competition was the closest ever, bonus points decided the outcome, and New Zealand finishing last.Template:Efn<ref>Howitt (2005), p 289.</ref> The 2004 season finished with three wins in Europe, including a record 45–6 victory over France under new captain and outside centre Tana Umaga.<ref name="ABGame1112">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=Comebacks>Template:Cite news</ref>
2005 saw New Zealand host the touring British & Irish Lions, steered by World Cup-winning English coach Clive Woodward, and featuring a number of Northern Hemisphere stars including Jonny Wilkinson. New Zealand won all three games easily, with a young Dan Carter turning in a masterclass in the second test. The series was marred by an incident in the first test after the Lions captain, Irish centre Brian O'Driscoll, was upended in an aggressive clearout by Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu. O'Driscoll suffered a dislocated shoulder and missed the rest of the tour as a result. Match footage was inconclusive at the time, and both Umaga and Mealamu escaped serious sanction.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> O'Driscoll and the Lions management maintained it was a deliberate spear tackle,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the controversy both tainted the All Blacks' series victory and continued for some years afterward.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
That same year, they also won the Tri-Nations, and achieved a second Grand Slam over the Home Nations for the first time since 1978. They went on to sweep the major IRB (now World Rugby) awards in which they were named: Team of the Year, Henry was named Coach of the Year, and first five-eighth Dan Carter was Player of the Year.<ref name="World Rugby Award winners"/> New Zealand were nominated for the Laureus World Sports Award for Team of the Year in 2006 for their 2005 performance.<ref name="LasWorld">Template:Cite news</ref> The following year they again took the Tri-Nations Series after winning their first five matches, three against Australia and two against South Africa. They lost their final match of the series against South Africa. They completed their end of year tour unbeaten, with record away wins over France, England and Wales.<ref name="2006EFrecord">Template:Cite news</ref> New Zealand were named 2006 IRB Team of the Year and were nominated for the Laureus World Sports Award for the second time, while flanker and newly appointed captain Richie McCaw was named IRB Player of the Year for the first time.<ref name="World Rugby Award winners"/><ref name="LasWorld" /><ref name="NomineesLaureus">Template:Cite web</ref>
The 2007 season started off with two mid-year tests against France. New Zealand won the tests 42–11 at Eden Park and 61–10 at Westpac Stadium. A third game, against Canada, resulted in a 64–13 win, although the game was more competitive than the scoreline indicated.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> New Zealand's first Tri-Nations game of 2007 was against the Springboks in Durban, South Africa. New Zealand scored two tries in the final fifteen minutes of the game to win 26–21.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The following week against the Wallabies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground the Wallabies upset New Zealand to win 20–15.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The All Blacks won their following home games to successfully defend the Tri-Nations Series for 2007.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> New Zealand entered the 2007 Rugby World Cup as favourites,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and topped their pool,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> beating Scotland, Italy, Romania and Portugal by at least 40 points. However, they then suffered a defeat by hosts France in the quarter-finals in Cardiff.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following the loss to France coach Graham Henry's job was reappointed amid vocal debate and comment, despite Robbie Deans being a strong contender.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The 2008 season started with three mid-year tests against Ireland and England, all of which New Zealand won.<ref name="2008results">Template:Cite news</ref> New Zealand played their first Tri-Nations game against South Africa in Wellington, winning 19–8, but a week later at Carisbrook in Dunedin they lost to South Africa 28–30, ending a 30-match winning streak at home.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> New Zealand played their next Tri-Nations match on 26 July against Australia in Sydney, losing 19–34 but a week later against Australia in New Zealand won 39–10.<ref name="2008results"/> They then beat South Africa 19–0 at Newlands Stadium.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> New Zealand played their final match on 13 September against Australia at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane winning 28–24 and retaining the Bledisloe Cup and the Tri-Nations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The All Blacks opened the 2009 season with a 22–27 loss to France at Carisbrook, but defeated them 14–10 in Wellington a week later. On points difference, France won the Dave Gallaher Cup for the first time. A week later the All Blacks defeated Italy 27–6 in Christchurch. They finished second in the Tri-Nations Series, behind South Africa who lost only one game, and ended the series with a 33–6 win over Australia in Wellington.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2010, the All Blacks won the Tri-Nations Series for the tenth time after three successive victories against South Africa,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and won the Bledisloe Cup after consecutive victories against Australia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An undefeated streak in tests that began in 2009 reached 15 matches.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Despite losing the 2011 Tri-Nations after a loss to Australia in Brisbane,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> they still entered the 2011 Rugby World Cup as one of the favourites.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The All Blacks went through their pool matches undefeated, and after defeating Argentina, and then Australia, faced France in the final. New Zealand scored one try and a penalty to narrowly win 8–7.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Henry stepped down as coach following the World Cup, and was replaced as head coach by his assistant Steve Hansen.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Hansen era
[edit]The Tri-Nations was expanded to include Argentina in 2012, and subsequently renamed The Rugby Championship. The All Blacks went undefeated in the inaugural tournament, and went through the year unbeaten until their last match of the year, where they lost to England at Twickenham. In 2013 New Zealand hosted France in a three-match seriesTemplate:Sndtheir first meeting since the 2011 World Cup final. They won all three tests, before going unbeaten in the 2013 Rugby Championship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In November 2013, New Zealand became the first rugby nation in the professional era to achieve a 100 per cent record in a calendar year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
At the 2014 Rugby Championship, the All Blacks drew with Australia and lost to South Africa in the away matches, but won the other four matches and the tournament. At the shortened 2015 Rugby Championship, the All Blacks lost to Australia and was runner-up in the competition. They did, however achieve a significant return victory in the second Bledisloe test that year to retain the trophy. The team entered the 2015 Rugby World Cup and again went undefeated in their pool matches. They defeated France 62–13 in the quarter-finals, South Africa 20–18 in the semi-finals, and Australia 34–17 in the final to become the first nation to retain the World Championship title and the first to win the Rugby World Cup three times.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The All Blacks went undefeated at the 2016 Rugby Championship, claiming bonus points at each match, under new captain and Number 8, Kieran Read and vice-captain and fullback Ben Smith. Smith and wing Israel Dagg were also the joint highest try scorers in the competition with five each, while fly-half Beauden Barrett was the highest points scorer of the competition with 81 in total.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The autumn of 2016 witnessed an historic defeat, with the All Blacks enduring their first ever loss to Ireland after 111 years of competition,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> going down by 29–40 at Soldier Field in Chicago. New Zealand redeemed the loss by defeating Ireland in Dublin in the return game two weeks later, by 21–9.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2017, the British & Irish Lions toured New Zealand for the second time in the professional era. The series finished in a draw, with the All Blacks and Lions recording 1–1–1. The All Blacks had won the first test 30–15, the Lions took the second test 24–21, and the final test was drawn 15–15. Like the 2005 tour, this Lions series was dogged by controversy, with the Lions' tactics (under expat Kiwi Coach Warren Gatland),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the tone of local media coverage,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the Red Card awarded to Sonny Bill Williams in the second test<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the refereeing of French officials Romain Poite and Jerome Garces<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> all hotly debated. The drawn series, combined with the loss to Ireland to previous year led some in the media to claim that the team were on the slide, and that the Northern Hemisphere sides were catching up.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However they went on to go undefeated in the Rugby Championship 2017 season and also securing the Bledisloe Cup against rivals Australia after defeating the Aussies twice in the Rugby Championship. In October, New Zealand suffered a surprise 18–23 loss to Australia, in the final Bledisloe game of the year at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The autumn saw the All Blacks defeat a Barbarians team 32–21, France 38–18, Scotland 22–17 and Wales 33–18 to end the 2017 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
At the start of the 2018 season, the All Blacks saw off a touring French side in a 3–0 series victory, and won their first games of the Rugby Championship against Australia by 38–13 and 40–12 to keep the Bledisloe Cup for another year. Another easy win against Argentina by 46–24 followed, however the All Blacks were subsequently beaten at home in Wellington by South Africa for the first time since 2009, losing by 34–36 in a tightly contested game,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> before again beating Argentina by 35–17. In the return match against South Africa in Pretoria, the All Blacks trailed for much of the game but produced a thrilling comeback late the second half to win by 32–30.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They went on to post another crushing win over Australia by 37–20 in Yokohama, to confirm a Bledisloe whitewash for the year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A development side was left behind to pummel Japan 69–31, while the first team travelled to Europe for the autumn internationals. That series proved a relatively difficult one for the All Blacks, with a single-point victory over England (16–15) in a very closely fought test,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> followed by a second-ever loss to Ireland by 9–16 in a cauldron atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They went on to thrash Italy by 66–3 to finish their season with a win.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2019 was a mixed year for the All Blacks, starting their campaign with an unconvincing 16 - 20 win over a tough Argentine side, and a 16 all draw against the Springboks. However, the next week they were given their joint worst loss in their history, once again to the Wallabies, 26 - 47, after Scott Barrett was sent off. They got back on track, showcasing the form they have been in the past years, with a 36 - 0 shutout in their rematch at Eden Park to retain the Bledisloe Cup, and finished their season with a 92 - 7 pummelling against Tonga.
The 2019 Rugby World Cup saw New Zealand face off against South Africa. They won, 23 - 13 in Yokohama, then notched wins up on Canada and Namibia, scoring a total of 135 points in the 2 games. In the quarter-final, they faced off against Ireland in Chofu, dominating from start to finish and prevailing 46 - 14. The team's run ended in the semi-finals with a 7 - 19 loss to England in Yokohama, which ended their chances of a third consecutive world title, or "three-peat". This was the team's first World Cup defeat in 20 matches stretching back over twelve years. New Zealand finished their campaign with a 40 - 17 win over Wales in Chofu to claim the bronze medal. Hansen retired after the World Cup, along with many All Blacks veterans, most notably captain Kieran Read, Owen Franks and Ben Smith. Ian Foster was appointed as the new All Blacks coach.
Foster Era
[edit]
2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Rugby Championship was cancelled. Instead, a Tri-Nations revival tournament was held from October to December 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Two warm-up Bledisloe Cup matches were held before that, the first was a (16–16) draw in Wellington and the second a (27–7) win in Auckland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They then travelled over to Australia for the Tri-Nations, where they opened by securing the Bledisloe Cup with a (43–5) victory over Australia in Sydney but going on to lose to them a week later (22–24) in Brisbane.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The All Blacks lost a week later to Argentina (15–25) in Parramatta which was their first ever defeat to the Los Pumas and the first time they had lost back-to-back test matches since 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thanks to a 38–0 win against Argentina two weeks later in Newcastle, the All Blacks won the Tri-Nations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They ended the 2020 season with three wins, two losses and a draw.
2021
The All Blacks opened their 2021 campaign by easily defeating Tonga (102–0) in Auckland,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> followed by two wins against Fiji (57–23) in Dunedin and (60–13) in Hamilton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They opened their Bledisloe Cup campaign by defeating Australia at Eden Park (33–25).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The All Blacks then went onto defeat the Wallabies 2 more times, (57–22) at Eden Park again and (38–21) in Perth to retain the Bledisloe Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They defeated Argentina twice by comfortable margins, (39–0) in the Gold Coast and (36–13) in Brisbane.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Against South Africa, their record was split (1-1), with New Zealand winning in the 100th Test Match between the two countries in a historic (19–17) victory in Townsville,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with the Springboks winning a week later by (29–31) in the Gold Coast.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They retained the Freedom Cup and they went on to win the Rugby Championship and finish the competition with a (5–1) record. In their first Northern Hemisphere Tour since 2018, the All Blacks played five matches and finished with a record of (3–2). They defeated the United States (104–14),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wales (54–16)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Italy (47–9),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and then went onto lose two matches in a row against Ireland (20–29)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and France (25–40),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> to finish the season (12–3). The back to back losses against Ireland and France was the first time since 1998 that they finished their season with 2 straight defeats in consecutive weeks.
2022
In July 2022, the All Blacks hosted Ireland to a 3-Test Match Series. In the first game the All Blacks defeated Ireland (42–19), before losing to them in the second game (12–23) and third game (22–32).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was the first time that Ireland had beaten the All Blacks at home, two times in a row and across a Test series. This also marked the third straight season that the All Blacks lost back to back test matches and this led them to make changes in their coaching setup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They opened their Rugby Championship campaign with a loss to the Springboks in Mbombela (10–26),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> their third consecutive loss. They then rallied back the following week with a win at Ellis Park (35–23) to retain the Freedom Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They lost to Argentina (18–25)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> for the first time in New Zealand, before bouncing back with a (53–3) victory a week later.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They then defeated Australia in a controversial and much debated (39–37) win, thus retaining the Bledisloe Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The All Blacks went on to defeat the Wallabies again (40–14) at Eden Park in Auckland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In their End Of Year Northern Tour, they defeated Japan (38–31),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wales (55–23),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Scotland (31–23)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but drew against England (25–25).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The All Blacks finished with eight wins, four losses and one draw. It was their worst win/loss record since the 1998 season.
2023
In 2023, the All Blacks won the shortened version of the Rugby Championship (due to the World Cup) by defeating Argentina (41–12), South Africa (35–20), and Australia (38–7).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They also kept the Freedom Cup for another year after beating the Springboks and had wrapped up the Bledisloe for another year after defeating the Wallabies (23–20) in the 2nd Bledisloe game which was a test match outside the Rugby Championship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In a warm up game at Twickenham Stadium in London, the All Blacks lost to the Springboks (7–35), which became their worst ever defeat in their 120-year history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the All Blacks tasted their first ever defeat in the pool stages when they were beaten by the host nation France (13–27).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They defeated all the other teams in their pool, Namibia (71–3), Italy (96–17), Uruguay (73–0), to qualify for the quarter–finals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They defeated Ireland in the quarters (28–24),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> beat Argentina (44–6) in the semi–final,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but lost to the Springboks (11–12), who became the first nation to win four World Cups, in the final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup tournament.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They ended their season with a record of nine wins and three losses. This marked the end of the Ian Foster era.
Robertson Era
[edit]On March 21, 2023, Scott Robertson was named as All Blacks Head Coach from 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After the conclusion of the 2023 Rugby World Cup tournament, Robertson commenced the role of head coach from November 1, 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024
Robertson's first game as head coach took place against England in 2024. Robertson's All Blacks team defeated England (16–15) at Forsyth Barr Stadium, in Dunedin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A week later in Eden Park, in Auckland, the All Blacks defeated England again (24–17).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The All Blacks then travelled to San Diego, California, to face Fiji and defeated them (47–5).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2024 Rugby Championship, the All Blacks compiled a 3–3 record as they struggled and were outscored in the last 20 minutes in 5 of the 6 games. They split against Argentina, were swept by South Africa and then went on to sweep Australia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the All Blacks Northern end of year tour, they beat Japan (64–19) in Yokohama,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> beat England (24–22) at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham and swept them 3–0 in 2024,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> beat Ireland (23–13) at the Aviva Stadium<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and lost to France (29–30) in the Stade de France<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> before bouncing back a week later and defeating Italy (29–11) in Turin<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> to go 4 wins from 5 against the Northern Hemisphere teams. In 2024, Scott Robertson had a 10–4 record in his first season as Head Coach.
Uniform
[edit]Template:Multiple image Template:Commons The current New Zealand jersey features a figure-hugging jersey and is entirely black except for sponsors' logos and the NZRU silver fern on the chest. However, black wasn't always New Zealand's colours. During the 1884 tour of Australia which was the first overseas New Zealand rugby tour, the team donned a dark blue jersey, with a gold fern insignia on the left of the jumper.<ref>Gifford (2004), p. 28.</ref><ref name=blue>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=early>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1893, when the New Zealand Rugby Union was established, they stipulated that the uniform would be a black jersey with silver fern and white knickerbockers,<ref>Palenski (2003), p. 17.</ref> although historic photographs suggest white shorts may have been used instead during these early years. There was a change some time after 1897, and in 1901 the team met New South Wales wearing an all black uniform for the first time - black jersey, a canvas top with no collar, and a silver fern, and black shorts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2006, New Zealand wore an embroidered remembrance poppy on their jersey sleeve when playing France during the end-of-year tour.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The poppy honours the ANZAC soldiers who died on the beaches of Gallipoli. Captain Richie McCaw said "We want to honour the overseas service of New Zealanders. It is an important part of our history as a country and a team."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
During the 2011 Rugby World Cup, there was an image of the Webb Ellis Cup embroidered on the sleeve of the All Blacks' jerseys, with the year '1987' below it to signify the team's previous world title. Each of the four teams that had won the cup in previous years sported the same detailing on their jerseys.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Kit suppliers
[edit]Canterbury were kit suppliers to New Zealand from 1924 until 1999,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> when Adidas paid $70 million to clothe and shoe the All Blacks for five years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nike also looked at sponsoring New Zealand at this time, but elected to sponsor Tiger Woods instead.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2003, Adidas renewed this contract and paid the team US$200 million over nine years, expecting New Zealand to win around 75 per cent of their matches.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008, this deal was extended to 2019 for an undisclosed amount,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2017 this was again extended to 2023 in a deal estimated to be worth about $10 million a year.<ref name="Paul2017">Template:Cite news</ref>
| Period | Kit manufacturer |
|---|---|
| 1924–1999 | Canterbury |
| 1999–present | Adidas |
Kit sponsors
[edit]Steinlager was the first sponsor to appear on the All Blacks' jersey, in the left breast of the jersey (on the opposite side to the silver fern), lasting from 1994 to 1999, when Adidas took over as supplier. In 2012, AIG became the first to sponsor on the centre-front of the All Black jersey in a deal estimated to be worth approximately $80 million over five years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> AIG extended this sponsorship to 2021 in a deal thought to be worth about $15m a year.<ref name="Paul2017"/> After AIG decided not to renew their sponsorship deal with the team, it was announced that the Altrad Group would be the new main sponsor of the All Blacks from 2022, with a 6-year deal reportedly worth more than $120 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Haka
[edit]
The All Blacks perform a haka (a Māori challenge) before every international match. The tradition has been closely associated with New Zealand rugby ever since a tour of Australia and the United Kingdom by the New Zealand Natives in 1888 and 1889,<ref name=ABHaka>Derby, Mark. "Māori–Pākehā relations – Sports and race", Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2012.</ref><ref name=Mulholland17>Mulholland (2009), p 17.</ref> although it is likely that the New Zealand team that toured New South Wales in 1884 may also have performed a haka.<ref name=AllBlackHaka>Barker, Fiona. "New Zealand identity – New Zealand’s peoples", Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2013.</ref> The 1888–89 New Zealand native team used Ake Ake Kia Kaha, and a mocking haka, Tupoto koe, Kangaru!, was used by the 1903 team that visited Australia. In 1905, the All Blacks began the tradition of using Ka Mate, a haka composed in the 19th century by Te Rauparaha, leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe. The 1924 All Blacks used a specially composed haka, Ko Niu Tireni, but later All Blacks reverted to using Ka Mate.<ref name="1924Haka">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=Mulholland18>Mulholland (2009), p 18.</ref><ref name=InvinciblesHaka>Template:Cite news</ref>
In August 2005, before the Tri-Nations test match between New Zealand and South Africa at Carisbrook stadium in Dunedin, the All Blacks performed a new haka, Kapa o Pango, specially composed for the occasion by Derek Lardelli and intended to reflect the Polynesian-influenced multicultural make-up of contemporary New Zealand.<ref name="KapaoPango">Template:Cite news</ref> Lardelli's haka was not designed to replace Ka Mate as it was only meant to be used for special occasions.<ref name="KapaoPango"/> Kapa o Pango concludes with a move that has been interpreted as a "throat slitting" gesture, which has led to accusations that the haka encourages violence and sends the wrong message to All Blacks fans.<ref name="two">Template:Cite web</ref> However, according to Lardelli, the gesture is meant to represent "drawing vital energy into the heart and lungs".<ref name="GestureMeaning">Template:Cite web</ref>
In November 2006, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, the All Blacks performed the haka in the dressing room prior to the matchTemplate:Sndinstead of on the field immediately before kick-offTemplate:Sndfollowing a disagreement with the Welsh Rugby Union, who had wanted Wales to sing their national anthem immediately after the haka.<ref name="NoHaka">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008, New Zealand played Munster at Thomond Park; before the match, Munster's four New Zealand players challenged their opponents by performing their own haka before the All Blacks started theirs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On the same tour, Wales responded to New Zealand's haka by silently refusing to move afterwards, and the two teams simply stared at each other until the referee forced them to start the game.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Record
[edit]Overall
[edit]Template:World Rugby Rankings Template:See also Template:See also New Zealand have only ever been beaten by seven test nations (and drawing to an additional nation in Scotland) and two combined teams (the British & Irish Lions, and a World XV) and they are the only international team to have a winning record against every nation they have played. They have won 499 of their 651 test matches (Template:Percentage; see table below) and have lost at home only 43 times. Since World Rankings were introduced by World Rugby in October 2003, New Zealand have occupied the number one ranking the majority of the time.<ref name="WorldRank"/> In the decade from 2000 to 2009, New Zealand won 100 tests (92 per cent of their total games played).
New Zealand's longest winning streak is 18 test victories (a Tier 1 joint world record), achieved between 2015 and 2016. In 2013 they won every test they played during a calendar year. The All Blacks hold the record for most consecutive test wins at home, a 47–match winning streak, achieved between 2009 and 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Their longest unbeaten streak is 23 tests (from 1987 to 1990) with one game being drawn.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Their all-time points record for tests stands at 18,626 points for and 8,974 points against (updated 23 November 2024). Many national rugby union teams have suffered their heaviest defeats when playing against New Zealand, these being Argentina (91–8), Fiji (91–0), France (61–10), Ireland (60–0), Japan (145–17), Portugal (108–13), Samoa (101–14), South Africa (57–0), Tonga (102–0, twice) and the British and Irish Lions (38–6). The All Blacks largest test win was (145–17) against Japan in 1995,<ref name=Over100Scored>Template:Cite web</ref> while their heaviest loss was a (7–35) defeat to the Springboks in 2023.
Below is a summary of New Zealand test results (updated 23 November 2024):<ref name="ABrecord">Template:Cite web</ref>
Rugby World Cup
[edit]Template:Main Template:New Zealand Rugby World Cup record New Zealand have won the World Cup three times. They beat France in the final of the 1987 inaugural competition held in New Zealand and Australia, defeated France again in the final of the 2011 tournament, also hosted in New Zealand, and most recently defeated Australia in England in 2015, making them the first team to win the World Cup in consecutive tournaments. In 1991, they lost their semi-final to Australia before winning the playoff for third. In 1995, they reached the final, before losing in extra time to hosts South Africa. They finished in fourth place in 1999, after losing their semi-final and then the third-place playoff game. In 2003, New Zealand were knocked out by hosts Australia in their semi-final, before finishing third. The 2007 World Cup saw their worst tournament, being knocked out in the quarter-finals by the host nation France;<ref name="2007Exit">Template:Cite web</ref> until this they were the only team to have reached the semi-finals of every tournament.<ref name="RWCFavourites">Template:Cite news</ref> As a result of the poor performance in the 2007 World Cup the NZRU commissioned a 47-page report to detail the causes of the failure. In 2019, they lost in the semi-finals against England in a (7–19) defeat, and then finishing in third-place after beating Wales in the 3rd spot playoff game (40–17). In 2023, the All Blacks were defeated by the Springboks (11–12) in the final. The All Blacks had won every World Cup pool match they had played in until 8 September 2023 when they lost their first ever pool match in the opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup against the host nation France, and have finished top of their pool in 9 out of the 10 tournaments.
New Zealand holds several World Cup records: most World Cup matches (63), most points in one match (145 versus Japan in 1995), most cumulative points over all World Cups (2,888), most tries overall (396), most conversions (289) and also the record for the most points scored in the first half of a knockout game at the Rugby World Cup (29, against France 2015) along with the largest knockout margin (49) in the same match.<ref name="RWCTeamStatistics">Template:Cite web</ref> They currently hold the record for the most consecutive wins at a World Cup, with 18 straight wins, spanning from 2011 to 2019. Several individual players also hold World Cup records, Jonah Lomu for most World Cup tries (15 over two World Cups)(tied with South Africa's Bryan Habana), Marc Ellis with most tries in a match (6 versus Japan in 1995), Grant Fox with most points in one tournament (126 in 1987), and Simon Culhane with most points in a single game (45 versus Japan in 1995).<ref name="RWCTeamStatistics"/>
Tri Nations and The Rugby Championship
[edit]New Zealand's only annual tournament is a competition involving the Southern Hemisphere's top national teams. From 1996 through 2011, they competed in the Tri Nations against Australia and South Africa. In 2012, Argentina joined the competition, which was renamed The Rugby Championship. New Zealand's record of 20 tournament wins (the most recent in 2023) and 103 match wins is well ahead of the other teams' records. The Bledisloe Cup is contested between New Zealand and Australia, and the Freedom Cup between New Zealand and South Africa, as part of the Tri Nations and The Rugby Championship. Template:The Rugby Championship Aggregate
Series played
[edit]Players
[edit]Current squad
[edit]On 7 October 2024, New Zealand announced their 36–player squad for the Northern tour.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On October 16, 2024, Peter Lakai and Josh Lord were called up to the squad as injury replacements for Ethan Blackadder (calf), Dalton Papali'i (hamstring), and Luke Jacobson (fractured thumb).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On November 4, 2024, Brodie McAlister and Harry Plummer were called into the squad as injury cover, Billy Proctor returned to New Zealand on paternity leave.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Head Coach: Template:Flagicon Scott Robertson
- Caps updated to: 23 November 2024
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Notable players
[edit]
Nineteen former All Blacks have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame: Sir Fred Allen, Dan Carter, Don Clarke, Sean Fitzpatrick, Grant Fox, Dave Gallaher, Sir Michael Jones, Ian Kirkpatrick, Sir John Kirwan, Sir Brian Lochore, Jonah Lomu, Richie McCaw, Sir Colin Meads, Graham Mourie, George Nēpia, Sir Bryan Williams, Sir Wilson Whineray, and Joe Warbrick.<ref name="IRHFList">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref name="IRHF2007">Template:Cite web</ref>
Joe Warbrick represented New Zealand on their historic 1884 tour to Australia, but is better known for selecting and captaining the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team that embarked on a 107-match tour of New Zealand, Australia and the British Isles.<ref name=Warbrick1>Template:Cite web</ref> The New Zealand Natives were the first New Zealand team to wear black uniforms, and the first to perform a haka.<ref name=Ryan46>Ryan (2011), p. 1446.</ref>
Dave Gallaher played in New Zealand's first ever test match in 1903 and also captained the 1905 Originals. Along with Billy Stead, Gallaher wrote the famous rugby book The Complete Rugby Footballer.<ref name="DaveGallaher">Template:Cite web</ref> At the age of only 19, George Nēpia played in all 30 matches on the Invincibles tour of 1924–25.<ref name="GeorgeNēpia">Template:Cite web</ref> Nēpia played 37 All Blacks games; his last was against the British Isles in 1930.<ref name="GeorgeNēpia"/>
Sir Fred Allen captained all of his 21 matches for New Zealand, including six tests, between 1946 and 1949.<ref name="FredAllen">Template:Cite web</ref> He eventually moved on to coaching New Zealand between 1966 and 1968. New Zealand won all 14 of their test matches with Allen as coach.<ref name="FredAllen"/>
Five hall of Fame inductees, including the first New Zealander named to the World Rugby Hall of Fame, played during the 1960s. Don Clarke was an All Black between 1956 and 1964 and during this period he broke the record at the time for All Black test points.<ref name="DonClarke">Template:Cite web</ref> Clarke famously scored six penalties in one match – a record at the time – to give New Zealand an 18–17 victory over the British Isles at Dunedin in 1959.<ref name="DonClarke"/><ref name="DonClarkeRHF">Template:Cite web</ref> Sir Wilson Whineray played 32 tests, captaining New Zealand in 30 of them.<ref name="WilsonWhineray">Template:Cite web</ref> He played prop and also number 8 between 1957 and 1965. New Zealand lost only four of their 30 tests with Whineray as captain.<ref name="WilsonWhineray"/> On 21 October 2007, Whineray became the first New Zealander to earn induction to the World Rugby Hall of Fame.<ref name="Whineray IRB HOF">Template:Cite web</ref> In Sir Colin Meads' New Zealand Rugby Museum profile, he is described as "New Zealand's equivalent of Australia's Sir Donald Bradman or the United States of America's Babe Ruth".<ref name="MeadsNZRM">Template:Cite web</ref> Meads, nicknamed Pinetree, played 133 games for New Zealand, including 55 tests.<ref name="MeadsNZRM"/> In 1999 the New Zealand Rugby Monthly magazine named Meads the New Zealand player of the century.<ref name="MeadsNZRM"/> Ian Kirkpatrick played 39 tests, including nine as captain, between 1967 and 1977.<ref name="IanKirkpatrick">Template:Cite web</ref> He scored 16 tries in his test career, a record at the time.<ref name="IanKirkpatrick"/>
There were two players in the Hall of Fame to debut in the 1970s one was flanker Graham Mourie. He captained 19 of his 21 tests and 57 of his 61 overall All Blacks matches between 1976 and 1982. Most notably, in 1978 he was captain of the first All Blacks side to complete a Grand Slam over the four Home Nations sides.<ref name="GrahamMourie">Template:Cite web</ref>
The 1987 World Cup champions were coached by Sir Brian Lochore who had represented New Zealand in 25 tests between 1964 and 1971, including 17 as captain.<ref name="BrianLochore">Template:Cite web</ref> He was knighted in 1999 for his lifetime services to rugby.<ref name="Lochore">Template:Cite web</ref> Four of the 1987 World Cup squad that he had coached are also inductees in the Hall of Fame. Sir John Kirwan played a total of 63 tests between 1984 and 1994, scoring 35 tries, an All Blacks record at the time.<ref name="JohnKirwan">Template:Cite web</ref> In the 1987 World Cup opener against Italy, Kirwan raced 90 meters to score one of the tries of the tournament.<ref name="JohnKirwan"/><ref name="KirwanRHF">Template:Cite web</ref>
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An All Black from 1984 to 1993, Grant Fox was one of New Zealand's greatest point-scorers with 1067 points, including 645 test points.<ref name="GrantFox">Template:Cite web</ref> Fox played 46 tests, including the 1987 World Cup final against France. Known as The Iceman, Michael Jones was one of the greatest open side flankers of all time.<ref name="MichaelJones">Template:Cite web</ref> Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Jones first played international rugby for Samoa, then for New Zealand, playing 55 tests between 1987 and 1998.<ref name="MichaelJones"/> Due to his Christian faith, Jones never played rugby on Sundays, resulting in him not playing in the 1991 World Cup semi-final against Australia, and also in him not being picked for the 1995 World Cup squad.<ref name="MichaelJones"/><ref name="MichaelJonesRHF">Template:Cite web</ref>
For many years the most capped test All Black was Sean Fitzpatrick, with 92 appearances.<ref name="SeanFitz">Template:Cite web</ref> He played in the 1987 World Cup after incumbent Andy Dalton was injured, and was appointed All Blacks captain in 1992, continuing in the role until his retirement in 1997.<ref name="SeanFitz"/> He played 346 first class rugby matches.<ref name="SeanFitzRHF">Template:Cite web</ref>
Jonah Lomu is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union.<ref name="LomuBBC">Template:Cite news</ref> He was the youngest player ever to appear in a test as an All Black, making his debut at age 19 years, 45 days in 1994. Lomu, a wing, had unique physical gifts; even though he stood Template:Convert and weighed Template:Convert, making him both the tallest<ref name="ABHeight">Template:Cite web</ref> and heaviest<ref name="ABWeight">Template:Cite web</ref> back ever to play for New Zealand, he could run 100 metres in under 11 seconds. He burst on the international scene in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, scoring seven tries in the competition. Four of those tries came in New Zealand's semi-final win over England, including an iconic try in which he bulldozed England's Mike Catt on his way to the try line. He added eight more tries in the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Perhaps most remarkably, Lomu played virtually his entire top-level career in the shadow of a serious kidney disorder which ended his test career in 2002 and ultimately led to a transplant in 2004. Even with his career hampered and eventually shortened by his health issues, he scored 37 tries in 63 tests.<ref name="JonahLomu">Template:Cite web</ref>
Player records
[edit]
Template:Main The record for most test points for not only New Zealand, but any nation, is held by Dan Carter with 1,598 from 112 tests.<ref name="DanCarter">Template:Cite web</ref> He surpassed Andrew Mehrtens' All Black record total of 967 points from 70 tests<ref name="AndrewMehrtens">Template:Cite web</ref> in the All Blacks' win over England on 21 November 2009.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 27 November 2010 Dan Carter scored a penalty against Wales to pass Jonny Wilkinson's previous world record of 1,178 points.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Carter also holds the record for points against Australia with 366.
The All Blacks' record test try scorer is Doug Howlett with 49 tries, who overtook Christian Cullen's 46 during the 2007 World Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The world record for tries in a calendar year is held by Joe Rokocoko, with 17 tries in 2003; he also became the first All Black to score ten tries in his first five tests, as well as the first All Black to score at least two tries in each of four consecutive tests.<ref name="JoeRokocoko">Template:Cite web</ref> In test matches, the most capped All Black is Sam Whitelock with 153 caps.<ref name="Most caps New Zealand">Template:Cite news</ref> The record for most tests as captain is held by Richie McCaw with 110.<ref name="RichieMcCaw">Template:Cite web</ref> The youngest All Black in a test match was Jonah Lomu, capped at age 19 years, 45 days, whilst the oldest test player was Ned Hughes at 40 years, 123 days.<ref name="JonahLomu"/><ref name="YoungestOldest">Palenski (2003), p. 286.</ref>Template:Efn
Award winners
[edit]The following New Zealand players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2001:<ref name="World Rugby Award winners"/> Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
| Year | Nominees | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Richie McCaw | — |
| 2003 | Richie McCaw (2) | |
| 2005 | Dan Carter | Dan Carter |
| Richie McCaw (3) | ||
| Tana Umaga | ||
| 2006 | Dan Carter (2) | Richie McCaw |
| Richie McCaw (4) | ||
| 2007 | Richie McCaw (5) | — |
| 2008 | Dan Carter (3) | |
| 2009 | Richie McCaw (6) | Richie McCaw (2) |
| 2010 | Richie McCaw (7) | Richie McCaw (3) |
| Mils Muliaina | ||
| 2011 | Jerome Kaino | — |
| Ma'a Nonu | ||
| Piri Weepu | ||
| 2012 | Dan Carter (4) | Dan Carter (2) |
| Richie McCaw (8) |
| Year | Nominees | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Kieran Read | Kieran Read |
| Ben Smith | ||
| 2014 | Brodie Retallick | Brodie Retallick |
| Julian Savea | ||
| 2015 | Dan Carter (5) | Dan Carter (3) |
| Julian Savea (2) | ||
| 2016 | Beauden Barrett | Beauden Barrett |
| Dane Coles | ||
| 2017 | Beauden Barrett (2) | Beauden Barrett (2) |
| Rieko Ioane | ||
| 2018 | Beauden Barrett (3) | — |
| Rieko Ioane (2) | ||
| 2019 | Ardie Savea | |
| 2023 | Ardie Savea (2) | Ardie Savea |
Template:Col-end Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
| Year | Nominees | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Nehe Milner-Skudder | Nehe Milner-Skudder |
| 2016 | Anton Lienert-Brown | — |
| Ardie Savea | ||
| 2017 | Rieko Ioane | Rieko Ioane |
| 2018 | Karl Tu'inukuafe | — |
| 2021 | Will Jordan | Will Jordan |
| 2023 | Mark Tele'a | Mark Tele'a |
| Tamaiti Williams | ||
| 2024 | Wallace Sititi | Wallace Sititi |
| Year | Template:Abbr | Players |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8. | Ardie Savea |
| 10. | Beauden Barrett | |
| 14. | Will Jordan | |
| 2022 | 5. | Sam Whitelock |
| 14. | Will Jordan (2) | |
| 2023 | 5. | Scott Barrett |
| 8. | Ardie Savea (2) | |
| 10. | Richie Mo'unga | |
| 11. | Will Jordan (3) | |
| 2024 | 3. | Tyrel Lomax |
| 10. | Damian McKenzie | |
| 15. | Will Jordan (4) |
| Year | Date | Scorer | Match | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 15 June | Beauden Barrett | vs. France | Summer Test Series |
| 2015 | 17 October | Julian Savea | vs. France | Rugby World Cup |
| 2018 | 18 August | Brodie Retallick | vs. Australia | Rugby Championship |
| 2019 | 6 October | TJ Perenara | vs. Namibia | Rugby World Cup |
Coaches
[edit]The following table lists every head coach of the All Blacks, from 1949 to the present day. Every All Black head coach has been a New Zealander. Scott Robertson is the current head coach, as of 2024.
Award winners
[edit]The following All Blacks head coaches have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2001:<ref name="World Rugby Award winners"/>
| Year | Nominees | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Graham Henry | Graham Henry |
| 2006 | Graham Henry (2) | Graham Henry (2) |
| 2008 | Graham Henry (3) | Graham Henry (3) |
| 2010 | Graham Henry (4) | Graham Henry (4) |
| 2011 | Graham Henry (5) | Graham Henry (5) |
| 2012 | Steve Hansen | Steve Hansen |
| 2013 | Steve Hansen (2) | Steve Hansen (2) |
| 2014 | Steve Hansen (3) | Steve Hansen (3) |
| 2015 | Steve Hansen (4) | — |
| 2016 | Steve Hansen (5) | Steve Hansen (4) |
| 2017 | Steve Hansen (6) | — |
| 2018 | Steve Hansen (7) | |
| 2019 | Steve Hansen (8) | |
| 2021 | Ian Foster | |
| 2023 | Ian Foster (2) |
Home grounds
[edit]Template:Location map+ Like other major rugby nations Argentina, Australia, France and South Africa, New Zealand does not have an official stadium for its national team. Instead, the All Blacks play their test matches at a variety of venues throughout New Zealand.
Prior to the construction of Westpac Stadium in 1999, Wellington's test venue was Athletic Park, which had served as the venue for the first All Blacks test match in New Zealand against Great Britain in 1904.<ref name="2ndTest">Template:Cite web</ref> The first home test match played outside the main centres of Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin or Wellington was in 1996 at McLean Park in Napier.<ref name="296thTest">Template:Cite web</ref>
Eden Park and Lancaster Park were upgraded in preparation for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. By that time, the NZRU no longer considered Carisbrook a suitable test venue, and a covered sports stadium (Forsyth Barr) was proposed as a replacement.<ref name="CarisbrookReplacement">Template:Cite news</ref> Dunedin City Council approved the new stadium in March 2008,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> land acquisition proceeded from August to October of that year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Ground | First Test | Last Test | Tests Held | Win% | Last Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic Park, Wellington, North Island | 1904 v British Lions |
1999 v France |
42 | 72% | 25 July 1998 |
| Tahuna Park, Dunedin, South Island | 1905 v Australia |
(1905) | 1 | 100% | N/A |
| Potter's Park, Auckland, North Island | 1908 v British Lions |
(1908) | 1 | 100% | N/A |
| Carisbrook, Dunedin, South Island | 1908 v British Lions |
2011 v Fiji |
38 | 85% | 13 June 2009 |
| Lancaster Park, Christchurch, South Island | 1913 v Australia |
2010 v Australia |
48 | 81% | 1 August 1998 |
| Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch, South Island | 2012 v Ireland |
2022 v Argentina | 5 | 80% | 27 August 2022 |
| Eden Park, Auckland, North Island | 1921 v South Africa |
2024 v Argentina | 93 | 87% | 3 July 1994 |
| Epsom Showgrounds, Auckland, North Island | 1958 v Australia |
(1958) | 1 | 100% | N/A |
| Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, South Island | 2012 v South Africa |
2024
v England |
10 | 90% | 9 July 2022 |
| McLean Park, Napier, North Island | 1996 Template:Nowrap |
2014 v Argentina |
2 | 100% | N/A |
| Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, North Island | 2021 Template:Nowrap |
2023 v South Africa |
2 | 100% | N/A |
| North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, North Island | 1997 v Fiji |
2017 v South Africa |
7 | 100% | N/A |
| Rugby Park, Hamilton, North Island <ref name="AB's at Waikato Stadium">Template:Cite web</ref> | 1997 v Argentina |
(1997) | 1 | 100% | N/A |
| Sky Stadium, Wellington, North Island | 2000 v Australia |
2024 v Australia | 29 | 75% | 10 August 2024 |
| Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, North Island<ref name="AB's at Waikato Stadium" /> | 2002 v Italy |
2022 v Argentina | 15 | 93% | 12 October 2009 |
| Taranaki Stadium, New Plymouth, North Island | 2008 v Samoa |
2017 v Argentina |
4 | 100% | N/A |
| Trafalgar Park, Nelson, South Island | 2018 v Argentina |
(2018) | 1 | 100% | N/A |
| Total | 300 | 84.1% |
See also
[edit]Template:Portal Template:Div col
- New Zealand women's national rugby union team
- 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team
- Junior All Blacks
- List of New Zealand rugby union Test matches
- All Blacks XV
- Māori All Blacks
- New Zealand Heartland XV
- New Zealand national team nomenclature based on the "All Blacks"
- Racism in New Zealand rugby union
- Ka Mate haka
- Kapa o Pango haka
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]Works cited
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External links
[edit]- Template:Official website
- New Zealand Rugby Union official site
- New Zealand Rugby History - stats and records (hobby site)
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