Capping Off a Great Year
Following their seven-try, record-breaking victory last week against the French in Lyon, the All Blacks continued their run of success in Paris against the host nation at the Stade de France. Despite the French side showing…
Tag Archives: All Blacks
The Imblackables
In the French rugby stronghold of Lyon, the All Blacks demolished the home side and second-ranked team in the world 47-3. Dubbed “The Imblackables” by Le Midi Olympique, as a defensive unit the All Blacks were flawless….
Former AB and Famous Father
Former All Black Brian Fitzpatrick has died aged 75. A sturdily built five eigths, Fitzpatrick was a strong runner and tackler. He made two tours with All Black sides in the early…
Lord Cooke of Thorndon: A Legal Great
Robin Brunskill Cooke, NZ’s most renowned jurist, has died aged 80. Educated at Wellington’s Victoria University and Caius College at Cambridge, Robin Cooke made his reputation early on with a high profile libel case…
All Blacks 7, Opposition 0
The All Blacks remain undefeated in 2006 having secured both Bledisloe and Tri-Nations trophies after a ferocious Eden Park test against Australia on 19 August. The victory puts Graham Henry’s team on the verge of breaking…
One for the True Fan
In the era of selling Britney Spears’ used chewing gum on eBay, Adidas has released a limited edition All Blacks poster containing DNA samples from every member of the national team. According to Chris…
ABs at the Top of UK Game
Former All Blacks Carlos Spencer and Justin Marshall lead the nominations for the Professional Rugby Players’ Association (PRA) player of the year award. Described by The Independent as godlike and “the union game’s answer to Diego Maradona”,…
End of One Era, Beginning of Another
All Black captain Tana Umaga has officially retired from the game aged 34, with a stellar career behind him. “Already he has been admitted by his countrymen into the exclusive band of great NZ captains, along…
2005: Year of the All Black
The All Blacks’ decisive win over Scotland on December 2 made them the first NZ side since 1978 and the first team since Australia in 1984, to complete a “grand slam” of the UK and Irish…
Battle Cries
Even more upsetting than giving the World Cup to New Zealand or losing a match to the All Blacks currently seems to be facing their new “throat slitting” haka. British media are feverishly objecting to New…
All Black Domination
The All Blacks have continued their domination of their Northern hemisphere tour with a 23-19 victory over England. Easy victories over Wales and Ireland were useful opportunities for trying out new playing combinations, but…
Five Million in the Stands
Despite widespread international media opinion that we would be out in the first round, New Zealand has won the bid to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup. After South Africa’s unexpected removal from the running, New…
Dream Team
The All Blacks have added the Bledisloe and Tri-Nations Cups to their increasingly well-stocked trophy cabinet, confirming their status as the number one ranked rugby side in the world. The team is expected to clean up against…
Rugby Fever Reaches New Heights
The All Blacks demolished the British and Irish Lions in three straight Tests, in one of the most highly anticipated rugby tours of recent years. The hype both at home and in the UK was spectacular,…
Rugby Stalwart Farewelled
Former All Black captain, agricultural economist, and leading NZRU administrator – Bob Stuart, OBE – died in May aged 84. Although Stuart’s best playing years were taken up by military service during WW2, he successfully lead NZ…
Double All Black
The Age profiles Eric Tindill; the world’s oldest living Test cricketer, NZ’s oldest living All Black, and one of the hallowed few to represent the country in both sporting disciplines. “The elderly gent watching the TV isn’t…
Plays Hard, Plays Fair
All Black captain Tana Umaga received the Pierre Coubertin Trophy from theInternational Committee of Fair Play on December 9. Previous awardees include Martina Navratilova and Nelson Mandela. The trophy recognised his good sportsmanship in helping Welsh…
On Top of the World
The All Blacks resumed their world No.1 ranking after a compelling 45-6 victory over European champions France. “I felt powerless,” said French coach Bernard Laporte. “I had the feeling that we could play for hours and…
Fitzy on the Ball
Sean Fitzpatrick gives a lengthy interview in the Irish Times. The legendary All Black captain is currently based in London as a TV analyst and motivational speaker. He is also a charity ambassador (along with Martina Navratilova,…
Quick Legs, Quicker Wit
Former All Black Eric Rush interviewed by the Gulf News at the launch of the 35th Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby 7s tournament. Rush joined Dan Crowley and John Bentley as key note speakers for the event. “I’ve…
One Step at a Time
Jonah Lomu is making a strong recovery from his July kidney transplant and has already named next year’s rugby sevens world cup as his comeback date. “That’s great news because sevens can provide him with the perfect…
Exploring Our Edge
A couple from St Louis give a colourful account of their whirlwind 14-day tour of NZ. “Throughout ‘Kiwiland’ we bumped into geographical quirks, idiosyncratic traditions and a countryside full of surprises: miniature blue penguins; peanut butter on…
Ooh Ah Umaga!
A Rugby Heaven feature charts Tana Umaga’s meteoric rise from early flirtations with rugby league to becoming the All Black’s first Pacific Island captain. “Bob Marley would have seen another rebel in Tana Umaga, a fellow Rastaman,…
AB’s Win “By Strangulation”
The All Blacks beat Australia 16-7 in miserable Wellington conditions to retain the Bledisloe Cup for the first time in seven years. Guardian: “For all the major effect the elements had in ruining this contest as a…
All Blacks 3-0 Start for 2004
Two crushing wins over England and a scratchy performance against Argentina started the Graham Henry-coached, Tana Umaga-led 2004 All Blacks. Coverage from The Independent on the victories at Carisbrook, Eden Park, and Hamilton. Next…
Bruce Reihana: Players’ Player
Former All Black wing, Bruce Reihana, was named the English premier league’s Professional Rugby Players’ Association (PRA) Players’ Player of the Year in May. The 28-year-old Northampton Saints star was the English Premiership’s joint top try-scorer at the…
Road-tripping in Style
Condé Nast writer takes a “wholly enchanting” tour of the North Island behind the wheel of a BMW 745Li – dubbed the All Black “in honour of New Zealand’s brutal and beloved national rugby team.” Highlights on…
No 8 Wired
Singapore’s Straits Times focuses on the entrepreneurial spirit driving NZ’s booming science industry. “Over time, the Number 8 wire came to epitomise a culture of adaptability and creativity, a ‘can-do spirit’ of which the Kiwis are…
Black Day for ABs
After starting as promising co-favourites the All Blacks finished a disappointing third in the 2003 World Cup being knocked out in the semi-finals 22-10 by a more professional and committed Wallaby performance. England defeated Australia 20-17…
Great Expectations
The All Blacks go into this year’s Rugby World Cup ranked second after England, yet the British press largely favours them to win. According to the Observer, “the ABs are certainties for the final stages. If…
What Will Pinetree Think …
The All Blacks are using Telecom’s most state-of-the-art technology in their bid to win this year’s Rugby World Cup. Coach John Mitchell will be able to view streamed video footage of multiple angles of the game…
It’s a Black-out
SMH: “they simply cannot beat the All Blacks”. The All Blacks join England as World Cup favourites after winning both the Tri-Nations’ Trophy and and Bledisloe Cup, making it two out of three thus…
Alone He Stands
Christian Cullen’s signing to Irish side Munster after his exclusion from the 2003 All Black squad has created controversy at home and disbelief abroad. One person happy with the outcome is Munster rugby boss, Alan Gaffney, who…
Fast and Furious Springbok Safari
The All Blacks thrashed South Africa 52 – 16 in the Tri-Nations opener in the high velt fortress of Loftus Versfeld. It was South Africa’s worst home defeat with the ABs producing a fine display of…
Kiwi Battlers
NZ-born rugby player, Tony Marsh, has won his battle against testicular cancer and a place in France’s World Cup squad. Marsh cites American Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong – who was also diagnosed with testicular cancer…
Iconic Image Auction
A signed photograph of the 1905-6 All Black “Originals” has been sold at auction for $41,000. The photo had been kept in Aucklander David Wright’s family since 1906, when it was presented to his grandfather Charles Victor…
NZ vs. Wales: The Name Game
A bid by the NZRFU to make “All Blacks” a registered trademark has been called into question after the discovery of a Welsh team playing under the same name. The Welsh club Neath has been known…
Italians do it Better
“Kirwan’s crew a cut above”. All Black legend John Kirwan has been reincarnated as the golden boy of Italian rugby after coaching the game’s “perennial whipping-boys” to their second ever Six Nations victory, and first against Wales….
Captain Kirk at the Helm
Former All Blacks captain, David Kirk, has been appointed chief executive of troubled Australian publishing company PMP. Chairman Graham Reaney believes the ex-Rhodes scholar and governmental advisor has what it takes to turn PMP’s fortunes around: “He…
Rugby as it Should Be
Former All Black captain Ian Kirkpatrick was a guest of honour at the 30th anniversary of 1973’s legendary NZ vs. Barbarians match. Dubbed “rugby’s Mona Lisa,” the Barbarians’ victory is viewed by many as the most thrilling…
“The Boot” Remembered
Rugby fans around the world farewell Don “the Boot” Clarke, an incomparable All Black legend. Business Day calls him “an icon for a generation of NZers,” while The Australian remembers his match-winning conversion against France at Athletic Park…
Fox Gives the Hard Word
SMH enlists an outside view on recent Wallabies’ performances from All Black legend Grant Fox. The verdict? Not good: “There doesn’t appear to be a lot of blooding of new talent going on at the moment,…
All Black Mana Enhanced
“Playing New Zealand means battling against the myths, legends and history of the All Blacks. In this professional era the aggression, determination and sheer ferociousness of the New Zealand game make them so hard to beat.” English…
The Future is All Black
Tours to the Northern Hemisphere winter by the The All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks saw some interesting pre-World Cup square offs with NZ, France and England (!) jostling for favouritism at the whistle. The match…
Tri-Nations Champions
The All Blacks positioned themselves to take the Tri-nations title for the first time since 1999 with a gripping and eventful tussle with the Springboks (including a spectator who took the game into his own hands). The…
Alone it Stands
Irish playwright John Breen’s tale of Munster’s famous victory over the 1978 grand-slam All Blacks recieves winning reviews and box office at the Sydney Opera House on its way to a season in Auckland’s…
Snell Still Streaks Ahead
Sebastian Coe reminisces about the grand days of athletics, when athletes focused on ambitious all-round feats. For a middle- distance runner, “no championship season was complete without a tilt at the 800m-1500m double.” He cites NZ legend…
“Oh the Shame”
Crys the Sydney Morning Herald. In a great weekend for trans-Tasman rivalry the All Blacks put one hand on the Beldislode Cup with a tough 12-6 victory over the Wallabies in atrocious conditions in Christchurch and the…
Voice of Rugby’s All-time XV
Great rugby commentator Bill Mclaren names his all-time greatest XV for The Times. Featuring three All Blacks: the “New Zealand totem” Colin Meads, the legendery skills of Zinzan Brooke, and “one of the great international captains” Sean…
Sir Peter Blake Honoured at World Sport Awards
Sir Peter has been posthumously given both the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award and the Laureus Sport for Good Award at the 2002 World Sports Awards in Monte-Carlo. Sir Peter, was a founding member of the Academy…
AB Old Boy’s Coaching Club: JK, Buck, Gatland
All Black legend, winger John Kirwan, to take over as coach of the Italian national team from NZer Brad Johnstone – this includes touring Italy through his homeland where playing for the ABs he scored…
Munster Monster of ABs makes Top-10 Sporting Shocks
Irish club side Munster’s shut-out 12-0 defeat of the 1978 All Blacks proclaimed by Observer Sport Monthly as the tenth greatest shock in sport’s history. Munster playwright James Breen (Alone It Stands – about the events surrounding…
The Milligan Side-step
Revered and irreverent icon of comedy ex-Goon and Bad Jelly author Spike Milligan passed away on 26 Feb. A huge rugby fan with many NZ connections, he never got his biggest rugby wish: to have Willie…
Kiwi Resourcefulness
The Guardian takes time out from the New Zealand – England cricket series to talk up World Cup preparations: “England are on the way although they have a way to go, but it would be in…
