Barry John is a former Welsh rugby union fly-half who played, during the amateur era of the sport, in the 1960s, and early 1970s. John began his rugby career as a schoolboy playing for his local team Cefneithin RFC before switching to first-class west Wales team Llanelli RFC in 1964. It was while at Llanelli that John was first selected for the Wales national team, a shock selection as a replacement for David Watkins to face a touring Australian team.
Eric William Thomas Tindill was a New Zealand sportsman. Tindill held a number of unique records: he was the oldest ever Test cricketer at the time of his death, the only person to play Tests for New Zealand in both cricket and rugby union, and the only person ever to play Tests in both sports, referee a rugby union Test, and umpire a cricket Test: a unique "double-double".
Conrad Gerard Smith is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, who played predominantly at centre. He captained the Hurricanes in Super Rugby, and played for New Zealand from 2004 until 2015. He was a key member of New Zealand's 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup winning teams. Following the 2015 World Cup he retired from international rugby and took up a contract with Pau in France, before retiring in 2018.
Arthur Harold Collins, fullback for the All Blacks and for Taranaki (1927-1937), was born in Stratford, New Zealand on 19 July 1906. Weighing in at just 73 kg, and only 1.70m in height, Collins made a name for himself playing club rugby for Stratford and Clifton, and in 1927 was selected for the Taranaki Rugby Football team. He went on to make 81 appearances for Taranaki over the next eleven years, building a reputation as "a reliable last line of defence and an accurate goalkicker".”
Sir David John Graham, generally known as John Graham, was a New Zealand educator and rugby union player. He served as president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) and was an All Black loose forward; he played 22 Tests between 1958 and 1964, including three as captain. He was headmaster of Auckland Grammar School from 1973 to 1993, New Zealand cricket team manager from 1997 to 1999, the University of Auckland Chancellor from 1999 to 2004, and was elected president of the NZRFU in April 2005.
John Francis McCullough, All Black and Taranaki rugby football representative, was born on 8 January 1936, in Stratford, New Zealand. He attended Stratford Technical High School, playing for the First XV 1952-1954, and went on from there to be selected to the Taranaki side. He alternated between first five-eighths and second five-eighths, weighing in at 75 kg and measuring 1.73 m high. McCullough was known for his good hands, his deft turn of speed and his strong defence.
David Steven Loveridge is an All Black of the late 1970s and early 1980s, known in his time as the greatest halfback in the world.
Mark Richard Allen, commonly known as Bull Allen, is a New Zealand former rugby union footballer and TV celebrity, reaching iconic status on the New Zealand sports scene in the 1990s. As well as 19 games and 8 test match appearances for New Zealand, Allen played 110 games for Taranaki and was captain of the inaugural Wellington Hurricanes Super 12 team. He was also captain of the first and short-lived Central Vikings team.
The Cavaliers was an unofficial New Zealand rugby union team which toured South Africa in 1986. Because of the Apartheid policies of the South African government, the official New Zealand Rugby Union tour scheduled for 1985 was cancelled, and the Cavaliers tour was very controversial in New Zealand.
John Walter was an All Black and Taranaki rugby football representative in the 1920s and 1930s.
James Hunter was a rugby union footballer who played for New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks. He played mainly at second five-eighth, although he could play any position in the backline. He played for Hawera Club before being selected for Taranaki in 1898 and the North Island in 1904 before his first All Blacks selection in 1905. He toured with the 1905 All Blacks that travelled to Great Britain, France and North America. After returning he continued to be selected for the All Blacks until retiring after the 1908 season.
Kieran James Crowley is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, who is the head coach of Italy national rugby union team. He has also coached the New Zealand Under-19s in the 2007 World Championships as well as coaching provincial side Taranaki. He previously served as head coach of the Canada national rugby union team. He also spent five seasons coaching Benetton Rugby.
Vincent David Bevan was a New Zealand rugby union player.
Colin "Col" Windon, was a rugby union player and soldier who captained Australia – the Wallabies – in two Test matches in 1951. By age 18 Windon was playing at flanker for his club Randwick in Sydney's Shute Shield. After serving with the Second Australian Imperial Force in the Pacific Theatre during the Second World War, Windon resumed his rugby career in 1946. He was first selected for Australia for their tour of New Zealand that year. Despite the Wallabies losing both their Tests on tour, Windon impressed with his play.
Beauden John Barrett is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays at First Five-Eighth position (fly-half) and fullback for Taranaki in the Mitre 10 Cup, the Blues in Super Rugby and New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks. He was a key member of the 2015 Rugby World Cup winning team.
Waisake Ratunideuba Naholo is a New Zealand rugby union player. He previously played for the All Blacks Sevens and now plays on the wing position for London Irish. Naholo made his test debut for the All Blacks in 2015 and was a member of the 2015 Rugby World Cup-winning team.
Scott Kevin Barrett is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a lock for the Crusaders in Super Rugby and Taranaki in the Mitre 10 Cup. Barrett was chosen as the Crusaders' Captain for the 2020 Super Rugby season.
Gregory Victor Davis was a New Zealand born, national representative rugby union player for Australia. He played at flanker and made seven international tours with Wallaby squads. He was the Australian national captain in 47 matches from 1969 to 1972 and led the Wallaby side on three overseas tours.
Jordan Matthew Barrett is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a utility back internationally for New Zealand's All Blacks, and for the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby competition. Having previously been an apprentice for the All Black squad in 2016, Barrett was first selected for New Zealand in 2017, making his debut against Samoa in a warm-up test prior to the British & Irish Lions series.
Thomas Neil Wolfe is a former New Zealand rugby union player, businessman, sports administrator and local politician. He played 14 matches, including six Tests, for the New Zealand national rugby team, the All Blacks, between 1961 and 1968. He was active in sports administration, including as president of the Taranaki Rugby Union and the Taranaki Jockey Club, and served as a New Plymouth district councillor between 2004 and 2010.
