The New Zealand national rugby union team, called the All Blacks, represents New Zealand in men's rugby union, which is known as the country's national sport. The team has won the last two Rugby World Cups, in 2011 and 2015 as well as the inaugural tournament in 1987.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is the governing body of rugby union in New Zealand. It was founded in 1892 as the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU), 12 years after the first provincial unions in New Zealand. In 1949 it became an affiliate to the International Rugby Football Board, now known as World Rugby, the governing body of rugby union for the world. It dropped the word "Football" from its name in 2006. The brand name New Zealand Rugby was adopted in 2013.
The following lists events that happened during 1980 in New Zealand.
Bruce Trevor Reihana is a former rugby union footballer. He was a utility back, most notably for the majority of his career as Captain of Northampton Saints in the English Premership.
The Junior All Blacks are a New Zealand rugby union team. The Junior All Blacks are not an age grade side, but the second national team behind the New Zealand national rugby union team. For all intents and purposes, they are the "New Zealand A" team.
The Māori All Blacks, previously called the New Zealand Māori, are a rugby union team from New Zealand. A representative team of the New Zealand Rugby Union, a prerequisite for playing in the team is that the player has Māori whakapapa (genealogy). In the past this rule was not strictly applied; non–Māori players who looked Māori were often selected in the team. These included a few Pacific island players and a couple of African descent. Today all players have their ancestry verified before selection in the team.
The Heartland XV rugby team is one of several New Zealand national representative rugby union teams, although it is at a lower level than the All Blacks, the second-level Junior All Blacks and the New Zealand Māori. The side is drawn exclusively from players for provincial unions that compete in the Heartland Championship, a nominally amateur domestic competition below the fully professional Air New Zealand Cup.
Sydney Keepa Jackson was a prominent Māori activist, trade unionist and leader.
In 1978 the New Zealand national rugby union team, the All Blacks, toured Britain and Ireland. They were the eighth All Black team to undertake a full tour of the countries and became the first to achieve a Grand Slam in beating the national teams of Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland. The previous seven touring parties had either lost or drawn at least one international, or had not played all four nations.
Bruce Eric McPhail is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A wing, McPhail represented Mid Canterbury, Canterbury, and Nelson at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, in 1959. He played two matches for the All Blacks, both of them tests against the touring British Lions.
Alberto Malo i Navio is a former Spanish rugby union player. In his home region of Catalonia his name is often spelled Albert Malo. He played as number eight. He is usually considered one of the best Spanish rugby players ever. He is graduated in Direction and Management of Sports Entities by the University of Barcelona. He also has a Master in Economic Direction of Sports Entities.
The 1967 New Zealand rugby union tour of Great Britain, France and Canada was a tour undertaken by the New Zealand national rugby union team. The series consisted of 17 matches, four of Test status against international opposition. The New Zealand team finished the tour undefeated, the first time they had achieved this in the Northern hemisphere since the 1924–25 Invincible team.
The 1977 New Zealand rugby union tour of Italy and France was a series of nine matches played by the New Zealand national rugby union team in Italy and France in October and November 1977. The All Blacks won eight of their nine games, losing only the first of the two internationals against France.
The 1981 Scotland rugby union tour of New Zealand was a series of eight matches played by the Scotland national rugby union team in New Zealand in May and June 1981. The Scotland team won five of their matches and lost the other three. They lost both international matches against the New Zealand national rugby union team.
Rugby union has a long history in New Zealand. Today, New Zealand holds tier one status with World Rugby.
Bruce Warwick Smith is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A wing, Smith represented Waikato and Bay of Plenty at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, in 1983 and 1984. He played 10 matches for the All Blacks including three internationals.
Bruce Edward McLeod was a New Zealand rugby union player. A hooker, McLeod represented Counties at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1964 to 1970. He played 46 matches for the All Blacks including 24 internationals.
Oliver Douglas "Doug" Bruce is a former New Zealand rugby union player and coach. A first five-eighth, Bruce represented Mid Canterbury and Canterbury at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1974 to 1978. He played 41 matches for the All Blacks including 14 internationals. He went on to be the assistant coach of Canterbury between 1982 and 1985, and the coach of that side from 1987 to 1988.
Bruce Anthony Hunter is a former New Zealand rugby union player and middle-distance athlete.
John Alexander "Alex" Bruce was a New Zealand rugby union player and cricketer.
