The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for their international success, the All Blacks have often been regarded as one of the most successful sports teams in history.
Sir Colin Earl Meads was a New Zealand rugby union player. He played 55 test matches, most frequently in the lock forward position, for New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks, from 1957 until 1971.
Zinzan Valentine Brooke is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played at number eight.
In the game of rugby union, there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs. In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16–23. Players are not restricted to a single position, although they generally specialise in just one or two that suit their skills and body types. Players that play multiple positions are called "utility players".
Sean Brian Thomas Fitzpatrick is a New Zealand former rugby union player.
David Ian Campese, AM, also known as Campo, is a former Australian rugby union player (1982–1996), who was capped by the Wallabies 101 times, and played 85 Tests at wing and 16 at fullback.
Michael Patrick Thomas Lynagh, is an Australian former rugby union player who played 66 Tests at fly-half and six Tests at inside centre between 1984-1995. Lynagh was capped 72 times for Australia, and was captain from 1993 to 1995.
Sidney Milton Going was a New Zealand rugby union footballer. Dubbed Super Sid by his fans, he played 86 matches, including 29 tests, for the All Blacks between 1967 and 1977. He represented North Auckland domestically.
Ian Andrew Kirkpatrick is a former New Zealand rugby union player. Described as "supremely athletic, fast, fearless and with an uncanny sense of anticipation", Kirkpatrick is widely regarded as one of the greatest flankers to have ever played the game. His try-scoring ability was astonishing; at the time Kirkpatrick played rugby, it was rare for forwards to score tries, but his 16 test tries were an All Black record until Stu Wilson surpassed it in 1983. He also captained the All Blacks and was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014.
Kenneth Jeffrey Jones OBE was a Welsh sprinter and record breaking Welsh international rugby union footballer. He played for both Wales and the British Isles. He is best known in Wales for his contribution to Welsh rugby, but most notably for his winning try against the All Blacks in 1953.
Alun Wyn Jones is a Welsh former international rugby union player who played as a lock. He played most of his career for Ospreys and for the Wales national team. He is the world's most-capped rugby union player, with 158 caps for Wales and 13 for the British & Irish Lions, and also holds the records for the most Wales caps and the second most Wales caps as captain. He retired from rugby in 2023.
Norman Michael Clifford Maxwell is a former New Zealand rugby union player.
Benjamin Robert Smith is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, currently working for Super Rugby side Highlanders' management team. He formerly played for the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition, Otago in the ITM Cup, Pau in the Top 14 and Kobelco Steelers in the Japan Rugby League One.
Samuel Lawrence Whitelock is a former New Zealand rugby union player.
Peter Frederick Hilton Jones was a New Zealand International Rugby Union player. He played for the All Blacks in 37 matches between 1953 and 1960. Jones was brought into Ted Griffin's Northland Auckland team in 1950 as an eighteen-year-old and became an immediate sensation. He was part of the North Auckland side under Johnny Smith's captaincy, which beat South Canterbury in Timaru to win the Ranfurly Shield in 1950. By the end of his provincial career, Jones had scored 30 tries in 79 appearances for North Auckland. Of close to Jonah Lomu dimensions, Jones was immensely difficult to stop close to the line, when he went 'super power' and became 'tiger' and simply went straight through the defence. He was worshipped in Northland for his unusual personality and refusal to accept advice to move to the big smoke, Auckland, to advance his career. His immense power was partly due to his demanding job as a fisherman, but he also exercised hard and at 28 and weighing more than 17.5 stone he was still fast.
Brodie Allan Retallick is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, who currently plays as a lock for Kobelco Kobe Steelers in the Japan Rugby League One competition. He previously played for the Chiefs in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship.
Patrick Tito Tuipulotu is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a Lock for the Blues in Super Rugby and Auckland in the Bunnings NPC.
Scott Kevin Barrett is a New Zealand professional 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.
Vaea Tangitau Lapota Fifita is a Tongan professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Scarlets and the Tonga national team.
Tupou Paea'i Okalani Vaa'i is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who plays as a lock for the Taranaki Bulls in the Mitre 10 Cup and for the Chiefs in Super Rugby.
