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.
Rugby union is the unofficial national sport of New Zealand. The national team, the All Blacks, ranks as the top international team in the world. The sport has been known in New Zealand from 1870. The top domestic competitions are the semi-professional ITM Cup and amateur Heartland Championship, and above them Super Rugby, in which New Zealand has five franchises. The country co-hosted and won the first ever Rugby World Cup in 1987, and hosted and won the 2011 Rugby World Cup. They are the current world champions for men and women. They are also the current World Champions in 7s rugby for men and women.
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.
John Kakuhura Raymond Timu is a New Zealand former rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s and 1990s who achieved international selection for New Zealand in both rugby codes, appearing in 26 tests for the All Blacks in union and nine for the Kiwis in league. Timu's usual position was centre. In union he would play at full-back or on the wing.
Hercules Richard "Bumper" Wright (1881–1963) was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.
Westport RFC is a New Zealand rugby union team based in the South Island of New Zealand. The club should not be confused with the Westport Rugby Club of Ireland.
The Otago rugby league team are New Zealand rugby league team that represents the Otago Rugby League. They are known as the Whalers. In the past they have been nicknamed the Storm, the Raiders and the 45er's.
The Southland rugby league team are New Zealand rugby league team that represents the Southland Rugby League. In the past they have been nicknamed the Rams.
The 1915 New Zealand rugby league season was the eighth season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
The 1927 New Zealand rugby league season was the 20th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
The 1945 New Zealand rugby league season was the 38th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
The 1955 New Zealand rugby league season was the 48th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
The 1913 New Zealand tour rugby of North America was the second tour by the New Zealand national rugby union outside Australasia. Sixteen matches were played along with a Test match against United States sides.
Percival Samuel Blight, who played under the name Sam Bligh, was a New Zealand rugby union and rugby league player. A rugby union hooker, Bligh represented Buller and West Coast at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, in 1910 whilst playing his provincial rugby for the West Coast and club rugby for the Blackball Rugby Club.
John Tabaiwalu Fakavale Matson is a New Zealand rugby union coach and a former New Zealand and Fiji rugby union representative. A centre, Matson represented Canterbury at a provincial level and the Crusaders in Super Rugby. He was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, in 1995 and 1996, playing 10 matches but no internationals. He played two matches for Fiji at the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
John "Jack" Steel was a New Zealand rugby union player. A wing, Steel represented West Coast and Canterbury at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1920 to 1925. He played 38 matches for the All Blacks including six internationals, and captained the side on two occasions.
Brian Robert Ford is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A wing, Ford represented Canterbury and Marlborough at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1977 to 1979. He played 20 matches for the All Blacks including four internationals. In 1988, he was one of the first two "celebrity entries"—alongside Kevin Eveleigh—at the annual Coast to Coast adventure race.
Kevin Alfred Eveleigh is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A flanker, Eveleigh represented Manawatu and Bay of Plenty at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1974 to 1977. He played 30 matches for the All Blacks including four internationals. He later captained Rhodesia between 1979 and 1980, and was the coach of Manawatu in 1987. In 1988, he was one of the first two "celebrity entries"—alongside Brian Ford—at the annual Coast to Coast adventure race.
