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 unmatched international success, the All Blacks have often been regarded as the most successful sports team in history.
Sir Brian James Lochore was a New Zealand rugby union player and coach who represented and captained the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. He played at number 8 and lock, as well as captaining the side 46 times. In 1999, Lochore was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.
George William Smith was a New Zealand sportsman who excelled at track and field as well as both codes of rugby football.
Lancelot Beaumont "Lance" Todd was a New Zealand-born rugby league footballer and manager of the early 20th century. As a player, he represented New Zealand in 1907 and 1908 and played in England for the Wigan and Dewsbury clubs. He later became the manager at Salford and led the club to three League Championships and one Challenge Cup victory.
Ronald George Bush was a New Zealand rugby union player and coach. He played one test match for the All Blacks in 1931 and was coach of the All Blacks in 1962.
The Ponsonby Ponies are a rugby league club based in Ponsonby, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1908 and was originally named Ponsonby United. The Ponies compete in the Auckland Rugby League competition and are the oldest rugby league club in NZ.
Tom "Angry" William Cross was a New Zealand rugby footballer who represented New Zealand in both rugby union and rugby league.
Ronald Charles Ackland was a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1960s and 1970s, who represented New Zealand in the 1957 and 1960 World Cups, and coached New Zealand in the 1977 World Cup. His nephew, John, also played for New Zealand.
The 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand was the first international tour of the Great Britain national rugby league team, "The Lions". They played the second ever Ashes series against Australia, and their first as the visiting team, before travelling to Auckland to take on New Zealand. The tour was a huge promotional and financial success for what was then known as the "Northern Union" game and helped set the pattern for regular, alternating test match series between Britain and Australia. It is regarded as one of the most important events in the history of rugby league.
The 1909 New Zealand rugby league season was the second season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
The 1910 New Zealand rugby league season was the third season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
The 1911 New Zealand rugby league season was the fourth season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
The 1909 New Zealand rugby league tour of Australia was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team. The New Zealand national rugby league team lost to Australia 1-2 in the three match test series.
The City Newton Dragons are a defunct New Zealand rugby league club that was based at Victoria Park, Auckland. The club was created in 1948 by a merger of two original clubs, the City Rovers and Newton Rangers. Both the Rovers and the Rangers participated in the inaugural Auckland Rugby League competition in 1910. In 2004, the club was absorbed by the Ponsonby Ponies, who play a match in the City Newton colours annually to keep the heritage of the club alive.
William Horace Nunn was a New Zealand rugby footballer who played both rugby union and rugby league.
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.
Graham Duncan McMillan "Mike" Gilbert was a New Zealand rugby union and rugby league footballer. A rugby union fullback, Gilbert represented Buller and West Coast at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1935 to 1936. He played 27 matches for the All Blacks including four internationals.
The North Shore Albions were a rugby league club based on the North Shore of Auckland in Devonport before moving to Bayswater at a later time. They formed in 1909 and folded in the early 2000s due to a lack of playing numbers. At the start of the 1920 season they were renamed Devonport United when they amalgamated with the Sunnyside club. It was proposed at the merger that they be known as North Shore Albions but Sunnyside objected and the name of Devonport United was chosen. In 1937, 17 years later at their annual general meeting they decided to revert to the name "North Shore Albions" as they had been commonly referred to as "shore" for many years. Chairman H. Mann made the proposal and it was adopted by the club. Aside from Northcote and Birkenhead Ramblers they were the only club on the North Shore at that time. They closed their doors in 2005. The only remaining club connected to them are the Northern Brothers who are based at Ngataringa Bay Sports Field. Their senior team is an amalgamation of East Coast Bays Barracudas and Glenfield Greyhounds but are based more in the North Shore Albions traditional area which includes the navy ground which has provided many players and teams over the years. The predominant colours are black and green which have been common colours of all the North Shore clubs over the decades.
Ronald Henry Ward was a New Zealand rugby union player. A flanker, Clark represented Southland, Hawke's Bay and, briefly, Canterbury at a provincial level. He was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, in 1936 and 1937, playing four matches for the team including three internationals. Ward's playing career was effectively truncated by World War II, but between 1957 and 1961 he was coach and selector of the Southland team.
Francis John Pickrang was a rugby union and rugby league player. He represented the New Zealand rugby league team in 2 tests against England in 1936. In the process he became the 245th player to represent New Zealand. Pickrang also played rugby union for Waitanguru, Maniapoto, Pinedale, Putaruru, and represented King Country Rugby Football Union. In rugby league he played for the Manukau and Ponsonby United clubs in Auckland, as well as representing Auckland, and the North Island. He later moved to Whangārei where he played for the City club and played one match for Northland. Pickrang enlisted in the New Zealand military and fought in World War 2 as part of the 2nd N.Z. Expeditionary Force.
