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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.
Jonah Tali Lomu was a New Zealand professional rugby union player. Lomu is considered to have been the first true global superstar of rugby, and consequently had a huge impact on the game. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential players in the history of the sport, and as one of the most talented sportsmen ever.
Richard Hugh McCaw is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He captained the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, in 110 out of his 148 test matches, and won two Rugby World Cups. He has won the World Rugby Player of the Year award a joint record three times and was the most capped test rugby player of all time from August 2015 to October 2020. McCaw was awarded World Rugby player of the decade (2011–2020) in 2021. McCaw is also a winner of the New Zealand sportsman of the decade award.
Daniel William Carter is a New Zealand retired rugby union player.
Thierry Dusautoir is a French former rugby union player who last played for France at international level and Toulouse in the French Top 14 club competition. Dusautoir was considered a strong ball carrier and possessed incredibly powerful and effective tackling. He broke the record for most tackles in a match, making 38 tackles against the All Blacks in the 2007 World Cup. He was considered one of, if not the best tackler in the world.
Frank Eneri Bunce is a retired New Zealand rugby union player and coach. He played international rugby for both Western Samoa and New Zealand in the 1990s, appearing in the 1991 and 1995 World Cups. He played in four international matches for Samoa and 55 for New Zealand.
Israel Jamahl Akuhata Dagg is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played for the Crusaders in Super Rugby. He has also played for the New Zealand Sevens team, and represents Hawkes Bay in the ITM Cup.
David Revell "Darkie" Bedell-Sivright was a Scottish international rugby union forward who captained both Scotland and the British Isles. Born in Edinburgh, and educated at Fettes College where he learned to play rugby, he studied at Cambridge University and earned four Blues playing for them in the Varsity Match. He was first selected for Scotland in 1900 in a match against Wales. After playing in all of Scotland's Home Nations Championship matches in 1901, 1902 and 1903, Bedell-Sivright toured with the British Isles side – now known as the British & Irish Lions – that toured South Africa in 1903. After playing the first 12 matches of the tour, he was injured and so did not play in any of the Test matches against South Africa.
Owen Thomas Franks is a New Zealand rugby player who currently plays for Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition. His usual position is tighthead prop.
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.
Matthew Wright is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre, wing and fullback for the Newcastle Thunder in Betfred Championship.
Jesse Sene-Lefao is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or second-row forward for the Sheffield Eagles in the RFL Championship.
In June 2013, France played a three-test series against New Zealand as part of the 2013 mid-year rugby test series. This was the sides' first encounter since they met in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final, which New Zealand won 8–7. It was France's first test series against the All Blacks since their 2009 two-test tour of New Zealand, which ended in a 1–1 draw.
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.
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.
George Crispin Bridge is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as an outside back for Montpellier Hérault Rugby in France's domestic TOP 14. Bridge made his international debut for New Zealand in 2018, aged 23.
Sene Naoupu is an Ireland women's rugby union international. Naoupu was a member of the Ireland team that won the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship. She also represented Ireland at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. She is also an Ireland women's rugby sevens international. Naoupu is a Samoan New Zealander who originally emigrated to Ireland in 2009 with her former husband, George Naoupu, the former Highlanders, Harlequins and Connacht rugby union player. Naoupu is also a lifestyle coach and fitness trainer and operates her own business, Senshaper. In 2016, Naoupu was listed by The Irish Times as one of the thirty most influential women in Ireland.
Noel Joseph Henderson was a rugby union player from Northern Ireland, who played in the centre position. Henderson played club rugby with North of Ireland F.C., was capped forty times for Ireland, and was a member of the British and Irish Lions team that toured in 1950.
Cynthia Ta'ala is a sportswoman who has played rugby league for the New Zealand women's national rugby league team and has captained the Samoa women's national rugby union team, of which she is now its assistant coach. She has also played for the New Zealand women's national basketball team.
