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.
"Ka Mate" is a Māori haka composed by Te Rauparaha, the historic leader of the iwi of Ngāti Toa of the North Island of New Zealand during the Musket Wars.
Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. Weepu played most recently for Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship. Generally Weepu played as a half-back but also played at first five-eighth on occasion. He has represented the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, between 2004 and 2013. He first won national honours against Wales in 2004. In 2005 was called back into the All Blacks squad for the first Tri Nations test against South Africa, having missed selection for the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour. He represented the Hurricanes and Blues in Super Rugby, and Wellington and Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup. He also had brief spells with several clubs in Europe. In October 2017, Weepu announced his retirement as a rugby player.
George Nēpia was a New Zealand Māori rugby union and rugby league player. He is remembered as an exceptional full-back and one of the most famous Māori rugby players. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2004 he was selected as number 65 by the panel of the New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers television show. Nēpia was featured in a set of postage stamps from the New Zealand post office in 1990. Historian Philippa Mein Smith described him as "New Zealand rugby's first superstar".
Waka Joseph Nathan was a New Zealand rugby union player who played rugby union for the New Zealand national team as a flanker. His feats on the field gained him the nickname "The Black Panther".
Haka, traditional dances of the Māori people, have been used in sports in New Zealand and overseas. Haka are performed to challenge opponents before matches. The dance form has been adopted by the New Zealand national rugby union team, the "All Blacks", the Māori All Blacks, New Zealand women's national rugby union team, the "Black Ferns" and a number of other New Zealand national teams perform before their international matches; some non-New Zealand sports teams have also adopted haka.
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in a portion of the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. Its colours are dark blue and yellow in a hooped design. The BOPRU govern the running of the Bay of Plenty representative team which have won New Zealand's first-tier domestic competition National Provincial Championship once. Their most recent victory was the 1976 competition, they were the first side to win the competition. Bay of Plenty also acts as a primary feeder to the Chiefs, who play in the Super Rugby competition.
Cory Steven Jane is a New Zealand international rugby union player.
Hato Paora College is a Catholic, Māori Boys' Boarding school located near Cheltenham, Feilding, New Zealand. It was founded in 1947 under the leadership of Marist Priest, Isaac J Gupwell. It is the largest Boys' Maori Boarding Secondary School in New Zealand.
Vincent David Bevan was a New Zealand rugby union player.
Colin "Col" Windon, was a rugby union player and soldier who captained Australia – the Wallabies – in two Test matches in 1951. By age 18 Windon was playing at flanker for his club Randwick in Sydney's Shute Shield. After serving with the Second Australian Imperial Force in the Pacific Theatre during the Second World War, Windon resumed his rugby career in 1946. He was first selected for Australia for their tour of New Zealand that year. Despite the Wallabies losing both their Tests on tour, Windon impressed with his play.
John Burns Smith was a New Zealand rugby union player, soldier, sportsman and baker. He was an All Black captain, and despite only playing nine matches is recognised as a great. His 26 appearances for the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force rugby team, which toured the UK in 1946–47, earned him high praise. He also played for the New Zealand Māori, being of Ngāpuhi descent.
The 1960 New Zealand rugby union tour of South Africa, was a series of rugby union matches played by the New Zealand national rugby union team in South Africa and Rhodesia.
In rugby union, the Tom French Cup is an honour awarded by New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to the Tom French Memorial Māori player of the year. The cup has been awarded annually since 1949, when it was donated to the New Zealand Māori coach Tom French while the team was on tour in Australia. French had represented Buller provincially, and was selected for New Zealand Maori in 1911. After the First World War, where he lost an arm at Passchendaele, French continued his involvement in rugby by serving as both a selector and administrator. In 1957 he was made a life member of the NZRU.
McFarlane Alexander "Mac" Herewini was a New Zealand rugby union player. A first five-eighth and fullback, Herewini represented Auckland at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1962 to 1967. In 1966, he played in all four tests against the touring British Lions. In all, he played 32 matches for the All Blacks including 10 internationals. He was part of the New Zealand team to tour Britain France and Canada in 1967 but lost his place in the test side to Earle Kirton. Some say that he was unsuited to the open running style of play favoured by All Blacks coach Fred Allen. However, Herewini continued to play for Auckland until 1970 and had New Zealand trials in 1968 and 1970. His last first class game was for New Zealand Māori against the 1971 British Lions.
Akira Ioane is a New Zealand rugby union player. Ioane plays blindside flanker and number 8 for the Auckland rugby union team in the Mitre 10 Cup, for the Blues in the Super Rugby competition and was selected for the All Blacks in 2017, having previously represented New Zealand internationally in Sevens and the Māori All Blacks.
Roy Alfred Roper was a New Zealand rugby union player. A three-quarter, Roper represented Taranaki at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1949 to 1950. He played five matches for the All Blacks, all of them internationals. He later served as treasurer of the Taranaki Rugby Football Union from 1952 to 1971.
Sean Wainui was a New Zealand rugby union player. He played on the wing for provincial side Bay of Plenty, the Chiefs in Super Rugby, and for New Zealand's Māori international side the Māori All Blacks.
Samuel William Gemmell was a New Zealand rugby union player. A loose forward, Gemmell represented Hawke's Bay at a provincial level. He played one match for the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, out of position at hooker against New South Wales at Dunedin.
Tyrel Shae Lomax is an Australian born New Zealand rugby union player who plays for Tasman in the Bunnings NPC and the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby. His position is prop. He is the son of former New Zealand (Kiwis) rugby league prop, John Lomax.
