A Brief History of The All Blacks

The New Zealand All Blacks:  

Rugby, Perfected, Wears Black

Since first beginning over a century ago, The New Zealand All Blacks have set the standard worldwide, as to what the game of Rugby looks like when perfected ...

In the year 1870, Rugby Union was first introduced to the Country of New Zealand by a man named Charles John Monro, the son of Sir David Monro, a New Zealand politician.

Charles had first discovered the game whilst attending College in England.

Ecstatic with his newly-found love of the sport, Charles returned home to his native New Zealand, determined to popularize it there, along with the 1868 Rules of Rugby, and a recently new-and-improved, rubber-made, oval-shaped ball, manufactured by William Gilbert ... and so a Nation-wide love affair began.

The Canterbury Rugby Football Union, New Zealand's first, official Provincial Union, was quickly formed by 1879; and, by 1882, New Zealand's first Internationals were played when New South Wales (NSW) toured the Nation, playing against 7 Provincial, New Zealand Sides (Teams).  NSW won 4 of these games, New Zealand winning 3.

Two years later, in 1884, New Zealand made its very first, overseas exposition, touring NSW in turn ... Of the 8 games played, New Zealand won all.

The team that toured New South Wales (NSW),
 Australia, in 1884.

In 1892, the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) was founded; and by 1903, New Zealand played what many consider to be its first, true Test Match:  New Zealand vs Australia, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, on August 15th, 1903.  The anticipated Match took place in front of over 30,000 spectators, and New Zealand won the game in a glorious 22-3 victory.

In the year 1905, an International Rugby Team, formed especially with the representation of its native New Zealand in mind, and Captained by Dave Gallagher,

Dave Gallagher, Captain of the
original All Blacks Team.

first embarked on a highly-anticipated 35-Match tour of the British Isles (including England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland), France, and North America.

Known as the New Zealand Footballers, or more simply, the New Zealanders, and even at certain times as "the Colonials", expectations for New Zealand's International performance levels were decidedly low, despite the fact that it had already experienced several times of complete, inarguable, and even noteworthy International success, not the least of which was its 22-3 win against Australia in 1903.

In fact, in 1904, David Bedell-Sivright, a respected Captain of the British Isles Team at that time, openly voiced his doubts concerning the success of some of New Zealand's bigger Test Matches during their Northern Hemisphere tour, before adding the consoling remark, "I think you will probably win most of the county Test Matches.".

For their debut game against Devon, England, on September 16th, 1905, New Zealand won the match with an impressive and crushing lead of 55-4.

So great was the shock at this unpredictable turn of events, that some of Britain's Newspapers actually reported that Devon had scored the 55 points and New Zealand's representing team had lost with a mere 4 points.  The misinformation was later corrected, allowing New Zealand to finally be greeted by cheering fans and a brass band.

An international reputation soon followed, as this "rookie" Team from  New Zealand quickly became known as a force to be reckoned with, when it went on to win every Test Match of the Tour with the singular exception of a 3-0 loss to Wales.  In addition, the loss was a highly controversial one, with New Zealand actually having scored a Try against Wales that was subsequently Disallowed.  The player that scored, what might of been, a game changing Try, Robert "Bob" Deans, a Wing for New Zealand, claimed that the Try in question was indeed successful; but, that he had regrettably withdrawn back over the Try line before the game's Referee could catch up.

Following a 34-0 win in Middlesex, The Daily Chronicle stated concerning the All Blacks, 

"These New Zealanders turn defense into attack with such bewildering rapidity as to prove that scrimmaging is a mere detail.  There is nothing in the game at which they do not excel.".

Legend has it, it was during this first Tour when a London Newspaper observed that New Zealand's Team played as though they were "all backs".  Through a typographical error, the quote was later thought to have been "All Blacks", and so Rugby's newest and most intimidating force was given a name.

The Original All Blacks Team
 that toured during 1905–06

This story has been presented as truth by William "Billy" Wallace, the longest living Player (1878-1972 ) from the original, 1905 All Blacks Team, although there are still many who believe the name "All Blacks" first hailed from a News Article that was printed after the All Blacks' win against Devon. ... The Express and Echo, a News outlet in Devon, has been quoted as saying, "The All Blacks, as they are styled by reason of sable and unrelieved costume."  And then, there are more still who believe that the nickname, "The Blacks", was, in fact, given to the Team before it ever left New Zealand.  

Whichever the case, The Original All Blacks, most often and affectionately referred to today as "The Originals", continued to make Rugby History, scoring a legendary total of 976 points in their 1905-1906 Tour  and conceding only 59, thereby securing their home Country of New Zealand a "World Class Rugby Nation" international status.

In the years following their tour, the All Blacks legacy has passed from generation to generation, continuing to make or break records and set ever-increasing standards for the Sport of Rugby, including:

1) Winning over 76% of their Test Matches played against other Countries.

2) Scoring more Test Match points than any other Rugby Team.

3) Being the only International Team in the World to hold a winning record against every Country they have played.

4) Being named the World Rugby Team of the Year 7 times since 2005.

5) Having 4 separate players be named the World Rugby Player of the Year:  

Richie McCaw,

Richie McCaw, All Blacks Captain

Dan Carter,

Dan Carter, All Blacks Number 10

Kieran Read,

Kieran Read, All Blacks Number 8

 and Brodie Retallick.

Brodie Retallick, All Blacks Lock

6) Having 15 Former Team members inducted into the International Rugby Hall Of Fame; and of those, 4 have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall Of Fame.

7) Achieving a "Grand Slam" - Against England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales - 4 separate times:  1978, 2005, 2008, and 2010.

8) Winning the Rugby World Cup, twice (along with South Africa and Australia) since its inauguration in 1987.

9) Having ever only been beaten by 5 other Nations:  South Africa, England, Wales, France, and Australia.

10) Being the first Team to win 400 Test Matches.

11) Being the only Team to have won the Tri Nations - renamed The Rugby Championship in 2012 - Trophy 13 times since its tournament inauguration 19 years ago.

12) And maintaining the "Number One" World Ranking longer than all other Rugby Teams ...  combined.

Today, in good keeping with New Zealand's long-standing tradition of excellence, the modern All Black squad, coached by Steve Hansen (who was named 2014's Coach of the Year),

Steve Hansen, All Blacks Coach

and Captained by Richie McCaw,

Richie McCaw, Captain of the All Blacks

reigns as the current Rugby World Cup Champions, since 2011,  and was named the 2014 World Rugby Team Of the Year.