Category Archives: New Zealand
The All Blacks’ Dog
A year after the world sadly lost illustrator Murray Ball, the World Rugby Museum remembers his wit, politics and love of rugby. Creator of the iconic Footrot Flats comic, the New Zealander left his mark on rugby history in the … Continue reading
Lest We Forget – Dave Gallaher and Albert Stewart, 04/10/1917
At the beginning of October 1917, the Allied Forces were deeply embroiled in attacking the German Army on the Western Front for control of the ridges south and east of the Belgian city of Ypres. This third offensive in the Ypres Salient in West … Continue reading
New Zealand’s Second Lieutenant Kaipara
A member of the inaugural New Zealand Maori team of 1910, Autini Pitara Kaipara was described by his peers as an outstanding rugby footballer. Leaving behind rugby for the battlefields of Europe in 1914, Kaipara gave his life for his … Continue reading
Remembering George Nepia
Extracted from ‘Babbled of Green Fields’ by Denzil Batchelor The New Zealand full-back was nineteen years old, and he was the only man in the side who played every match of the tour [NZ to UK, 1925]. He was only … Continue reading
All Blacks at Messines Ridge, 1917
In the attack leading to the capture of the Messines ridge in West Flanders, Belgium, by the Allies between June 7th and 14th 1917, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force were to the fore. By the time the NZ troops were … Continue reading
Jonah Lomu: The day he announced himself to the World
The 1995 Rugby World Cup semi-final between England and New Zealand will always be remembered for Jonah Lomu’s outstanding man of the match performance. Lomu scored four ruthless tries in the semi-final, swatting away the English defence like flies. England … Continue reading
Rugby’s Greatest Upsets Part 2 – Wales v New Zealand, 1905
New Zealand had set down a marker of quality when defeating a tired and injury ravaged British Lions side at the tail end of their tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1904. The tourists had comfortably defeated Australia in … Continue reading
