Rugby: The Greatest All Blacks Team Ever
It would be extremely hard to compare players and positions from the early 1900’s with those of the current millennia and decide who would don the black jersey in the greatest All Blacks rugby team of all time so I have decided to create the greatest All Blacks team of all time since 1990, the era that I can recall watching most matches. It also leaves me with adequate knowledge about most of the players in that era and not rely on what others say about certain players that I was unable to actually view playing the game.
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So here it is, the greatest New Zealand All Blacks team since 1990:
15. Jeff Wilson
The dual international (cricket) played most of his 60 test matches on the wing but was equally at home at fullback. The Otago and Highlanders player scored two tries on debut in 1993 versus Scotland at Murrayfield.
14. John Kirwan
Making his debut at the age of 19, Kirwan scored arguably the greatest try of all time when he beat multiple Italian defenders to score a brilliant length of the field try in the All Blacks first game of its triumphant 1987 World Cup. He played 96 times for the All Blacks including 63 tests.
13. Frank Bunce
One of the toughest centres in world rugby at the time, he was a renowned distributor, able to set up his outsides for tries. He was an unusual debutant as he was aged 30 at the time of his call up. He went on to play 69 matches for the All Blacks including 55 test matches.
12. Tana Umaga
More suited at centre, Umaga made his debut on the wing for the All Blacks and played 74 test matches, 21 as captain. He was regarded as an inspirational leader by his fellow players and coaches. With the emergence of Conrad Smith at centre, Umaga moved into second five-eighth for both the Wellington Hurricanes and the All Blacks. He captained the side for its historical clean sweep of the British and Irish Lions in 2005 and the Grand Slam tour the same year.
11. Jonah Lomu
New Zealand and rugby’s first global superstar, Jonah Lomu burst onto the international scene as a fresh faced 19 year old 116kg monster winger at the 1995 world cup in South Africa where he scored six tries to led the tournament including the infamous try in which he literally ran over the top of English fullback Mike Catt. He was named the 1995 rugby world cup player of the tournament. Lomu also scored the winning try in what crictics describe as the greatest test match of all time in Sydney, Australia in 2000.
Image via Wikipedia
10. Andrew Mehrtens
New Zealand rugby’s greatest ever point scorer with 967 points, South African born Mehrtens could kick goals from virtually anywhere on the park. He controlled the game superbly well for both the Canterbury Crusaders and the All Blacks. Merhtens had the chance to win the 1995 world cup for the All Blacks against South Africa with an attempted drop goal in extra time which subsequently missed leaving New Zealand as the runner up.
9. Justin Marshall
Marshall played 89 test matches for the All Blacks between 1995 and 2005 where he captained the side in 4 tests. He scored 140 points for the All Blacks and is the most capped All Blacks halfback in history.
8. Wayne Shelford
Nicknamed “Buck”, Wayne Shelford was arguably the most bruising and competitive No. 8 the All Blacks had seen when he played his 22 tests for the All Blacks between 1986 and 1990. He was an inspirational captain in 14 of his 22 tests before he was controversially dropped in 1990 when displaying some of his best form. Myths and legends circulated Shelford including why he was dropped from the All Blacks and according to some it was because he punched first five-eighth at the time Grant Fox after a match. Another legend says that Shelford was rucked in the groin region subsequently having to retrieve a testicle from his underwear. He carried on playing the match!
7. Richard McCaw
The current All Blacks captain is said to be the best player in world rugby and has played over 70 test matches for the New Zealand side. He was named the IRB world player of the year in 2006.
6. Zinzan Brooke
Remembered as a No. 8 but an equally good blindside flanker, “Zinny” was famous for having all the skills of a back and proved that when he dropped a goal from 50 metres against England in the 1995 world cup in South Africa. He played 58 test matches.
5. Chris Jack
Currently playing for English club Saracens, Jack played 67 tests for the All Blacks at lock and recently resigned with the New Zealand Rugby Union until 2011 with an eye to winning the 2011 world cup being held in New Zealand.
4. Ian Jones
“The Kamo Kid” Ian Jones is New Zealand’s greatest ever lock forward behind the ageless Colin “Pinetree” Meads in which he played 79 tests for the All Blacks. He and fellow All Black lock Robin Brooke formed a formidable pair in the mid 90’s both pre and post line out lifting. Jones can now be seen as a commentator for New Zealand’s Sky Sports covering most All Blacks matches.
3. Olo Brown
The quiet assassin, Olo Brown was hailed by opposition props as an excellent scrummager with fantastic technique and strength. He played 56 tests for the All Blacks only missing two matches in his entire career.
2. Sean Fitzpatrick
New Zealand’s greatest ever All Blacks captain, “Fitzy” played 92 tests at hooker and was famously caught up in one of the games first ever ear biting incidents when South Africa’s Ollie Le Roux left Fitzpatrick without a piece of his right ear. Fitzpatrick was famous for his battles with Australian opposite Phil Kearns. The two often had “words”.
1. Carl Hayman
Carl Hayman is unusually tall for a prop at 6 ft 4in but that was his greatest asset when he scrimmaged. He played in 46 test matches before leaving for a lucrative deal with English club Newcastle. He is regarded as the best tighthead prop in world rugby.
Reserves:
Anton Oliver, Craig Dowd, Robin Brooke, Michael Jones, Grant Fox, Daniel Carter, Joe Stanley
Coach:
Laurie Mains
Image via Wikipedia
Image by Kiwi Flickr via Flickr
23 Comments
Nice article on the sport. Thanks for sharing. Have my liked it.
I like your thinking on most, but a few I would change – Cullen (58 tests) & Kronfeld (54 tests) have to be in the 22! Plus I wouldn’t want Fox at reserve halfback…
My team: Cullen, Wilson, Bunce, Umaga, Lomu, Carter, Marshall, Brooke, Kronfeld, McCaw, Brooke, Jones, Hayman, Fitzpatrick, Dowd – Bench: Meeuws, Oliver, Jack, Jones, Kirk, Mehrtens, Muliaina
what about Michael Jones? Jo Stanley at center and David Kirk the world cup winning all black.
Huge southern bias in your team mate
ok reread your reserve list and I’ll cut your some slack! Main sucks as coach though.
Okay,
Had to have Fox and Carter on the bench. Fox was the leading all time point scorer before Mehrtens took over a few years ago plus DC has got a test cap at halfback so could fill in if need be. Is Kronfeld better than Richie or Michael Jones? And you can’t leave Buck Shelford out so no room for Josh. Cullen in his prime, possibly.
Though, basketball is the # sports in our country, I have time to watch rugby games on ESPN and star Sports and I find the game really exciting. you did pick a great list.
cool choices mate…
I would rather watch this type of sport. It’s messier, the players are much more aggressive, and the sport itself it centuries old.
Great sports article!
They look a strong bunch of guys.
Great article RJ. There are so many good All Blacks to choose from to make a team.
nice to know all of them… thanks for sharing…
Dont rate that team at all. To many players out of position!
Zinzan never made an impact at 6 and never even played there much with Allan Wheaten having a mortgage on the position. I’d start post knee injury Michael Jones at 6…. Zinny goes to the bench to cover both 6 & 8
Umaga at 2nd 5??? Again he barely played there and he had no tactical kicking game. I’d start Walter Little, great kicker and he and Bunce together were symbiotic.
Cullen in his prime was light years ahead of Wilson as an attacking fullback and would have to start. That leaves Wilson on the bench to cover fullback and wing (or to sub Kirwin when the opposition realise you’ve got 2 wings who cant catch a high ball or kick!)
Fox gets chopped from the squad….. cant run, cant tackle! Never scored a single try in his entire All Black career… and you just cant have 2 five eights on the bench without halfback cover and Dan dont count as halfback cover despite 10 mins in 1 test! Dan Carter (potentially the greatest player of all time) starts with Mehrtens on the bench.
Your starting 2 Tighthead props! So Olo Brown goes to the bench, Craid Dowd gets dropped and Richard Loe starts
Marshall goes to the bench and Greame Bachops starts. Not as hard or defensive as Marshall, but infinitly better pass, he kicked better and ran just as well.
I’d drop Chris Jack from the squad and start Gary Whetton. Despite my hatred of Whetton for playing against the All Blacks with the world 15, Jack simply goes missing in the big games and doesnt match up to Brooke or Whetton.
so….
15. Cullen 14. Kirwin 13. Bunce 12. Little 11. Lomu 10. Carter 9. Bachop 8.Shelford 7. McCaw 6. Jones 5. Whetton 4. Jones 3. Loe 2. Shelford 1. Hayman
Reserves. Wilson, Merhtens, Marshall, Umaga, Z Brooke, R Brooke, Brown
Cam,
Yeah I have got a number of players out of position but I felt it necessary to have all of the best players. Cullen is the obvious omission but I couldn’t find a spot for him. Of course if the team was actually going to play a match I might have to re-think my line up.
Thanks for your input.
Ooops! I put Shelford at hooker obviously I meant Fitzpatrick
i’m not really a rugby fan, but this post sparked my interest in this sport. tnx for the share.
1. Craig Dowd
2. Sean Fitzpatrick
3. Carl Hayman
4. Ian Jones
5. Colin Meads
6. Michael jones
7. Richie Mcaw
8. Zinzan Brooke
9. Justin Marshal
10. Andrew Mehtens
11. Jonah Lomu
12. Dan Carter
13. Frank Bunce
14. Jeff Wilson
15. Christian Cullen
16. Tony Woodcock
17. Anton Oliver
18. Robin Brooke
19. Josh Kronfield
20. Byron Kallagher
21. Nick Evans
22. Mils Muliaina
Reza,
Thanks for you line up. A few thoughts:
Colin Meads is a New Zealand legend but played in the 60’s and 70’s not the 90’s.
Nick Evans? Byron Kelleher? Are you sure?
Liked the rest of your line up.
Cheers,
RJ
Interesting debate people. When I think about alround great All Black teams, I really think the players should have the compete all round skills to be the best in their position (except for Lomu who didn’t kick or tackle but could single handedly win a match)
Therefore my team is;
15. Cullen
14. Wilson
13. Umaga
12. Little
11. Lomu
10. Carter
9. Marshall
8. Brooke Z
7. McCaw
6. Collins
5. Jack
4. Jones I
3. Hayman
2. Fitzpatrick
1. Woodcock
16. Bachop
17. Merhtens
18 Muliaina (covers midfield, wing and fullback)
19 Dowd (covers both sides of the scrum)
20 Mealamu
21 Williams A
22 Jones M (covers both flanks)
my startup tony woodcock kevin maleamu carl hayman cris jack jones jerry c ollins richie maccaw zinzan brooke marchall mertins lomu carter umaga doug howlet mills muliaina
From Cape Town SA, the team I’d hate the Boks to face would be:
Cullen; Wilson, Bunce, Carter, Lomu; Mehrtens,Marshall: Woodcock, Fitzpatrick (c), Hayman; Brooke, Whetton; Collins, Jones, McCaw.
Bench:
Brown, Mealamu, Jones, Brooke: Kirk, Little, Kirwan.
15 Christian Cullen,14 John Kirwan,13 Frank Bunce,12 Tana Umaga,11 Jeff Wilson,10 Dan Carter,9 Justin Marshall,8 Zinzan Brooke,7 Richie McCaw,6 Michael Jones,5 Ali Williams,4 Isaac Ross,3 Olo Brown,2 Kevin Mealamu,1 Carl Hayman.
Ross will cause the most controversy,Im hoping he can bring some muscle to the table later on
No Lomu, Fitzpatrick, Ian Jones?