Rugby is integral to the fabric of New Zealand !!!

Rugby is an integral part of everyday life in New Zealand. With a population of 4.9 million, New Zealand is the best in the world when it comes to rugby in both male and female leagues. 

New Zealand's national team's early uniforms consisted of a black jersey with a silver fern and white knickerbockers. By the 1905 tour they were wearing all black, except for the silver fern, and the name "All Blacks" dates from this time. The team performs a haka before every match; this is a Māori challenge.

Before European settlers even arrived in New Zealand, the local population, Māori have already been playing a game similar to rugby. The game was called kī’-o-rahi and it resembled Australian Rules Football and rugby football. 

Rugby football was first introduced to New Zealand back in 1870 by Charles John Monro who encountered the game during his studies in London. However, the game played by the indigenous people of New Zealand has greatly influenced how the game was played and is played today. 

Sir Fred Allen - All Black Coach

Why is Sir Fred Allen important to the history of All Blacks? His approach to coaching the national team is believed to have contributed to his players’ successes off the field as well. Many received knighthoods, entered parliament and became revered members of the community. Sir Fred Allen captained the All Blacks for the 1949 tour of South Africa.

There was tremendous comradeship in the army and I'm convinced that helped me later in life, in business, football and coaching.

Knowing how to get the best out of individual players was fundamental.

I used to needle blokes a wee bit - give them a bit of a stir in an indirect way.

For some people you give them a pat on the back, some you give a root up the tail to get them doing the things you want them to. I think a lot of it is man-management.

Being good mates by the end of the game is important and helps make a great team, something I think is lacking in modern rugby.

Sir Graham Henry - All-Black Coach

Character, character, character. First, second and third ... we were pretty rusty initially. When you have a break for a few weeks you get a bit of rust.

If we get too far ahead of ourselves we will fall over.

Sir Steve Hansen- All-Black Coach

If you can’t change the man, change the man. One overlooked aspect of Hansen’s reign is the scandal-free behaviour of the All Blacks. Hansen has an uncanny ability to tap into individuals and judge where they are in terms of psychological and physical readiness for Test match rugby.

Worry is a wasted emotion. The All Blacks’ phenomenal record of coming from behind to overrun the opposition in the second half of matches is as much about mental ‘we can do this' as it is about physical conditioning and skills.

Just my arm. Hansen’s tinder-dry reply to a reporter’s question about whether he had any more tricks up his sleeve following the All Blacks’ 62-13 demolition of France in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final.

There has been a great relationship between the two countries for a long, long time and, apart from the Rainbow Warrior, we’ve probably been on the same page most of the time. Hansen on the generally convivial Franco-New Zealand diplomatic relationship, which was briefly blighted by the French secret service’s bombing of the New Zealand Greenpeace ship, the Rainbow Warrior, in 1985. Wayne Barnes, there’s a long road to forgiveness ahead.

I was never good enough to play for the All Blacks. I’d give up everything I’ve done in coaching to play one game. And most people would say I’d be lucky. He’s played a hundred. Hansen commenting on Ma’a Nonu’s 100th game for the ABs, reflecting Hansen’s veneration of the history and status of the All Blacks.

We are the most dominant team in the history of the world. This motivational mantra may or may not have been written by Hansen, but the fact it was written on a whiteboard for a team meeting in England in 2013 showed considerable prescience. In 56 games under Hansen’s watch, only three have ended in defeat.

Other Rugby Quotes

Don’t swear, now, you’re on telly, mun. Nigel Owens to New Zealand’s Dan Carter in the final.

For an 18-month suspension, I feel I probably should have torn it off. Then at least I could say, ‘Look, I’ve returned to South Africa with the guy’s ear. South Africa’s Johan le Roux after biting the ear of Kiwi Sean Fitzpatrick

Rugby players are either piano shifters or piano movers. Fortunately, I am one of those who can play a tune. French rugby player Pierre Danos.

Rugby backs can be identified because they generally have clean jerseys and identifiable partings in their hair. Come the revolution the backs will be the first to be lined up against the wall and shot for living parasitically off the work of others. Peter Fizsimmons

Grandmother or tails, sir? To Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips, Gordonstoun School’s rugby captain, for his pre-match coin-toss preference from an anonymous rugby referee in 1995.

Maybe he was keen to get to the bathroom, who knows? World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper’s odd joke ahead of World Rugby’s public hanging of referee Craig Joubert after he sprinted from the field following the quarterfinal between Scotland and Australia.

Forwards win games, backs decide by how much. Unknown.

We’ve lost seven of our last eight matches. The only team that we’ve beaten was Western Samoa. Good job we didn’t play the whole of Samoa. Welsh rugby star Gareth Davies in 1989.

I’d like to thank the press from the heart of my bottom.  Nick Easter after England silenced the doubters with their quarter-final win over Australia.

No leadership, no ideas. Not even enough imagination to thump someone in the lineup when the ref wasn’t looking.  J.P.R. Williams in 1984 on Wales losing 28-9 against Australia.

It is like kissing your sister. Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer gives his view on the joy of having to play a third-place playoff match.

Remember that rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Jonah. Anonymous fax to the New Zealand rugby team in 1995 before they went out to play England

Sit back, enjoy and criticise and be like Clive Woodward and get a job on the television. That’s my dream. Eddie Jones of Japan responds to a query about what might be his next role after the World Cup.

The advantage law is the best law in rugby because it lets you ignore all the others for the good of the game. Derek Robinson

The shortest word for me is I, the sweetest word for me is LOVE, but the only word for me is RUGBY. Unknown

Rugby is great. The players don’t wear helmets or padding; they just beat the living daylights out of each other and then go for a beer. I love that. American football player Joe Theismann.

New Zealand is a country with many natural wonders but for Kiwis, rugby stands at the top of everything else. They are a proud nation that excels at rugby, which is why they are, in fact, the greatest world champions the world has ever seen.

About Peter

After being in business for the past 50 years still enjoy learning and sharing my thoughts on business and life. From New Zealand but enjoy now living in Gold Coast Queensland.

My stories about Life and Business at peternathan.substack.com

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