April - May 2021

NZ Rugby World

New Zealand Rugby World is the premier authority on our national game; with sharp analysis and irreverent humour the two key components

NZ Rugby World1 min read
NZ Rugby World
Jim Kayes jim@nzrugbyworld.co.nz Mike Hansen P 022 406 9218 E mike@nzrugbyworld.co.nz Spinc Media photosport.nz Andrew Cornaga, Marty Melville, John Cowpland, John Davidson, Brett Phibbs, Bruce Lim, Jeremy Ward and Martin Hunter Mike Hansen Inkwise ■
NZ Rugby World3 min read
Editor’s Letter
KIA ORA AND THANK YOU. Thanks for picking us up and thanks for reading because we wouldn’t be here without you. It’s a real privilege for me to take over as Editor of New Zealand Rugby World from my old mate Gregor Paul, who has done an outstanding j
NZ Rugby World8 min read
Picking The Greatest All Blacks Of All Time
ON THE top of his bedroom wardrobe, in a brown paper bag, is a reminder of one of Brent Anderson's greatest days. It comes down from its hiding place when visitors to Anderson's farm at Te Ore Ore, about 20km from Masterton on the road to Castlepoint
NZ Rugby World1 min read
All Blacks Xv
George Nepia, Jeff Wilson, Joe Stanley, Sonny Bill Williams, Joe Rokocoko, Grant Fox, Sid Going, Wayne Shelford, Waka Nathan, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Gary Whetton, Carl Hayman, Dane Coles, Wilson Whineray. Bob Scott, Bryan Williams, Conrad Smith
NZ Rugby World4 min read
A Top 10 Of Tens
Grant Fox and Joel Stranksy Ok, this is not a great start because it makes the top 10 of tens a top 11 but you’ve got to fit these two World Cup winners in somehow. Stransky played 22 tests for the Springboks but would have played more if not for Sou
NZ Rugby World2 min read
Cross Codes
SONNY BILL WILLIAMS is only the second person to represent New Zealand in rugby union after first playing for the Kiwis in rugby league, and is one of only 21 players to have won multiple Rugby World Cups. He began his professional career in rugby le
NZ Rugby World6 min read
Thorn blossoming As A Coach
Coaching in New Zealand may well become part of Brad Thorn’s remarkable rugby adventure yet don’t even try to force him into a timeline. There’s never been a mould of predictability to shackle Thorn and that’s not changing just because he’s a head co
NZ Rugby World6 min read
New Chiff, Clayton Mcmillan keen To Make His Mark
CLAYTON MCMILLAN’S just happy he got to sleep-in this morning. It’s Tuesday, the day-off on game week for a Friday fixture and McMillan is enjoying a slower start to the day. “I made the most of it and slept in until seven o’clock,” he laughs, “I rec
NZ Rugby World5 min read
The Making Of Rts As An All Black
WAYNE SMITH had low expectations when he sat down for a coffee with Sonny Bill Williams and his manager, Khoder Nasser, at a cafe in Toulon. “We had heard a rumour that he might be interested in being an All Black” the then All Blacks assistant coach
NZ Rugby World2 min read
Proudly Fueling Rugby In The Mighty Waikato
One hundred percent family-owned and operated, Kiwi company Waitomo Group’s been fueling Kiwis across the country for over 70 years. As well as supplying bulk fuel and Waitomo Fuel Cards to commercial customers, Waitomo also operates more than 65 Fue
NZ Rugby World6 min read
Patient Black Fern Prepared To Wait To Play Rugby World Cup At Home
When Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate stands at the front of the Black Ferns haka and her full throated words “Ko nga Mamaku o Aotearoa, Kia Mau” echo around the stadium, she’s telling her team it’s time; time to go to work and to let the opposition know th
NZ Rugby World5 min readLeadership
In-tune Blues Hoping To Go One Better In Super Rugby Aotearoa
When Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu returned to work at Alexandra Park earlier this year, something had changed. It wasn’t his energy levels after becoming a father during the off-season to his beautiful baby girl, Pāma, with partner Silver Fern def
NZ Rugby World1 min read
Nz Rugby World
SUBSCRIBE NOW www.nzrugbyworld.co.nz Email info@nzrugbyworld.co.nz Facebook.com/nzrugbyworld Instagram.com/nzrugbyworld Twitter.com/@nzrugbyworld SIX MONTHS [3 ISSUES] FOR ONLY $19.00 58%OFF RETAIL ONE YEAR [6 ISSUES] FOR ONLY $35.00 61%OFF RETAIL TW
NZ Rugby World7 min read
Stepping Down
When Brent Impey assumed the New Zealand Rugby chairman role, former All Blacks captain Graham Mourie offered up a warning. “He said to me ‘I’ll be watching, don’t stuff it up’,” Impey recalls as he prepares to step down from the influential chairman
NZ Rugby World4 min read
Sevens Set To Return
Remember the days of Avocado Man and the Baby Heads? When big, loud, sometimes boozy crowds would dance in the stands to Da Rude’s Sand Storm while the world’s best sevens players went at each other game after game, week after week. From Hamilton to
NZ Rugby World6 min read
‘I’ve already Reached my Dreams’, says Hacjivah Dayimani
There’s much to be said for the unvarnished interview. The trouble is that in these days of media massaging and press officers, almost everything is spun and manipulated. Players are constantly on-message; cliche city abounds. And then Hacjivah Dayim
NZ Rugby World7 min read
Cheslin Kolbe ‘Rugby Saved My Life’
Cheslin Kolbe once doubted he had a future in the game. Briefly, as some critics continued to suggest he was too small to make it big as a professional rugby player, he considered calling it quits. It puts his current status into stark perspective, p
NZ Rugby World4 min read
Capital Punishment.
There’s a great quote from legendary basketball coach called Pat Summit, that says: “Winning is fun, sure, but winning is not the point. Wanting to win is the point. Not giving up is the point. Never letting up is the point. Never being satisfied wit

NZ Rugby World

More Issues From NZ Rugby World