Picking the greatest 15 All Blacks in Test history

Yeah nah! Comparison between era's is a nonsense. If you have the x-factor you will be remembered, no matter what era. Stop making it apples and orange thing... rugby is part of all New Zealanders DNA. We are moved when someone or something influences how our testosterones are manipulated. Era has nothing to do with it.

don't forget rokocoko .. roko./lomu/savea [left wing]- and Howlett/kirwan/wilson [right wing]

Ken Gray was from Porirua, just down the road from me. He refused to selection for the '71 South Africa in protest at its policy of apartheid and retired from the game completely. A pretty hutsy move in NZ at the time. The thing I remember most about his playing was that when he moved to Prop, he could play loosehead or tighthead .

Funny how his outside backs were always unleashed in space wasn't it?

Zin Zan Brooke, such a great player!!!!!!

To Be fair you guys are spoilt for choice. It really is like picking a fine wine it depends on the food you could easily pick 5 XV's and justify each one and it would win against the other on any give day. For mine with only a 30 year memory the ones who are clearly the best are Michael Jones, Lomu, Dan Carter and Richie the rest is just horses for courses.

You're dead wrong about Bruce Robertson not being far behind Little and Bunce. He's streets ahead of them. Even a cursory reading of All Blacks literature would result in a vastly different XV. I consider myself well steeped in the lore of Allblackdom and will offer my XV based on that, as well as those that I have been fortunate to witness in my time. I will say that if there are names on this list of which you may know little, do yourself a favour, get out some books from the library or jump onto the New Zealand rugby museum website and soak it in. Knowledge will set you free. George Nepia Sir John Kirwan Bruce Robertson Bert Cooke Ron Jarden Daniel Carter Sid Going ZinZan Brooke Sir Richard McCaw Maurice Brownlie Sir Colin Meads Richard White Ken Gray Sean Fitzpatrick Kevin Skinner Coach: Sir Fred Allen

Completely agree Sheek, I am not quite the historian you are but jeez my old man made sure I new about not only AB's legends but Canterbury ones like Fergie McComick, Griz Wylie, and Jock Hobbs How do you compare Waka Nathan, Jock Hobbs with Michael Jones. Or guys who had fairly short careers like David Kirk or John Gallagher Or guys who were legends only to surpassed by the very next cab off the rank, Inga v Lomu Kronfeld v McCaw I had better stop the rose coloured glasses are fogging up Its a bit like trying to pick the current RWC squad there are a few strand outs but plenty who won't lose much by picking

Agree 100%.

This is always the major problem with these exercises. There's no-one around to speak for the ancients. We should always get these exercises right, because future generations rely on those going before being accurate.

Willie, I detect one obvious problem straightaway. Only two players, just two, predate the history of the world cup from 1987. They are Colin Meads & Sid Going. There's not even a single player in your 2nd XV who predates 1987. This then begs the question - is this team really representative of ALL All Blacks history, or just the part you've been involved with? From just the 1920s, there was George Nepia, Bert Cooke & the Brownlie brothers. From the 40s & 50s, such luminaries as Bob Scott, Johnny Smith, Tiny Hill, Snow White, Kevin Skinner, Ron Hemi & the Clarke brothers. In the 60s along came the likes of Wilson Whineray, Kel Tremain, Ken Gray & Chris Laidlaw. Into the 70s & 80s we saw Ian Kirkpatrick, Bryan Williams, Bruce Robertson, Stu Wilson, Dave Loveridge, Gary Knight , Andy Dalton & Andy Haden. NZ has a rich history, richer than just about everyone else, & the past decade has probably been the most glorious, but I cannot believe only Meads & Going deserve selection from all the players who appeared before 1987. If you're a Kiwi, read about Bert Cooke, as just one example. He's right up there with Nonu & Little. And Bruce Robertson isn't far behind Bunce & Umaga either.

I hate these types of articles because as someone who was born in 86, I never got to experience the greatness of Buck Shelford, Sid Going, Nepia, Loveridge etc. but these greats were the ones who created the legend that stands so tall today. They are the measure of greatness that the contemporary teams are based on but I couldn't give you any details on a game that they played. I am poorer for it, and it is a flaw in my selection process. So without further ado, here is my contemporary team for your critique and derision Roarers! 1. Tony Woodcock 2. Sean Fitzpatrick 3. Olo Brown 4. Colin Meads 5. Ian Jones 6. Michael Jones 7. Richie McCaw 8. Kieran Read 9. Justin Marshall 10. Dan Carter 11. Jonah Lomu 12. Ma'a Nonu 13. Frank Bunce 14. John Kirwan 15. Christian Cullen 16. Craig Dowd 17. Andrew Hore 18. Zinzan Brooke 19. Josh Cronfeld 20. Andrew Merhtens 21. Doug Howlett 22. Tana Umaga 23. Walter Little

1. Tony Woodcock 2. Sean Fitzpatrick (C) 3. Olo Brown 4. Ali Williams 5. Colin Meads 6. Michael Jones 7. Richie McCaw (VC) 8. Kieran Read 9. Sid Going 10. Daniel Carter 11. Jonah Lomu 12. Tana Umunga 13. Frank Bunce 14. John Kirwan 15. Christian Cullen

Try this list - George Nepia Bryan Williams John Kirwan Bruce Robertson Ian McRae Dave Loveridge Grant Fox Wayne Shelford Ian Kirkpatrick/Kel Tremain ( couldn't separate them) Michael Jones Colin Meads Brodie Retallick Kieth Murdoch Has Catley Ken Gray

Thats what I was thinking also, more like a greatest team of the professional era with a couple of well known old heads. As I only really recall players from the mid to late 80s onwards I could not do much better, however a few of the older boys may be able to come up with a more comprehensive list.

27 of the 30 players named all played in the professional era? When you consider the ABs have over 100 years of rich history, I think you do a disservice to players from the amateur game.

Thanks for the post, as always picking a "greatest" is very subjective and is rare to find two the same. When I think of teams like this I think of the impact players had at the time( or at least I think they had) and that throws different considerations in for me. So here is mine Don Clark Bryan Williams Jonah Lomu Bert Cooke Ma`a Nonu Dan Carter Sid Going Brian Lochore Maurice Brownlie Richie MacCaw Colin Meads Tiny White Kevin Skinner Sean Fitzpatrick Ken Grey

Very good list. Personally I wanna see Doug Howlett on the right wing but very hard to pick between him, Kirwan and Wilson.

no Buck Shelford?

No way Grant Fox should get close to this list. Go watch him play, he could only do one thing, kick. That is it. Beyond the kick he was useless. Merts should be the number 2 without question.