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. In both style and content the writing is award winning and provides an unparalleled depth of insight into the people who play the game and the issues that matter to the fans. The cast of contributors is world class as is the photography and lay-out. Pick this magazine up and you won't want to put it down - rugby has never been so much fun.

EDITOR’S LETTER

NZ Rugby World

THE BREAKDOWN • OUR ROUND-UP OF THE RELEVANT AND RANDOM BITS OF INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

HITCHING A RIDE • Aaron Smith had a superb Super Rugby campaign and shows his commitment in this picture with his eff orts to bring down Caleb Clarke of the Blues.

GHOST STADIUM • This was kind of eerie. The Highlanders played the Hurricanes in Dunedin behind closed doors aft er the Government imposed alert Level 2 a few days before the game preventing a mass gathering at the stadium.

EBB AND FLOW • This was the first of two tries scored by Rieko Ioane in the North Island versus South Island match. He took a late hit from Jordie Barrett scoring this and then the whole North team took a late hit when Will Jordan scored aft er the hooter to win it for the South.

IN10se BATTLE • NEW ZEALAND CURRENTLY HAS THE TWO BEST FIRST-FIVES IN WORLD RUGBY VYING TO WEAR THE ALL BLACKS NO 10 SHIRT. IT’S A BATTLE THAT HAS CAPTURED THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION BUT IT MAY BE ONE THAT NEVER QUITE MATERIALISES.

THE NO 10 FACTORY

10 BEST SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA PICTURES

SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA CHAMPIONS 2020

What we Learned from SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA • WITH THE BORDER SHUT, NEW ZEALAND HAD TO SCRAMBLE TOGETHER A SUPER RUGBY COMPETITION ONCE LOCKDOWN LIFTED IN JUNE. NO ONE QUITE KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT, BUT BY AUGUST, THERE WERE PLENTY OF ANSWERS IN REGARD TO WHAT HAD WORKED, WHAT HADN'T AND WHAT THE FUTURE SHAPE OF SUPER RUGBY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

10 BEST PLAYERS IN SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA • SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA WAS BRILLIANT AND WE LOOK AT 10 PLAYERS WHO HELPED MAKE IT THAT WAY.

THE SEARCH FOR MOBY DICK • REPLACING THE WORLD CLASS JEROME KAINO IN THE ALL BLACKS NO 6 SHIRT HAS BEEN THE NEAR IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGE. BUT MIGHT THE ANSWER HAVE PRESENTED ITSELF DURING SUPER RUGBY?

The Nearly Men

BACK IN TIME… TO OCTOBER, 2010 • October, 30 2010 Hong Kong National Stadium

THE LONG WALK TO ENTRY • AFTER BEING SNUBBED BY THE GAME’S ELITE FOR 25 YEARS, A PACIFIC ISLAND SIDE FINALLY LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE GRANTED A PLACE IN SUPER RUGBY AND THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE SIGNIFICANT.

DEFENCE FORCE ONE • THE BLUES WERE A RADICALLY DIFFERENT TEAM IN 2020 AND MUCH OF THAT WAS DUE TO THEIR VASTLY IMPROVED WORK ON DEFENCE.

THE PEOPLE'S CHAMPION • ON AND OFF THE FIELD, SPRINGBOKS WING CHESLIN KOLBE CONTINUES TO MAKE AN INSPIRATIONAL IMPACT.

KOLBE ON…

FRENCH INFLUENCE

PACIFIC POWER HOUSE • FIJI HAVE NEVER QUITE BEEN ABLE TO FULFIL THEIR ENORMOUS POTENTIAL. BUT THEY MIGHT NOW FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF VERN COTTER AS HEAD COACH.

CROSSING THE LINE • NEW ZEALAND DOESN'T HAVE A GREAT REPUTATION FOR THE WAY IT TREATS REFEREES AND THAT WILL ONLY HAVE WORSENED DURING SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA.

WHEN THINGS GO BAD • THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN PLAYERS, AND FANS, HAVE SIMPLY LOST THE PLOT AND REACTED UNACCEPTABLY BADLY TO REFEREEING DECISIONS.

THE GREATEST RIVALRY OF ALL • THE ALL BLACKS ARE GOING TO PLAY THE WALLABIES FOUR TIMES THIS YEAR IN WHAT WILL BE AN OLD-SCHOOL BLEDISLOE CUP SERIES. WE THOUGHT THAT SEEMED AN ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE REASON TO RE-LIVE THE 50 MOST ICONIC BLEDISLOE MOMENTS IN HISTORY.

ANZAC XV • IF WE HAD TO PICK A COMBINED ALL BLACKS-WALLABIES TEAM FROM THE...