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An Introduction to New Zealand Retro Rugby Shirt
The New Zealand Retro Rugby Shirt Polo is inspired by the former great ‘All Black’ teams. Cliff Porter led the New Zealand Rugby Union tour of 1924-25. The team were nicknamed ‘The Invincibles’ because they won every game. The ‘All Blacks’ team toured the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Canada. They won all of their 32 matches and scored 838 points in total. They only conceded 116 points.
Born in Edinburgh, Cliff Porter made his name playing rugby for Wellington as a rugged back row forward. He replaced former All Blacks Captain CesBadeley for the tour.
The tourists included some fine rugby players, including brothers Maurice and Cyril Brownlie. The two brothers were also back row forwards and played their provincial rugby with Hawke’s Bay. They also had another brother Laurie Brownlie. Laurie played for the New Zealand Rugby Union international team against New South Wales in 1921. But the team did not select him for the tour.
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There was little doubt who was the main attraction of the team. George Nepia was an exceptional player and one of the most famous Māori rugby players. In 1922 he became a member of Hawkes Bay who at that time had one of the strongest teams in the country. On the tour, Nepia scored 77 points and played in all 32 games. He was a fine full-back. And Nepia developed a strong kicking game. And was secure under a high ball. He also led the ‘haka’ before every match.
In 1928 the All Blacks tour of South Africa Nepia was removed from the tour party on racial grounds. In 1935 Nepia was signed initially by Streatham and Mitcham Rugby League Club in London for £500. He later joined Halifax Rugby League Club. When he returned to New Zealand in 1937 he played Rugby League for Manukau, the New Zealand Māori and the Kiwis New Zealand rugby league team. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
The tourists of 1924-25 defeated Ireland 6-nil in Dublin, Wales 19-nil in Cardiff, England 17-11 at Twickenham and France 30 points to 6 in Toulouse. Scotland refused to play the ‘All Blacks’ because the tour was organised through the RFU rather than the IRFB.
