Rugby New Zealand History

New Zealand's rugby league team first began to form in the early years of the 20th century when rugby players playing for the national rugby union side toured Britain and saw how popular rugby league - or the "Northern Union" as it was then known - was becoming.

The fact money could be made from playing professional rugby league compared to the amateur rugby union led to a fractious time for the sport's early days in New Zealand, with those wishing to play nicknamed the "All Golds" because they were viewed as being interested in nothing but wealth.

However, these barbs were ignored and the All Golds eventually travelled to Britain for their first Test series in 1907, only to lose all three matches.

They did stop off in Australia on their way home, though, and play in 10 matches, all of which were wildly popular with the public, cementing the idea in the southern hemisphere that the game of rugby league was here to stay.

New Zealand rugby league continued to get stronger until in the 1950s and 1960s they were regularly beating Great Britain, the so-called best side in the world.

However, until November 2008 the Kiwis had never been able to call themselves world champions, having lost twice in the final to Australia. That all changed, though, when they crushed the Kanagaroos 34-20 in the final in the biggest upset international rugby league has ever known.