All Blacks, New Zealand Rugby 2006
Everyone in New Zealand and every rugby fan in the world knows the All Blacks, the most dominant team in all of rugby history. New Zealand rugby is part of the national identity.
The All Blacks is the international rugby union team of New Zealand. They have won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 and they have been Tri Nations champions six times. They won last year's 2005 Bledisloe Cup, an annual series against Australia.
They are currently the number one-ranked rugby team in the world.
2006 All Blacks Schedule - New Zealand Rugby Matches
All Blacks v Wallabies
Saturday 8 July, Jade Stadium, Christchurch
Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz, +64 3 377 8899
New Zealand v South Africa
Saturday 22 July, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.co.nz, 0800 111 999
New Zealand v Australia
Saturday 19 August, Eden Park, Auckland
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.co.nz, 0800 111 999
Rugby Tri Nations
The annual Tri Nations is a rugby union series held between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Until 2006, the three nations played each other twice but this was changed to three times recently. The All Blacks won the first match in 1996. The matches played in it between Australia and New Zealand also determine the winner of the Bledisloe Cup each year.
Rugby Bledisloe Cup
The longest-running and most celebrated New fight between Australia's Wallabies and New Zealand's All Blacks is the Bledisloe Cup. It is named for Lord Bledisloe, the Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. New Zealand has won 68 of the 101 matches since.
Rugby World Cup
Known as the premier international rugby union competition, its inaugural tournament was held in 1987 and now held every four years. The William Webb Ellis Trophy goes to the winners, named after the pupil of Rugby school credited with the game's invention. The tournament is one of the largest international national sporting competitions in the world. The next Rugby World Cup will be hosted in France during September and October of 2007.
Get to the New Zealand Rugby Game
For further information about New Zealand rugby, please visit the official All Blacks Web site.
For tickets to upcoming New Zealand rugby matches, you can visit the Web sites of Ticketek New Zealand and Ticketmaster New Zealand.
You can view more information about staying in cities where the All Blacks will play:
