The All Blacks finally broke their World Cup hoodoo in 2011 after five failed campaigns. Photo:
The All Blacks will be in France in September as they bid for a fourth Rugby World Cup title. From suspected poisonings, to missed forward passes, All Blacks fans have plenty of emotions when thinking back to past campaigns.
Despite the heartbreaks and shattered dreams, the All Blacks have created lasting memories across their nine appearances at the global showpiece.
Jonty Dine looks back at the 10 greatest moments in All Black World Cup history, listed in chronological order.
1. New Zealand crowned kings - 1987
Many purists had been fighting the idea of a Rugby World Cup for decades but in 1987 the tournament was finally greenlit. The 30-day event crescendoed with hosts New Zealand taking on France in the final. Fittingly it was skipper David Kirk who scored the try to seal the game and the All Blacks were crowned the first ever champions. The ever humble Kirk invited his injured teammate Andy Dalton, whom he had replaced as captain, to lift the trophy with him in the Eden Park stands.
2. The Ice Man draws first blood - 1991
Michael Jones made a habit of scoring the first try in major tournaments across his illustrious career. The 'Ice Man' was first to dot down in the inaugural tournament in 1987 and also the first man to score in a Tri- Nations test in 1996. However, the best of his openers came in 1991 against England. Running the line of an ever present openside, Jones was the beneficiary of a typically dazzling run from John Kirwan down the sideline. The tournament will be better remembered for David Campese running circles around the All Blacks to eliminate the defending champions, but Jones and his side had hopes high with their 18-12 win to kick it off.
3. Ellis collects a half dozen -1995
The Japanese put up little resistance in 1995 and were a far cry from the side that stunned South Africa over a decade later. In an effective training run, the All Blacks racked up 145 points in Bloemfontein with centre Marc Ellis crossing the line on six occasions. No All Black has eclipsed this feat since, though Will Jordan came close when he scored five against Tonga in 2021. It remains the most tries scored in a Rugby World Cup match and is topped in all test matches only by Uriel O'Farrell's seven for Argentina against Uruguay.
4, Lomu goes beast mode against Les Bleus - 1999
The game is better remembered for the result, but what many forget about the semifinal against France in 1999 is just how unstoppable Jonah Lomu was before the French broke Kiwi hearts. Lomu scored two of the most unbelievable tries in rugby history, leaving 13 defenders in his wake. The shock of the loss was compounded not only by the fact the All Blacks beat France 54-7 earlier in the year, but also due to the sheer dominance of Lomu in the first 50 minutes of the match.
5. Spencer's no look assist - 2003
The 2003 campaign was another forgettable one for All Blacks fans. A Stirling Mortlock intercept in the semifinal had sealed the sides fate of having to wait "four more years" to break its drought. A week prior to that heartbreak however, Carlos Spencer produced some trademark magic in the quarterfinal against South Africa. With Andrew Mehrtens controversially omitted from the squad, Spencer needed to step up. He did so with a nonchalant flick between the legs to Joe Rokocoko to score the clincher for New Zealand.
6. All Blacks crack a ton - 2007
The less said about 2007 the better. Though the All Blacks did manage to put 100 points on Portugal.
7. Donald's career defining kick - 2011
Whitebaiting on the Waikato River, the last thing Stephen Donald was expecting in 2011 was to be playing in a Rugby World Cup final until the call from Sir Graham Henry came. An uncanny run of bad luck to the three first choice first fives left Donald answering the SOS. Dan Carter, Colin Slade and Aaron Cruden had all succumbed to injury and in an agonisingly tense final against France in a jersey three sizes too small, the man nicknamed "Beaver" was asked to step up. He calmly slotted the most important points of his rugby life to help the All Blacks to a long awaited second Web Ellis crown.
8. Revenge is sweet - 2015
Thankfully this time not in the dreaded grey jersey, the All Blacks put the demons of 1999 and 2007 well and truly to bed with an emphatic display in their quarterfinal against France. A nine-try demolition meant there would be no repeat of those capitulations, as New Zealand put on an absolute master class in Cardiff. Julian Savea bagged a blistering hat-trick in the 62-13 annihilation including a Lomu-esqe rampage which left three Frenchmen on their backs. The win sent a statement to the Springboks and Wallabies who would both fall victim to the All Blacks machine in the coming weeks.
9. Carter: Cool, calm and collected - 2015
The world's premier player was cruelly stripped of his chance in 2011 to lead his side to victory on home soil. Dan Carter's groin injury forced him to watch the triumph at Eden Park from the sideline. Four years later however Carter would get his fairytale finish, slotting two crucial drop goals in the semifinal and final. He topped it off by kicking a conversion with his right foot to bring down the curtain on his incredible career.
10. An Irish whipping - 2019
After a disrupted build up due to a typhoon in Japan, the All Blacks had their fair share of doubters as they went into their quarterfinal against a red hot Irish outfit. What resulted was a clinic by the men in black. The team ran in seven stunning tries through Aaron Smith (2), Beauden Barrett, Codie Taylor, Matt Todd, George Bridge and Jodie Barrett as New Zealand crushed Ireland 46-14 to declare themselves as title favourites to go all the way. However, the team could not repeat the feat a week later when they were thoroughly outplayed by England in the semifinal.