Thirty-six All Black tests have been played at Carisbrook since the first in 1908. Sports editor Hayden Meikle looks back on a century of All Black highs and lows at Dunedin's famous ground.
1. All Blacks 32, Lions 5
Date: June 6, 1908.
Captain: First five Billy Stead (Southland).
Crowd: 23,000
Star All Black: Fred Roberts was the first great All Black halfback. He scored two tries in this test.
Talking point: This was only really a Lions team in retrospect. They were called the Anglo-Welsh, with neither Scotland nor Ireland supporting the tour.
2. All Blacks 25, Australia 13
Date: September 13, 1913.
Captain: Fullback Joe O'Leary (Auckland).
Crowd: 15,000.
Star All Black: The skipper kicked three conversions and a dropped goal and was the pick of an overshadowed All Black backline.
Talking point: The best New Zealand players had left to tour North America so this was a second-string All Black side.
3. All Blacks 13, South Africa 5
Date: August 13, 1921.
Captain: Centre George Aitken (Wellington).
Crowd: 25,000.
Star All Black: Jack Steel was the Jeff Wilson of the 1920s, a speedy winger from the West Coast who scored a cracking try when he fielded a short punt and sped 45m to the line.
Talking point: One of the front-rowers in the 2-3-2 All Black scrum was 40-year-old Ned Hughes, who had not played a test since 1908. He remains - and will remain - the oldest All Black.
4. Lions 6, All Blacks 3
Date: June 21, 1930.
Captain: Wing forward Cliff Porter (Wellington).
Crowd: 27,000.
Star All Black: The peerless George Nepia could not be blamed for this loss. His positional play, tackling and kicking were first-class.
Talking point: The All Blacks played in white jerseys for the first time to avoid a clash with the Lions, who then wore dark blue.
5. All Blacks 38, Australia 13
Date: September 12, 1936.
Captain: Second five Jack Griffiths (Wellington).
Crowd: 25,000.
Star All Black: Southland centre Brushy Mitchell - who later joined Otago - was one of four All Blacks to score two tries in this rout.
Talking point: Otago first five Colin Gillies played his sole test for the All Blacks.
6. All Blacks 31, Australia 8
Date: September 14, 1946.
Captain: First five Fred Allen (Auckland).
Crowd: 30,000.
Star All Black: Winger Wally Argus, one of seven members of the great Kiwis team that toured Britain and France after the war to play in this test, scored two of the All Blacks' seven tries.
Talking point: An all-new All Black side was chosen as international rugby resumed after an eight-year break.
7. All Blacks 9, Lions 9
Date: May 27, 1950.
Captain: Second five Ron Elvidge (Otago).
Crowd: 35,000.
Star All Black: Elvidge scored a late try to help the All Blacks avoid a second successive loss to the Lions at Carisbrook.
Talking point: The referee for this test was former All Black and New Zealand cricketer Eric Tindill.
8. All Blacks 8, Australia 0
Date: September 3, 1955.
Captain: No 8 Ian Clarke (Waikato).
Crowd: 25,300.
Star All Black: Wellington winger Ron Jarden swooped on a loose ball to score the All Blacks' only try, and added the conversion for good measure.
Talking point: Tommy Katene - also a Wellington winger - made his one and only appearance for the All Blacks before switching to league.
9. All Blacks 10, South Africa 6
Date: July 14, 1956.
Captain: Halfback Pat Vincent (Canterbury).
Crowd: 40,000.
Star All Black: Jarden again. He scored an intercept try and kicked two conversions to seal the win.
Talking point: This was the first test in arguably the most famous series in the history of All Black rugby. The All Blacks beat the Springboks 3-1, with the South Africans losing a series for the first time.
10. All Blacks 18, Lions 17
Date: July 18, 1959.
Captain: Prop Wilson Whineray (Auckland).
Crowd: 41,500.
Star All Black: Don "The Boot" Clarke landed six penalty goals to score all the All Blacks' points.
Talking point: When one team kicks six penalties and beats a team that scores four tries, you are always going to find controversy.
11. All Blacks 3, Australia 0
Date: September 8, 1962.
Captain: Whineray.
Crowd: 26,000.
Star All Black: Clarke landed a penalty from 35m out to score the only points of this mistake-riddled test.
Talking point: The great Colin Meads was dropped for this test and replaced by brother and fellow lock Stan.
12. All Blacks 14, Australia 9
Date: August 15, 1964.
Captain: No 8 John Graham (Canterbury).
Crowd: 23,500.
Star All Black: Wellington prop Ken Gray was big, mean and the cornerstone of the All Black pack for most of the 1960s.
Talking point: Australia had played Wanganui and East Coast leading up to this test. Those were the days.
13. All Blacks 13, South Africa 0
Date: August 21, 1965.
Captain: Whineray.
Crowd: 34,500.
Star All Black: The great Colin Meads was in his prime and earned a record-equalling 32nd test cap for the All Blacks. The record now stands at 92 (Sean Fitzpatrick).
Talking point: A 13-point margin doesn't sound like much but it was then the biggest win for the All Blacks over their great rivals.
14. All Blacks 20, Lions 3
Date: July 16, 1966.
Captain: No 8 Brian Lochore (Wairarapa).
Crowd: 43,000.
Star All Black: Counties hooker Bruce McLeod scored one of the All Blacks' three tries - just as he had against the Springboks a year earlier.
Talking point: On the wing for the home team was Ian "Spooky" Smith, one of just two men to play for the All Blacks while representing North Otago.
15. Lions 9, All Blacks 3
Date: June 26, 1971.
Captain: Lock Colin Meads (King Country).
Crowd: 45,000.
Star All Black: Flanker Ian Kirkpatrick tackled his heart out in a losing cause.
Talking point: Some consider the Carwyn James-coached Lions, featuring Barry John and Gareth Edwards and JPR Williams and Willie-John McBride, the finest side ever to tour New Zealand.
16. All Blacks 19, Lions 7
Date: July 30, 1977.
Captain: Hooker Tane Norton (Canterbury).
Crowd: 34,000.
Star All Black: First five Doug Bruce controlled play well with his efficient boot.
Talking point: Fresh off the farm in Central Otago, Bevan Wilson made his test debut on his home ground and scored eight points to help the home side to victory.
17. All Blacks 11, Scotland 4
Date: June 13, 1981.
Captain: Flanker Graham Mourie (Taranaki).
Crowd: 18,000.
Star All Black: Halfback Dave Loveridge controlled play in the tricky conditions and then scored a cheeky try, diving through the Scottish scrum.
Talking point: University A fullback David Halligan was picked for the All Blacks but had to withdraw because of a groin injury, and missed out on wearing the black jersey.
18. All Blacks 15, Lions 8
Date: July 2, 1983.
Captain: Hooker Andy Dalton (Counties).
Crowd: 30,000.
Star All Black: Winger Stu Wilson scored the only try for the All Blacks to equal the test try-scoring record of 16 at the time.
Talking point: Some All Blacks wore mittens and wetsuits under their bodies to protect themselves from the chilly conditions.
19. All Blacks 13, Australia 12
Date: August 23, 1986.
Captain: Halfback David Kirk (Auckland).
Crowd: 28,000.
Star All Black: Captain and halfback David Kirk scored his first test try and led his side to a barely deserved win.
Talking point: No 8 Steve Tuyman appeared to score a try with nine minutes left but referee Derek Bevan ruled it out, seemingly being the only person in the ground who did not believe a try had been scored.
20. All Blacks 60, Argentina 9
Date: July 15, 1989.
Captain: No 8 Buck Shelford (North Harbour).
Crowd: 22,000.
Star All Black: Fullback John Gallagher scored three tries in an electrifying performance.
Talking point: This was the third test in a row that the All Black team remained unchanged. Imagine that happening these days.
21. All Blacks 31, Scotland 16
Date: June 16, 1990.
Captain: Shelford.
Crowd: 32,000.
Star All Black: Winger John Kirwan, making his comeback from an Achilles injury, scored two tries.
Talking point: Champion kicker Grant Fox scored his first and only try in test rugby.
22. All Blacks 24, Ireland 21
Date: May 30, 1992.
Captain: Hooker Sean Fitzpatrick (Auckland).
Crowd: 28,000.
Star All Black: Centre Frank Bunce grabbed a brace of tries as the All Blacks scored a rather lucky win.
Talking point: The Irish were given no chance before the game but nearly caused a massive boilover as the All Blacks were off form.
23. All Blacks 25, Australia 10
Date: July 17, 1993.
Captain: Fitzpatrick.
Crowd: 38,000.
Star All Black: Fitzpatrick led a committed home effort by scoring a try - in the corner, of course.
Talking point: This was the first year the tent city was staged at Bathgate Park, and it was a raging success.
24. All Blacks 22, South Africa 14
Date: July 9, 1994.
Captain: Fitzpatrick.
Crowd: 41,000.
Star All Black: Fullback Shane Howarth slotted five penalties and a conversion in a great kicking performance.
Talking point: The win stopped a three-match losing streak for the All Blacks after losing to England at the end of 1993 and then twice to the French at home.
25. All Blacks 62, Scotland 31
Date: June 15, 1996.
Captain: Fitzpatrick.
Crowd: 36,000.
Star All Black: Christian Cullen showed his lightning skills from fullback, scoring four tries.
Talking point: This was at the time the greatest number of points scored in a test match - 93.
26. All Blacks 36, Australia 24
Date: August 16, 1997.
Captain: Fitzpatrick.
Crowd: 42,500.
Star All Black: Cullen scored an amazing try, running and weaving 60m to score beside the posts.
Talking point: This was a classic game of two halves with the All Blacks scoring 36 points in the first half while Australia scored 24 in the second half.
27. All Blacks 64, England 22
Date: June 20, 1998.
Captain: No 8 Taine Randell (Otago).
Crowd: 36,576.
Star All Black: Randell picked up two tries, leading the side for the first time in a test.
Talking point: England lock Danny Grewcock was sent off for stomping on hooker Anton Oliver's head.
28. All Blacks 28, South Africa 0
Date: July 10, 1999.
Captain: Randell
Crowd: 41,000.
Star All Black: Halfback Justin Marshall controlled much of the play and scored late in the piece to seal the victory.
Talking point: A record eight Otago players played in this game, the most for a test.
29. All Blacks 69, Scotland 20
Date: June 24, 2000.
Captain: Lock Todd Blackadder (Canterbury).
Crowd: 26,128.
Star All Black: Hooker Anton Oliver picked up two tries, one a storming run from the 22m line.
Talking point: Former Wellington flanker Martin Leslie played for Scotland on the flank, but brother John, the former Otago midfielder, was injured and did not play.
30. Australia 23, All Blacks 15
Date: August 11, 2001.
Captain: Hooker Anton Oliver (Otago).
Crowd: 37,500.
Star All Black: Winger Jonah Lomu scored a try in the first minute for an All Black team strangely off its game.
Talking point: This was the last day test to be played at Carisbrook, and the last time the popular tent city was constructed at Bathgate Park.
31. All Blacks 15, Ireland 6
Date: June 15, 2002.
Captain: Flanker Reuben Thorne (Canterbury).
Crowd: 30,200.
Star All Black: Fullback Leon MacDonald ran hard and scored a nice try.
Talking point: There were 14 Canterbury players involved in this game, using a ball termed a "pig" by players.
32. All Blacks 19, South Africa 11
Date: August 9, 2003.
Captain: Thorne.
Crowd: 30,000.
Star All Black: First five-eighth Carlos Spencer kicked five goals while his opposite Louis Koen was off form.
Talking point: Springbok prop Richard Bands ran nearly 50m to score a spectacular try.
33. All Blacks 36, England 3
Date: June 12, 2004.
Captain: Centre Tana Umaga (Wellington).
Crowd: 35,000.
Star All Black: Dan Carter played outside Carlos Spencer and collected 21 points.
Talking point: This was Graham Henry's first match in charge of the All Blacks, and the first game for England since winning the World Cup.
34. All Blacks 31, South Africa 27
Date: August 27, 2005.
Captain: Umaga.
Crowd: 29,500.
Star All Black: Umaga led from the front and made a crucial try-saving tackle in the dying minutes on winger Bryan Habana.
Talking point: The All Blacks performed a new haka, Kapa O Pango, before the match.
35. South Africa 30, All Blacks 28
Date: July 12, 2008.
Captain: Flanker Rodney So'oialo (Wellington).
Crowd: 32,000.
Star All Black: Dan Carter led an inexperienced All Black team and nearly grabbed a victory with a composed effort at first five-eighth.
Talking point: This was the All Blacks' first loss to the Springboks at Carisbrook, the eighth time the two sides had played at the ground.
36. France 27, All Blacks 22
Date: June 13, 2009.
Captain: Fullback Mils Muliaina (Waikato).
Crowd: 32,000.
Star All Black: Winger Cory Jane scored a neat try after a chip from Jimy Cowan and got through plenty of work.
Talking point: The French did not arrive in Dunedin until two days before the game, fearing the chilly weather. It was beautifully fine the days they were here, and wet in Wellington for the second test.
• Other matches
The All Blacks have also played the following teams at Carisbrook. -
- New South Wales (1923, won 19-9, and 1928, won 16-14).
- Junior All Blacks (1973, lost 14-10).
- A New Zealand XV beat Argentina 18-9 at Carisbrook in 1979.
Three tests not involving the All Blacks were played at Carisbrook during the 1987 World Cup. -
- Ireland 46, Canada 19; Italy 18, Fiji 15; Scotland 55, Romania 28.
- In 1905, the All Blacks played in Dunedin twice - but neither game was at Carisbrook.
- They beat Australia 14-3 at Tahuna Park (the leading All Blacks had left for Britain, so it was essentially a second-string team), and they drew 10-10 with Otago-Southland on an internal tour match at the Caledonian.
Illustrated from the Otago Daily Times photo archive; prints available from otagoimages.co.nz.
