A majority Māori and Pacific All Blacks squad shows how far rugby’s ‘greatest rivalry’ has come

Alyse Wright /NZ Herald via Getty Images This weekend’s first test between the New Zealand All Blacks and South African Springboks will be played 105 years after the two nations first began the “ greatest rivalry ” in rugby in 1921.

A great deal has changed in that time, including the composition of All Blacks teams and the players’ eligibility to tour the formerly apartheid republic.

In 2026, well over half the squad of 44 have Māori or Pacific ethnic backgrounds.

That would have been impossible 66 years ago when the 1960 All Blacks team toured South Africa.

In fact, only 18 of the current squad would have been able to travel back then.

Under the old republic’s “colour bar”, a majority of today’s squad – including the most recently capped All Black, Semisi Ta'eiloa (who is of Tongan descent) – would not have been eligible.

But that was precisely what happened from 1928 until 1970, a period when New Zealand rugby administrators accepted the touring conditions set down by a racist state. ‘No Māoris – No Tour’ After the historic 1921 series played in New Zealand ended in a draw, the All Blacks toured Britain, Ireland and France in 1924–25.

They won every match and were dubbed “ the Invincibles ”.

Anticipation for the All Blacks’ first tour of South Africa in 1928 was high, not least because of a new superstar of the game, fullback George Nepia, who had become the face of the Invincibles aged just 19.

Nepia was All Black #295 – nearly 1,000 All Black caps before Ta'eiloa at #1241 – and should have been part of the team to take on the Springboks.

But, as his official All Blacks profile puts it: Because he was of Māori ancestry he and another fine player, Jimmy Mill, were declared ineligible because of South Africa’s race prejudices.

All Blacks Invincible George Nepia, circa 1924.

Topical Press Agency/Getty Images This would create a significant gap in Nepia’s career record.

Ultimately, as a leading anti-apartheid campaigner later wrote , it was because the then New Zealand Rugby Football Union “failed to confront South African racist political pressure”.