All Blacks

2009–

The All Blacks have set the standard since beating Australia 22-3 in 1903 in their first international. They have since won 420 of 545 tests (106 defeats and 19 draws) for a winning percentage of 77. It ’s a phenomenal record but the current side under Steve Hansen, and previously Graham Henry, have taken it further. A 33- 6 defeat of Australia in September 2009 ushered in an era of unprecedented success and they’ve now won 85 of their last 93 tests for a 91 per cent success rate.

In 2013, a whiteboard message in the All Blacks’ hotel read: “We are the most dominant team in the history of the world.” The previous year, Hansen said the All Blacks were taking inspiration from Spain’s football side of 2007-13. “Clearly, they are doing something that makes their players want to be great every time they play,” Hansen said. “That’s what we’re trying to do, be as good as we have been, if not better.”

They are better. The All Blacks have won two

World Cup 2011 2015

World Cups in that time, four of the last six Rugby Championships and have retained the Bledisloe Cup since 2003. Their current winning run sits at 15 games, meaning they’re closing in on their own record of 17 test victories, and they have won their last 44 tests at home.

Rugby Championship 2010 2012 2013 2014