Heart of dream team
was against Argentina in 2001.
3. Atu Moli (Poverty Bay) – born, Gisborne; last school, Marlborough Boys’ College. All Blacks matches: 1 (2017).
Moli was born in Gisborne and then attended Marlborough Boys’ College in Blenheim while representing Marlborough and Tasman in the junior grades.
The 23-year-old, who captained New Zealand’s world champion under-20s in 2015, later shifted to Waikato and his Chiefs debut followed in 2016 before he played once for the All Blacks last year in a midweek match against a French XV. His career has since stalled because of a freakish leg injury in March.
2. Dane Coles (HorowhenuaKa¯ piti) – born, Paraparaumu; last school, Wellington College. All Blacks tests 60
(2012-18).
Coles was widely considered the world’s best hooker around the time the All Blacks won the World Cup in 2015 but injuries in recent years have significantly limited his playing time.
The 32-year-old, who captained the Hurricanes to their maiden Super Rugby title in 2016, was hoping to return from a knee injury this year for Horowhenua-Ka¯ piti in the Heartland Championship but it never materialised, so he was back in black for Wellington and then the All Blacks on their recent northern tour.
1. Carl Hoeft (Thames Valley) – born, Auckland; last school, Te Aroha College. All Blacks tests: 30 (1998-2003).
Hoeft was part of Thames Valley’s squad that won the old third division in 1995 after making his debut for the province the previous year. The former Highlanders prop played at World Cups in 1999 and 2003 and now coaches at Japanese club Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars.