- Ask Steven
First-class All Blacks
John GriffithsNovember 19, 2014
Which New Zealander has appeared in most first-class rugby matches? asked Murray D, United Kingdom
Colin Meads played 361 matches that are recognised as first-class by the New Zealand Rugby Union. The legendary All Black made the first of his 139 senior career appearances for King Country in July 1955 and went on the New Zealand Colts tour of Australia and Japan later the same season.
He was named as one of New Zealand's Five Most Promising Players of the Year after his first season, the citation reading: "It appears the time is not so far away when we shall see this very fine player wearing an All Black jersey."
His New Zealand debut came in Australia two years later and all told he went on to make 133 All Black appearances - a record that held until Richie McCaw overtook him earlier this year.
Meads played the last of his 55 Tests for New Zealand in 1971 and his final first-class game was for an invitation XV in Rotorua in April 1974.
The majority of his other first-class matches were for the NZ Under-23 team, for combined teams and in NZ trials.
Keven Mealamu equalled Meads's first-class record when he came on as a replacement for New Zealand against England at Twickenham earlier this month. The All Black hooker made his first-class debut for Auckland in 1999 and entered the New Zealand team in 2002.
According to details confirmed by New Zealand sources, his haul of 361 matches - to November 19, 2014 - includes 151 for The Blues, 123 for the All Blacks (including 122 Tests), 65 for Auckland, 11 for The Chiefs and three for the Barbarians. His remaining matches were for NZ Colts, NZ "A" and in NZ trials.
John Griffiths is a widely respected rugby historian and is the author of several sports books, a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph and co-author of the IRB International Rugby Yearbook. He has provided insight for Scrum.com since 1999.
