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Hero image for Legends of the All Blacks - The Legend Begins: The Battle with Britain

Legends of the All Blacks - The Legend Begins: The Battle with Britain

Television (Excerpts) – 1999

Screened in the lead-up to the 1999 World Cup final, this keenly-watched series explores the history of our most famous sports team. Episode one is framed around All Black encounters with England, Wales and Scotland. In these excerpts, Quinn tracks down 60s test prop 'Jazz' Muller (whose home is a shrine to touring days), explores prop Keith Murdoch’s infamous 1972 tour expulsion; visits the marae of George Nepia, examines rugby’s far-from-egalitarian status in England; and various All Blacks recall the rare shame of losing, amidst a history of victory.

We interviewed many famous All Blacks and their rivals and heard their great memories: we were given access to places not seen before. We made rugby exposures (like the 1995 World Rugby Corporation takeover attempt) that had never been seen before.
– Keith Quinn, in his autobiography A Lucky Man

Acknowledgements

Thanks to TVNZ Archives and the following collections and organisations for allowing NZ On Screen to reproduce stills and footage featured in the title on this website: Keith Quinn Family, John Blackwell, Alexander Turnbull Library, New Zealand Film Archive, British Movietone (Absolutely Wild Visuals), Eric Tindall, New Zealand Rugby Museum, Crown Studios, Brian 'Jazz' Muller Collection, Peter Bush, Keir Films, George Nepia/Rangitukia Marae. 

Music

Music composed by Stephen Bell-Booth

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