The All Blacks, led by Dave Gallaher, are our New Zealanders of the Year. The "Originals" won 31 of their 32 matches on their northern tour in 1905-06, the only loss being a controversial one to Wales.
But there was no dampening the Herald's enthusiasm when they returned. It praised them not just for winning and their sportsmanship but for what they had done to promote New Zealand.
"The New Zealand footballers arrived in England unostentatiously and unknown . . . but left it in a blaze of glory - with a long list of victories honourably won, with their shields untarnished by anything that could not be called 'playing the game'," it said.
"Their tour has taught the people in the Homeland more about the country and people in the Antipodes in a few months than would have been learned in years under ordinary circumstances."
From the Herald archives:
'Return of the "All Blacks"', New Zealand Herald, 7 March 1906
