Footage of 1905 UK tour uncovered

What started as a germ of an idea about the Originals captain Dave Gallaher expanded into a project that uncovered some rare footage of his All Black team on their 1905 tour.

Some of that "new" film shows Gallaher's side in action against England at Crystal Palace, a test they won 15-0, before they moved on to their solitary and controversial defeat by Wales.

Gallaher was the captain and wing forward of the tourists despite a near revolt on board the ship en route to Britain when a special vote was needed to reinforce Gallaher's leadership.

After Gallaher returned to New Zealand he persuaded the Army he should enlist for the Great War even though he was deemed too old to serve.

He died from shrapnel wounds in the battle at Passchendaele and was buried in the nearby Nine Elms cemetery in Poperinghe. The All Blacks visited Gallaher's gravesite in 2000 and have since played France for a trophy bearing his name.

On the All Blacks visit to Paris last year, Sky commentator Tony Johnson thought he might gather some footage about Gallaher to be used as a preview for subsequent All Blacks-France internationals.

The more he discovered about Gallaher, the more Johnson thought there should be a documentary made about the Ulsterman who found fame as an All Black captain.

For much of the year Johnson is involved in rugby commentary or match analysis for Sky.

But he has compiled an engaging search into the life of Gallaher, one of the pillars of New Zealand rugby history.

It was a project that took Johnson from Belgium to Katikati where Gallaher and his family originally lived when they emigrated in 1878.

The result will be screened on Sky's Rugby Channel on Monday to coincide with Anzac Day.