Samuel Whitelock retires: A legendary All Blacks career ends

Samuel Whitelock has already played for the All Blacks for the last time. Photo / Hannah Peters

EDITORIAL

As the sun sets on the illustrious career of Samuel Whitelock, rugby in New Zealand finds itself standing at a crossroads, and for Scott Robertson, the new All Blacks coach, the path ahead just became more challenging.

The man who won hundreds of lineouts for the All Blacks, with an incredible knack for making the right play at exactly the right time, who gave 110 per cent every minute, and produced the unforgettable turnover to thwart Ireland’s 37-phase effort to rescue last year’s World Cup quarter-final is finally hanging up the boots. His retirement marks the end of an era, leaving a void in the All Blacks line-up that will be difficult to fill.

Last month, as reported by the Herald, the new All Blacks coach approached Whitelock to come back to New Zealand and resume his 153-test career. With his wealth of experience and expertise, Whitelock could have played a pivotal role in nurturing and developing the next generation of locks, particularly with an eye towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Yet, even in his retirement, Whitelock’s influence will continue to loom large, serving as a guiding light for aspiring rugby stars and a reminder of the standards of excellence that define the All Blacks.

In a career spanning 17 years, Whitelock carved his name into the annals of rugby history with the precision of a master craftsman. He bows out as the most-capped All Black in history, a testament to his unwavering dedication and unparalleled skill. His list of achievements reads like a litany of rugby greatness:

• He bows out as the most-capped All Black in history and second on the all-time list of most-capped internationals with 153 tests, a distinction earned through 17 years of unwavering dedication to the game.
• He won two Rugby World Cups, starting both the 2011 and 2015 victories over France and Australia respectively.
• He played in 26 Rugby World Cup matches, four more than the next best Richie McCaw.
• He won 125 of his 153 tests, losing 22 and drawing six.
• He won seven straight Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders (2017 to 2023) and was named Man of the Match in 2022 and 2023.
• He won the Tri-Nations/Rugby Championships 11 times (2012 to 2018, 2020 to 2023).
• He retained the Bledisloe Cup on 14 occasions.
• He was named the New Zealand Rugby Player of the Year in 2017.

Beyond the realm of numbers lies a man of remarkable character — a paragon of integrity, humility, and sportsmanship. His decision to retire stems not from waning ability, but from a desire to embrace new beginnings, to chart a course enriched by the joys of family and personal fulfilment.

His last game for the All Blacks was a third World Cup final, the 12-11 defeat to South Africa in Paris, and as accolades pour in from peers and admirers alike, one sentiment echoes with resounding clarity: Whitelock is, without a shadow of a doubt, among the greatest All Blacks of all time.

As the curtain falls on his illustrious career, let us pause to celebrate the enduring legacy of Whitelock — a colossus whose name will forever be etched in the annals of rugby history.