Behind the Silver Fern

Behind the Silver Fern is a comprehensive history of rugby's most famous yet enigmatic team, the New Zealand All Blacks, told by the men who have had the honour of wearing the iconic black jersey. From the legendary 1905 'Originals' all the way through to the World Cup team of 2019, this unique history of the All Blacks lifts the lid on their experiences like never before.

Thanks to exhaustive archival research and exclusive new material garnered from a vast array of interviews with players and coaches from across the decades, Tony Johnson and Lynn McConnell unveil the compelling truth of what it means to play for the most successful team in the history of sport all the glory and the drama on the field, the great friendships off it, and the bonds of a brotherhood that extend far beyond the bright lights of a Test match.

Absorbing and illuminating, this is the ultimate history of All Black rugby told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.

“a treat for anybody who enjoys a little inside track into the great and controversial moments. There is little as revealing in sport as thoughts delivered straight from the horse's mouth'”

-- "The Rugby Paper"

Tony Johnson is a household name in New Zealand as a rugby commentator, TV sports presenter, rugby writer, journalist and radio broadcaster. He has covered Test match, Super Rugby and domestic rugby in New Zealand since 1987 as well as a variety of other sports from the Olympics and Commonwealth games to golf and tennis.

Lynn McConnell is one of New Zealand's foremost sports historians with over 17 books to his name. He is the editor in New Zealand of the website sportal.co.nz and has an extensive career in newspaper journalism having been Sports Editor of The Evening Post in Wellington and earlier the Sports Editor of the Southland Times in Invercargill.

Behind the Silver Fern is a comprehensive history of rugby's most famous yet enigmatic team, the New Zealand All Blacks, told by the men who have had the honour of wearing the iconic black jersey. From the legendary 1905 'Originals' all the way through to the World Cup team of 2019, this unique history of the All Blacks lifts the lid on their experiences like never before. Thanks to exhaustive archival research and exclusive new material garnered from a vast array of interviews with players and coaches from across the decades, Tony Johnson and Lynn McConnell unveil the compelling truth of what it means to play for the most successful team in the history of sport - all the glory and the drama on the field, the great friendships off it, and the bonds of a brotherhood that extend far beyond the bright lights of a Test match. Absorbing and illuminating, this is the ultimate history of All Black rugby - told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.

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