Tonga's first All Black

Did you know that the first Tongan All Black was Walter Batty?

Born in Tonga in 1905 to an English father and Tongan mother, Walter donned the black jersey 92 years ago in 1928.

He played as a loose forward, and was part of the team that took on the British and Irish Lions during their New Zealand Tour in 1930. Batty was also an Insurance Agent by profession, and joined the Royal New Zealand Artillery as a sargeant during the Second World War - where he won the Distinguished Conduct Medal after holding off an attack by Italian tanks until his unit could be reinforced. Singlehandedly. How's THAT for Tongan Power!

Read more on Walter Batty here!

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Here are all the Tongans who have rocked the All Blacks Jersey: 

ARTHUR JENNINGS 

Played for the All Blacks in 1967

He was also the first Fijian to play for the All Blacks (he is of Fijian & Tongan heritage) and is the uncle of current Mate Ma'a Tonga representatives Michael and his brother Robert.

GEORGE SKUDDER 

Played for the All Blacks from 1969 to 1973.

George was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1969 to 1973. He played 14 matches for the All Blacks including one international, against the touring Welsh side in 1969.

Also interesting to note - that 3 other members of his extended family made the All Blacks (Also listed below) Tenarau Laitmer, Ben Atiga
& Nehe Milner-Skudder.  All are descendants of Alamoti Skudder who is from a small village on the mainland of Tongatapu, the Kingdom of Tonga, (specifically from a village called Mu’a).  Alamoti married Maatha Wihapi, a beautiful Māori woman from Rangiuru, Aotearoa.  Alamoti Skudder is the father of George Skudder and grandfather of Tanerau, Ben and Nehe.  (Information provided by Donna Liza-Piliu)

JONAH LOMU 

Played for the All Blacks from 1994 - 2002

He became the youngest ever All Black when he played his first international in 1994 at the age of 19 years and 45 days.  Playing on the wing Lomu finished his international career with 63 caps and 37 tries. He is regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby and consequently had a huge impact on the game.  Lomu was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame on 9 October 2007, and the IRB Hall of Fame on 24 October 2011.

He died unexpectedly on 18 November 2015 after suffering a heart attack associated with his kidney condition.

CHARLES RIECHELMANN

Played for the All Blacks in 1997 

He played six test matches (in all cases as a reserve) for New Zealand in 1997, scoring three tries. He was part of the Blues 1996 and 1997 Super 12 winning teams.

CARL HOEFT 

Played for the All Blacks from 1998 - 2003

Playing at Prop, he was a part of the All Blacks squad at both the 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cup.

ISITOLO MAKA 

Played for the All Blacks in 1998

Playing at #8 he made 4 appearances for the All Blacks, all in 1998.

PITA ALATINI 

Played for the All Blacks from 1999 - 2001 

A midfield back, Pita appeared 17 times for the All Blacks, scoring 6 tries.

KUPU VANISI 

Played for the All Blacks in 1999 

A strong debut season with the Hurricanes saw him called up to the All Blacks in 1999, where he made a single appearance in a non-test game against New Zealand A.

DOUG HOWLETT 

Played for the All Blacks from 2000 - 2007

Howlett debuted for the All Blacks on 16 June 2000. In his career, he scored on average 4 points per game (155 from his first 38). He was also a first choice winger in the 2003 World Cup.  Howlett scored 49 tries for the All Blacks, a team record.

BEN ATIGA 

Played for the All Blacks in 2003

Ben played one test for the All Blacks against Tonga in the 2003 Rugby World Cup after being called into the squad as an injury replacement for Ben Blair.  He played for the Junior All Blacks in 2005 against Australia 'A' and in 2006 in the inaugural Pacific Nations Cup.

 

SAM TU'ITUPOU  

Played for the All Blacks from 2004 - 2006

Tu'itupou won world titles as captain for New Zealand at under-19 and under-21 level, during his junior career.  Tuitupou also won acclaim on the international stage with his first All Blacks call-up for the clash with England at Dunedin in 2004. He earned 9 caps for the AB's

SAIMONE TAUMOEPEAU 

Played for the All Blacks from 2004 - 2005

Taumoepeau was a shock selection in the 2004 end-of-year All Blacks squad after having only made his debut that season in provincial rugby's Air New Zealand Cup and having yet to play Super Rugby.  He first made his name as a loosehead prop, but made his debut as a hooker for the Junior All Blacks.

SIONE LAUAKI 

Played for the All Blacks from 2005 - 2008

He has played loose forward for the All Blacks, with whom he made his debut in 2005 against Fiji. His final match for New Zealand was in 2008 against Samoa. During his time with the All Blacks he was capped 17 times and scored three tries.

He passed away on 12 February 2017, aged 35 due to heart and kidney problems.

ANTHONY TUITAVAKE 

Played for the All Blacks in 2008 

Tuitavake was named in the 2008 All Blacks squad. He made his All Black debut, starting in the 14 jersey, on 7 June against Ireland.  He made 6 appearances scoring 1 try.

TANERAU LATIMER 

Played for the All Blacks in 2009 

He was selected for the 2009 Iveco series after an injury to Richie McCaw sidelined him for the Series. He has played in total five tests and one non-test match for the All Blacks.

BEN AFEAKI 

He played once for the All Blacks in 2013

Afeaki made his lone test appearance on 8th June 2013, replacing Wyatt Crockett with five minutes left during a 23-13 victory over France.

He retired in April 2015, aged 27, after failing to recover from a concussion sustained during the 2014 Super Rugby season.

CHARLES PIUTAU 

Played for the All Blacks between 2013 - 2015 

He made his test debut against France in 2013 and had a total of 16 test appearances.  He is currently the highest paid rugby player in the world with his current Bristol deal.

FRANK HALAI 

Played for the All Blacks in 2013

He played one test match on the Wing.

MALAKAI FEKITOA 

Played for the All Blacks from 2014 - 2017

Fekitoa was born in Ha'apai, Tonga. After playing for Tonga 7's on a tour of New Zealand, he was offered a rugby scholarship and enrolled at Wesley College.  He was only eligible for selection for the All Blacks after completing three years post-education residency in New Zealand.  He was a member of the  2015 Rugby World Cup winning New Zealand side.

AUGUSTINE PULU 

Played for the All Blacks in 2014 

Pulu was called in to the All Blacks to cover for the injured Tawera Kerr-Barlow in 2014.  Pulu made his debut for New Zealand in the 59th minute of a 74-6 win over the United States in Chicago, coming on for future Sevens and Blues team-mate Sonny Bill Williams. Pulu also replaced TJ Perenara with two minutes left in the 24-16 win over Scotland that year.

NEHE MILNER - SKUDDER 

Played for the All Blacks in 2015 and was recalled again in 2017

Nehe was selected for the All Blacks in 2015 & was a key member of 2015 Rugby World Cup winning team. He scored NZ's first try in the 2015 RWC final and was awarded the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2015.

He didn't make the squad in 2016 due to injury but was recalled in 2017 in the test against Argentina and was awarded Man of the Match in the 1st test against South Africa.  In the 2nd test he badly injured his shoulder again and has been out since.

GEORGE MOALA 

Played for the All Blacks in 2015 & 2016

Moala impressed All Blacks selectors' with an impressive Super Rugby campaign and debuted for New Zealand as wing, in a historic one-off test match in Apia, Samoa. He scored New Zealand's only try in the match that ended 25-16.

OFA TU'UNGAFASI 

Currently still an All Black and debuted in 2016

In 2016 he was selected in the All Blacks squad for a three-test series against Wales.  Tu'ungafasi made his debut for NZ in the 3rd test of the series, which was a 46-6 thrashing of Wales where Tu'ungafasi replaced Blues team mate Charlie Faumuina off the bench after 53 minutes.  

At the beginning of the French test series he was involved in controvery over a high tackle with Sam Cane against French Winger Remy Grosso.  He's currently signed with the NZ Rugby Union until the end of 2021

VAEA FIFITA 

Currently still an All Black and debuted in 2017

Fifita was named in the All Blacks team in 2017 for the British and Irish Lions series and test against Samoa in Auckland, being called up as injury cover for All Black captain Kieran Read. Fifita quickly became a regular starter for New Zealand and made six appearances for the All Blacks in 2017.

NGANI LAUMAPE 

Currently still an All Black and debuted in 2017

Although Laumape started in Rugby Union he switched to Rugby League playing for the Warriors in their U20s comp.  After a season ending injury in 2015 he switched codes and went back to Rugby Union playing for the Manawatu Turbos & the Hurricanes.

Laumape was introduced into the All Blacks squad for the 2017 Pasifika Challenge against Samoa & the three-test series against the touring British and Irish Lions. Laumape's inclusion in the squad pushed out Malakai Fekitoa who had already played 23 tests. He was 1 of 3 debutants named in the side along with fellow Tongan Vaea Fifita, both of whom debuted against Samoa.

DAVID HAVILI 

Currently still an All Black and debuted in 2017

Havili made his All Blacks debut against the Pumas at the end of October replacing in-form winger Rieko Ioane with only 10 minutes left of the match. He scored a try on his debut in the last minute of the test.  

RICHIE MO'UNGA 

Currently still an All Black and debuted in 2017

Mo'unga represented the Barbarians against New Zealand in November  2017.  He then joined the All Blacks for their Northern Tour. Mo'unga was named on the bench for a NZ midweek game against a French XV.  Mo'unga was one of five debutants that day scoring his first international points after converting inside centre Ngani Laumape's try.

KARL TUINUKUAFE 

Currently still an All Black and debuted in 2018

Tu'inukuafe made his debut against France in their first June test match. Tu'inukuafe replaced Joe Moody off the bench, early in the second-half and was one of the best performing substitute players as the All Blacks won 52–11.

SHANNON FRIZELL 

Currently still an All Black and debuted in 2018

Frizell made his debut for the All Blacks on 23 June 2018 against France.  He was famously the Tongan Goal Keeper for Tongas U17s soccer team before moving to New Zealand.