Behind the Silver Fern

‘Hearing directly from the players gives such a unique perspective . . . a must for any rugby enthusiast wanting to get inside the locker room for those great days gone by of New Zealand rugby’ – The New Zealand Herald

Shortlisted for Rugby Book of the Year, 2017 Telegraph Sports Book of the Year Awards

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.