gentle giant: on tour with the jubilee all blacks

Disregarding the saying ’what goes on on tour stays on tour’, Gentle Giant tells the story of the ’Jubilee All Blacks’ through the eyes of player Ron King. Departing Hokitika in August 1935, we join Ron on the five month adventure that took him and his teammates to the other side of the world.

At a time when rugby was particularly strong in the ’Home Countries’, this story outlines the challenges the team faced on the field, as well as the expectations placed upon them as representatives of their country. In their ambassadorial role, they were expected to showcase how ＂New Zealand produces first class soldiers, first class footballers, and good fellows generally, as well as the best butter, excellent cheese, good mutton and the very best lamb＂.

Gentle Giant is as much about the All Blacks’ social programme as it is about the games the team played. It highlights a time when, with poor radio and no television, print media was paramount, and rugby writers set the scene for the rugby-following public.