The INCREDIBLE World XV side that faced the All Blacks in the 90s

Back in 1992, New Zealand celebrated a centenary year of New Zealand Rugby in doing so they hosted a World XV for a three-test series.

The three tests were hosted at Lancaster Park in Christchurch, Athletic Park in Wellington and Eden Park in Auckland. The first test in Christchurch saw the All Blacks go down to the World XV, jampacked with stars from across the globe.

The First test

Scotland's David Sole lead the side from loosehead prop and was joined in the front row with Wallaby great Phil Kearns and Samoan tighthead Peter Fatialofa. Former France captain Marc Cécillon lined up with fellow countryman Olivier Roumat.

The back row saw representatives from three different countries and regions with Scotland's Derek White packing down at no.8, Tonga's Viliami Ofahengaue at blindside and Canada's Gordon MacKinnon at openside.

Scotland scrum-half Andy Nicol combined with France playmaker Didier Camberabero as the halfback pairings. A superstar midfield pairing saw Tim Horan line up alongside Jeremy Guscott at inside and outside centre respectively. 

Star Springbok winger Pieter Hendriks was joined in the back three with fellow countryman Faffa Knoetze with Scotland legend Gavin Hastings at fullback.

World XV Line up (1-15):

D. M. B. Sole (C) 
P. N. Kearns 
P. M. Fatialofa 
M. Cecillon 
O. Roumat 
V. Ofahengaue 
G. I. MacKinnon 
D. B. White 
A. D. Nicol 
D. Camberabero 
P. Hendriks 
T. J. Horan 
J. C. Guscott 
M. J. Knoetze 
A. G. Hastings 

All Blacks Line up (1-15):

S. C. McDowall
S. B. T. Fitzpatrick (C)
R. W. Loe
I. D. Jones
M. S. B. Cooksley
P. W. Henderson
M. N. Jones (Pene)
R. S. Turner
G. T. M. Bachop
G. J. Fox
V. L. Tuigamala
F. E. Bunce
W. K. Little
J. J. Kirwan
G. J. L. Cooper

The World XV lead the All Blacks 3-15 at halftime and extended their lead to 14-28 by full time.

The South African wingers both got on the scoreboard with Hendriks grabbing a brace with Camberabero racking up 13 points including two drop goals, two conversions and a penalty.

Grant Fox slotted a pair of penalties with Tuigamala and Turner scoring for the hosts.

Second Test:

The World XV rang the changes for the second test and brought even more test stars for the second test. Olivier Roumat was the only man to retain the same role in the starting pack with his fellow countryman Marc Cécillon shifting to #8 to make way for John Eales in the second row. 

Upfront, Argentine  Federico Mendez was promoted from the bench and was joined by Springbok Uli Schmidt and Wallaby Ewan McKenzie. The shuffle of Cécillon in the back row also saw Brendan Nasser come in along with dual international Samoan Apollo Perelini. 

Farr-Jones came into the scrum-half role and took over the captaincy with Springbok ace Naas Botha at flyhalf. After scoring a double in the first test,  Hendriks remained in the 11 jersey with Japan's Yoshihito Yoshida replacing Hendriks' countryman on the right.

J. P. Claassens replaced Horan at inside centre with Guscott retaining the 13 jersey. The final change saw South Africa's Rolls Royce fullback, Andre Joubert pushing Gavin Hastings to the bench.

World XV Line up (1-15):

F. E. Mendez
U. L. Schmidt
E. J. A. McKenzie
J. A. Eales (Coker)
O. Roumat
B. P. Nasser (Kearns)
A. Perelini
M. Cecillon
N. C. Farr-Jones (C)
H. E. Botha
P. Hendriks
J. P. Claassens
J. C. Guscott (Knoetze)
Y. Yoshida
A. J. Joubert (Hastings)

RESERVES

P. N. Kearns
T. Coker
M. J. Knoetze
A. G. Hastings

All Blacks Line up (1-15):

S. C. McDowall
S. B. T. Fitzpatrick (C)
R. W. Loe
I. D. Jones
M. S. B. Cooksley
P. W. Henderson
M. N. Jones (Pene)
R. S. Turner
G. T. M. Bachop
G. J. Fox
V. L. Tuigamala
F. E. Bunce
W. K. Little
J. J. Kirwan
G. J. L. Cooper

RESERVES
A. R. B. Pene

The All Blacks hit back at Wellington scoring 7 tries to claim a 54-26 victory after leading 34-6 at half time.

E. Clarke (2), G. J. L. Cooper (2), B. P. Larsen, R. W. Loe (2), A. R. B. Pene, A. D. Strachan and V. L. Tuigamala all scored tries for the All Blacks with Cooper converting 6 of the tries and Fox the final try.

The World XV scored five tries with M. Cecillon, J. A. Eales, A. G. Hastings, P. Hendriks and Y. Yoshida all scoring.

Third and Final Test:

With the series in the balance, the World XV reverted back to a similar side that beat the All Blacks in the first test.

Sole, Kearns and Fatialofa all returned to the starting line up while former All Black Gary Whetton and Wallaby Troy Coker coming into the second row.

Ofahengaue returned at blindside with MacKinnon and White making up the back row once again.

Farr-Jones and Botha remained as the pivots with Hendriks started his third test with his countryman Knoetze returning in place of Yoshida. 

Hastings swapped with Joubert once again with Claassens moving to outside centre and Guscott falling out of the team for Horan.

World XV Line up (1-15):

P. M. Fatialofa
P. N. Kearns
D. M. B. Sole
G. W. Whetton
T. Coker
V. Ofahengaue (FitzSimons)
G. I. MacKinnon
D. B. White
N. C. Farr-Jones (C) (Nicol)
H. E. Botha
P. Hendriks
T. J. Horan
J. P. Claassens (Little)
M. J. Knoetze
A. G. Hastings

RESERVES
A. D. Nicol
J. S. Little
P. J. FitzSimons

All Blacks Line up (1-15):

S. C. McDowall
S. B. T. Fitzpatrick (C)
R. W. Loe
I. D. Jones
B. P. Larsen
M. N. Jones
P. W. Henderson (Joseph)
A. R. B. Pene
A. D. Strachan
W. K. Little
V. L. Tuigamala
E. Clarke
F. E. Bunce
J. J. Kirwan
G. J. L. Cooper

RESERVES
J. W. Joseph

A closely fought first half saw the World XV lead the All Blacks 6-9 at half time but hosts fought back to claim a 26-15 victory.

Once again, Eroni Clarke dotted down for the All Blacks with John Kirwin, Richard Loe and Arran Pene all adding their names to score the scoresheet.

Peter Fatialofa scored the only try for the World XV as the All Blacks claimed a 2-1 series victory.