By Jaylee Sapias – EMTV Sports, Port Moresby
2015 was a memorable year for the Rugby World-Cup Winning team, the New Zealand All Blacks. They saw a turn of events which made headlines all over the world.
These include the unforgettable World Cup Grand Final against the Australian Wallabies, the retirement of the finest in the game including Captain Richie McCaw, as well as the loss of three legends of the game, plus Tongan-born Jonah Lomu.
Lomu passed away at the tender age of 40 from a kidney condition, just a few short weeks after the All Blacks victory at the Rugby World Cup in London.
Less than 24 hours after his passing, All Blacks Captain Richie McCaw announced he would be hanging up his boots.
McCaw created history by becoming the first ever captain to win a world cup back to back and is arguably the most decorated rugby player the world has seen, ending his 15 year international career, with a world record 148 tests in which he won 131. He captained the All Blacks 111 times and lead 98 of those games to victory.
The All Blacks also saw this year, the retirement of Dan Carter who was regarded by many as the best number 10 to wear the jersey, Maá Nonu, known as one of the finest centres of the game and 34-year old, Conrad Smith, also placing as one of the best.
The team was also faced with two other deaths this year, Samoan-born flanker Jerry Collins and one-time All Black Norm Berryman who passed away from a car accident and a heart attack respectively.
