Whose All Blacks?

From about the 1880s, an imagined sense of New Zealand-ness, mass communication, and the game of rugby took shape together. This process was primarily signified by the name, image, and exploits of the All Blacks. This article argues that global media and corporate sponsorship threatens the nationally constituted heritage of All Black rugby. But, the argument in question is not a nostalgic defence of some ‘golden age’. At given points in history, the All Black heritage was ideologically constructed and subjected to conflicting interpretations. The All Blacks have always been the template for a contested national imaginary. Now, however, the All Blacks are also the expression of a global corporate culture. In this context, the article explains how an old question takes on a new significance - to whom do the All Blacks belong?