Wayne
Shelford

Wayne Shelford is a former All Blacks captain who led his country in the 1980s

Wayne Shelford Bio

Wayne Shelford is a former All Blacks player and captain who was a star of the game in the 1980s. He is also credited with revitalising the performance of the traditional ‘Ka Mate’ haka before All Blacks games. Wayne Shelford was inducted into the RugbyPass Hall of Fame in 2021.

Born 13 December 1957, Wayne Shelford began playing rugby when he was still young. Due to his obvious talent for the game, he was selected for the Bay of Plenty Secondary Schools and Auckland age grade sides. He then made his Auckland debut in 1982.

However, when the North Harbour Rugby Union was created, Wayne Shelford moved with it because his club (North Shore) was a member. He then stayed with the union until 1991.

Between 1986 and 1990, Wayne Shelford played 48 games for the All Blacks, including 22 tests. In this period, he was a key member of the side that won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.

Following the Rugby World Cup victory in 1987, Wayne Shelford took over the captaincy of the All Blacks. Under his stewardship, the All Blacks did not lose a single game. In total, he captained New Zealand 31 times, including 14 tests. He also taught the side how to properly perform the ‘Ka Mate’ haka.

In 1990, Wayne Shelford was controversially dropped by the All Blacks. Many fans protested against the decision for several years, but sadly he never regained his place in the side.
As a result, Wayne Shelford moved to Northampton in England and helped revitalise the team. After then enjoying a spell with Rugby Roma in Italy, he retired in 1995.

Following his retirement, Wayne Shelford enjoyed a career in coaching in England and New Zealand. In 2020, he became the host, assistant coach and an emergency player for the All Blacks Alumni in a reality documentary series.