Todd Blackadder acquired folk hero status, especially in Canterbury, while leading the province and the Crusaders to a remarkable period of success in the national championship and in the Super 12 from the late 90s to the early 2000s. Despite his full hearted commitment and endeavour Blackadder could not quite manage the same level of achievement with the All Blacks, whom he captained throughout the 2000 season.

Blackadder was perhaps one of those players who proved that at the highest level there was a gap between the highest international standard and levels slightly below that. As a provincial and Super 12 player and even with the All Blacks as a midweek tourist or in tests against second tier countries matches Blackadder was invariably superb value.

But at the highest echelon, and for the All Blacks that has become in modern times tests against the Springboks, the Wallabies, the Lions, England and France, Blackadder through no fault of his own had limitations. He was one of those players who for all their fine qualities fell between two stools.

He could be effective either as a lock or in the backrow as either a blindside flanker or No 8. But even though he had a surprising turn of speed he was not quite nimble or athletic enough to be an exceptional loose forward. And as a lock his relative lack of height placed him at an enormous disadvantage when marking giants such as John Eales.

That was perhaps most exposed in the lineout malfunction which led to the Wallabies snatching their late victory over the All Blacks at Wellington in 2000.

For all that Blackadder achieved mighty deeds in New Zealand rugby and epitomised, with his devotion to any team for which he played, at club, provincial and international levels, all of rugby's best values.

Though a product of North Canterbury, Blackadder first emerged in rugby while working on a farm near Collingwood at the top of the South Island. He represented Nelson Bays as a teenager in 1990 and from that union received an early break in a New Zealand Divisional XV on a tour of Australia in 1991. He returned to Canterbury in 1991 for the first of more than 100 games for his home province.

After appearing for national sides at colts, sevens and on the development tour of Argentina in 1994 Blackadder made the All Black side which toured Italy and France in 1995. In the 1994-95 seasons he had confirmed himself as a splendid all purpose forward with the Canterbury in the Ranfurly Shield successes of those seasons.

Blackadder was again an All Black on the 1996 tour of South Africa and by now his considerable leadership qualities were being recognised. By 1997 he was captaining both Canterbury and the Crusaders and on that year's tour of England, Wales and Ireland he was the All Blacks' midweek captain.

He finally gained a test cap when he appeared twice against England in 1998. But it was plain then that coach John Hart did not regard him as a genuine test player and after that he drifted out of contention and was not required for the 1999 World Cup.

However, with a change in the selection panel Blackadder, having led the Crusaders to a third Super 12 title in a row, was recalled to the All Blacks by new coach Wayne Smith. He was not only in the starting XV but given the captaincy as well. Blackadder led the All Blacks in 10 tests from which there were seven wins. But while there were wins over Australia, South Africa and France there were also losses to those countries as well and his captaincy term, despite a 70% return, carried some qualifications.

He struggled in a tired Crusaders side in the 2001 Super 12. But he performed well for Canterbury in defending the shield through the season and in winning the NPC before accepting an offer to play out his career in Scotland.

Back in New Zealand, Blackadder in 2006 took up a position as Director of Rugby at the Tasman RFU, an amalgamation of the Nelson Bays and Marlborough Unions.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

Todd Julian Blackadder

BORN

Monday, 20 September 1971 in Rangiora

AGE

38

PHYSICAL

1.90m, 100kg

POSITION

Lock and loose forward

LAST SCHOOL

Rangiora High

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Glenmark

PROVINCE

Canterbury

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Wednesday, 25 October 1995
v Italy 'A' at Catania
aged 24 years, 35 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 20 June 1998
v England at Dunedin
aged 26 years, 273 days

LAST TEST

Saturday, 25 November 2000
v Italy at Genova
aged 29 years, 66 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

12 (10 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

13 (4 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

25 (14 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

5pts (1t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

10pts (2t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

15pts (3t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

947

The All Black Games that Blackadder played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1995

 25 Oct vs Italy 'A' at Catania 51-21  

 1 Nov vs French Barbarians at Toulon 34-19  

 7 Nov vs Cote Basque-Landes at Bayonne 47-20  

 14 Nov vs French Selection at Nancy 55-17  

1996

 6 Aug vs Boland Invitation XV at Worcester 32-21  

 13 Aug vs Eastern Province at Port Elizabeth 31-23  

 20 Aug vs Western Transvaal at Potchefstroom 31-0 (+) 

 27 Aug vs Griqualand West at Kimberley 18-18  

1997

 11 Nov vs Wales 'A' at Pontypridd 51-8  (Captain)

 18 Nov vs Emerging England at Huddersfield 59-22  (Captain)

 25 Nov vs English Rugby Partnership XV at Bristol 18-11  (Captain)

 2 Dec vs England 'A' at Leicester 30-19  (Captain)

1998

 20 Jun vs England at Dunedin 64-22 (+) 

 27 Jun vs England at Auckland 40-10 (-) 

1999

 11 Jun vs New Zealand 'A' at Christchurch 22-11 (+) 

2000

 16 Jun vs Tonga at Albany 102-0  (Captain)

 24 Jun vs Scotland at Dunedin 69-20  (Captain)

 1 Jul vs Scotland at Auckland 48-14  (Captain)

 15 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 39-35  (Captain)

 22 Jul vs South Africa at Christchurch 25-12  (Captain)

 5 Aug vs Australia at Wellington 23-24  (Captain)

 19 Aug vs South Africa at Johannesburg 40-46  (Captain)

 11 Nov vs France at Paris 39-26  (Captain)

 18 Nov vs France at Marseille 33-42  (Captain)

 25 Nov vs Italy at Genova 56-19  (Captain)

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs Italy 'A', 25 Oct 1995

2

-

-

-

10

vs Tonga, 16 Jun 2000

1

-

-

-

5

Totals

3

0

0

0

15

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Australia

2

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

England

2

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

France

2

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

Italy

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Scotland

2

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

South Africa

2

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

Tonga

1

1

-

-

1

-

-

-

5

Totals

12

9

0

3

1

0

0

0

5