partnership will significantly strengthen our ability to maintain New Zealand rugby's edge in the competitive world in which we operate." All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said: "It's really flattering that a company this big has chosen New Zealand rugby to be its cornerstone sponsorship. It shows incredible respect for our traditions, heritage and record of success across all our teams." Book Review: Nice Try! I would highly recommend a read of 'Nice Try' by d'Arcy Orders. The author takes you on a journey to meet rugby characters from his past and they become larger than life as, one by one, they are introduced to you. If you're like me and read a lot of rugby books, this will make a very pleasent change. Available via Amazon. Sir Fred Allen Dies aged 92 Rugby legend Sir Fred Allen has died. Weighing 12st 6lb (79kg) and standing 5'10" (1.78m) Fred Allen, equally at home at first or second five eight, was an outstanding player and an equally outstanding coach. Born in Oamaru in 1920, Sir Fred went on to captain 21 matches for the All Blacks, debuting against Australia in Dunedin in 1946 after serving in the war. As coach of the All Blacks Sir Fred enjoyed tremendous success in winning all 14 Tests played from 1966 to 1968. Rugby in China When Briton Simon Drakeford learned a man with his family name played rugby for Shanghai in 1907, it sent him on a journey to document the history of the sport