Ardie Savea mingles with fans at the captain's run in Hamilton. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
The Tron is coming down from its All Blacks fever after the recent test-match finale against France.
The All Blacks were in Hamilton for the whole week ahead of the game, which gave them a chance to mix and mingle with fans.
Students at St John’s College were treated to a skills-and-drills session from Emoni Narawa, Cam Roigard and Christian Lio-Willie, while Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown and Noah Hotham visited Hamilton Boys’ High School.
For St John’s College, it was the first time it had received a visit from the All Blacks.
Kena Ahipene, Jack Brosnan, Harper Mills and James Tickelpenny, who are all part of St John’s College First XV team and hope to be part of the All Blacks one day, said they were “pretty excited” to learn from their idols.
“It means a lot to have them [come here], I know we only had one All Black come out of this school – Marty Holah – in the mid-90s. So it’s a great opportunity for us,” Mills said.
“We were paired up with Christian [Lio-Willie] and he was giving tips about communication, scanning, hands up – just the basics, but that’s what you gotta nail to get to that level,” Ticklepenny said.
St John’s First XV coach Tony Su’a said it had been a huge day for the “boys”.
“At first, you see that ‘oh wow, there is an All Black there’ and [then] they’re like one of the guys. [The All Blacks] were very encouraging.”
Su’a said he was hoping that the students continued to play rugby even after they left high school.
“Things like this just really encourage the love of rugby.”
Deputy principal Dominic Kay was also stoked for the students.
“I think just being able to see their heroes and do some passing drills with them is something they remember for a long, long time.
“Being able to connect and show our boys that if you work hard ... that there is a pathway.
“You never know what you could end up doing.”
Narawa, an All Blacks winger, said it had been a lot of fun teaching the kids “the basics of footy”.
Image 1 of 12: Impressions from the All Blacks skills and drills session at St Johns College 2025. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
“Seeing the smiles on those kids’ faces ... That’s what we play for.
“They did pretty well and were eager to learn ... I was actually surprised with their skills.
“Seems like NZR [New Zealand Rugby] is in good hands.”
There was also a signing session at Centre Place and some fans, including Anne Leonard of Ngātea, Barb Cleland of Hamilton and Whangamatā’s Sharon and Stephanie Laurenson were lucky enough to be invited to the captain’s run, after Sharon won the tickets at an auction.
The group had especially hoped to meet captain Ardie Savea and Will Jordan – with great success.
“It’s lovely to see [the All Blacks] up close and personal. Really exciting. We got about 10 photos and autographs,” Sharon Laurenson said.
“It was a different insight into how they train,” Leonard added.
The French last played in New Zealand in 2018. Talking to the Waikato Herald last month, French captain Gaël Fickou said the team enjoyed their recent stay.
“[New Zealand] is a very beautiful country with incredible landscapes. We were warmly welcomed and the people were very nice.
“We will take home fond memories [of our stay].”
The French last played in Hamilton in 1979. This time, the team stayed in the Tron for only two days, instead opting to set up camp in Auckland before that – much to the disappointment of some local fans.
The French team told the Waikato Herald the decision had been made by management staff a few months before the test series.
When Les Bleus last stayed in New Zealand in 2018, they spent some time in Auckland and “got to know the training facilities” there, the French said in a statement.
As they weren’t “familiar” with Hamilton’s facilities and Auckland was just a short drive away, staying in Auckland had been the “easiest” and most comfortable option.
Fickou said due to the short stay in Hamilton, the team didn’t have a lot of time to have a proper look around.
“We have mostly been to the hotel and the stadium – which is magnificent. But Hamilton seems to be a very warm, welcoming and friendly city.
“I find the respect that we have in this terrain and in the stands extraordinary.
“We were super well received by everyone and there are a lot of French [fans] here, which makes us very happy.”
Despite the losses, Fickou said it was “always a pleasure” to play the All Blacks.
Danielle Zollickhofer is the Waikato news director and a multimedia journalist at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.