Rugby: Who are the players All Black fans love to hate?

Rugby is a game built on respect. While players are renowned for leaving any animosity on the field, fans are far less forgiving. Some players just had a knack for getting under the public's skin, particularly a public as passionate as New Zealand rugby's.

Here are eight rugby players New Zealanders love to hate.

Phil Kearns, Australia

The image of the Australian hooker raising a two-fingered salute to Sean Fitzpatrick while roaring abuse forever solidified him as a villain in the eyes of the New Zealand public. The Bledisloe was already in the bag with the All Blacks up 2-0 in the series, but they were woeful in Wellington, going down 21-9 while also suffering the humiliation of Kearns' taunt after scoring early in the second half.

"That was just a culmination of having Fitzy on my back for four tests in a row and just at me, and at me, and that was just one little way of getting back," Kearns said in the Legends of the All Blacks documentary.

Kearns said he regrets the incident, with the effect of his actions becoming clear during a wedding where he was seated next to Kiwi golfer Michael Campbell.

"After about an hour, he said to me, 'You're not such a bad bloke after all. I always thought you're a d**k.'"

Confused, Kearns asked what he had ever done to Campbell.

Campbell replied: "'You know that try you scored in 1990... I have hated you ever since'.... I guess I've made an impact with a few Kiwis."

Quade Cooper, Australia

If there was one All Black you didn't take a cheap shot at, it was Richie McCaw, and Cooper took just about the cheapest shot possible. During the Wallabies 25-20 win in Sydney in 2011, Cooper decided to drive his knee into McCaw's head while getting up from a ruck. Brad Thorn saw the blatant act and immediately went to the aid of his skipper. Cooper told the Ice Project podcast that while it was on on purpose, it was a "small" indiscretion.

"I have been punched in the head, kneed in the head, all that sort of stuff. They (the New Zealand public) were already hating on me to start with and then I go and knee the captain of the All Blacks in the head. That's just even worse. I was on the team bus and everyone was shouting, 'I hope you break your leg, I hope you die in this game.' Things like that. I went from being well-known to the most hated. It was crazy. I wasn't ready for it."

Dylan Hartley, England

Kiwis leaving Aotearoa to play for other nations is nothing new. However, the way in which Dylan Hartley dismissed his rugby upbringing in New Zealand has rubbed many the wrong way. Leaving Rotorua Boys' High at 16 for Sussex and qualifying for the English national side through his mother, Hartley would eventually crack the Red Roses in 2008, amassing 97 caps. After becoming a stalwart in the side and named captain, he's never missed a chance to take a swipe at his country of birth.

"I certainly feel English now. I've lived here for about 11-years, all my adult life. England made me the rugby player I am. Anything I have ever learned of value is very much English," he told the Guardian.

Hartley's reputation for disrespect towards officials and dirty play didn't help endear him to All Black supporters.

George Gregan, Australia

A master of the mind games, Gregan was the catalyst for a number of memorable Australian wins over New Zealand, none more so than in the 2003 World Cup semi-final where his iconic 'four more years boys', fuelled public disdain. Well in control on the scoreboard, Gregan lorded over his opposite Byron Kelleher and muttered the famous words, enraging All Blacks fans.

"I cop it for that line all the time, every Kiwi gives it to me over saying that. I've had a few All Blacks say 'that was a good call' though. It was a moment captured between me and Byron. He was an annoying guy to play against, we had a feisty halfback relationship. There was no premeditation, but you're in the heat of the moment and when you've got a chance to give it to each other - it was that moment, where we were on top," Gregan told the Rugby Pass podcast.

New Zealand stored the incident in their memory bank, and in 2011, a vengeful 40,000 fans at Eden Park chanted 'four more years' as the All Blacks sent the Wallabies out of the World Cup.

David Campese, Australia

While often frustrating fans with his on field wizardry, it was in 1991 when Campese really stirred the pot. During the All Black haka prior to the World Cup semifinal, 'Campo' opted to ignore the challenge and warm up in his own in goal area. Adding salt to the wound, Campese would go on to produce a masterful display to send the All Blacks crashing out of the tournament

"I'm often asked why I warmed up on my own. I wasn't disrespecting it. I actually believe in the haka, I think it's fantastic and I've come up against it 29 times, but ahead of the game the coach said that whatever we did was up to us. I was quite happy, then, to go and kick the ball. That was how I did it, and it worked," Campese wrote on the incident.

Peter O'Mahony, Ireland

Just to drive the knife in even further during their 23-12 victory in Dunedin in 2022, the Irish enforcer threw this cutting line at the All Blacks captain Sam Cane, referring to him as 'just a s**t Richie McCaw.' A savage dig when factoring in the widely-held belief the Cane was no match for his predecessor. But All Blacks don't forget, and following the All Blacks quarterfinal win at following year's World Cup, in which Cane played the game of his life, Brodie Retallick was quick to very articulately point out to O'Mahony that they would not be progressing further in the tournament.

"Oi Peter, four more years, you f***wit."

Retallick explained the sledge on the What A Lad podcast.

"I'm definitely going to give it back when we're having our day, and what better moment than that one right there, that's for sure."

Owen Farrell, England

That smirk. That damn smirk. Farrell was already much maligned by the rugby world for his reckless tackling technique, and during the 2019 World Cup semi final against the All Blacks, he took the unrecommended route of disrespecting the haka. Farrell stood defiantly across from the challenge with a villainous grin etched across his face, infuriating Kiwis. Making matters worse was the All Blacks didn't get the chance to wipe the smarmy smile, being thoroughly dominated by the English in Tokyo.

"Everybody says that I was stood there smirking as if I was being cocky or something, I don't know, but I don't think I was. I was thinking 'This is the only place that I want to be. We're in a World Cup semifinal against New Zealand, about to play in the biggest game I've ever played in.' The smile that was on my face was that I can't wait and take it wherever it went after that," Farrell explained on O2 Inside Line.

Johnny Sexton, Ireland

The latest addition to the club. Sexton's heel turn was cemented when he went after All Blacks centre Reiko Ioane in his autobiography. Following Ireland's quarterfinal loss to the All Blacks, he accused Ioane of unsporting behaviour right on fulltime, accusing the speedster of yelling 'enjoy your retirement!'

"So much for the All Blacks' famous "no d…heads" policy. So much for their humility. I walk after Ioane and call him a fake-humble f…er. It doesn't look great, me having a go at one of them just after we've lost. But I can't be expected to ignore that," Sexton wrote.

Fanning the flames, Ioane didn't ignore the barb, posting an Instagram story of himself and Sexton during the All Blacks' 28-24 win, with the song 'Zombie' playing. The anthem recently adopted by Irish fans, however, Ioane's implication was that World Cup result was still 'in your head,' setting up a blockbuster clash in Dublin.

Honourable mentions

Percy Montgomery (South Africa), James O'Connor (Australia), Jonny Wilkinson (England), Gavin Henson (Wales), Will Carling (England).