How Anton Segner’s All Blacks debut went down back home in Germany

Tuesday, 14 July 2026

Anton Segner made his All Blacks debut when he came on for the second half of last Saturday’s 47-17 win over Italy in Wellington.

He became All Black No 1237 and the first German All Black.

Segner said the message to the forwards ahead of this weekend’s clash with Ireland in Auckland had been simple.

“That we're going to have to roll our sleeves up.”

Anton Segner, All Black No 1237.

The Frankfurt-born loose forward now has 40 minutes of test rugby under his belt, after coming off his bench in the 47-17 win over Italy in Wellington last Saturday.

And the response back home in Germany has been phenomenal.

“It’s been huge,” Segner said after the All Blacks trained in Auckland on Tuesday, having turned their focus to their clash with Ireland at Eden Park this Saturday.

“I'm getting a direct response as well. On my social media, I'm getting plenty of comments and messages of support and people saying how proud they are of me, how proud all of German rugby is of me.

“The German rugby president actually got in touch with me to say that all of German rugby is right behind you and is hugely proud of you. [There are] even people reaching out to my family members saying that what I've achieved is truly special.

“It’s very special to see and I think it goes to show that the All Blacks are bigger than just than just a New Zealand rugby team. They definitely have a global impact and and are respected globally, even in the non-rugby nations like Germany.”

Football is the sport of choice for most Germans, but not one they will be keen to talk about right now, after their national team crashed out of the FIFA World Cup in the round of 32 last month.

One reporter present on Tuesday suggested: “Germany might switch to rugby now, after what happened to your World Cup team”.

Segner took it up playfully: “Yeah, that’s an idea that I might have to raise. I think football’s time is over. Bring rugby back in”.

The 24-year-old now owns a slice of history as the first German All Black, having achieved a goal he set when he was a young boy falling in love with rugby on the other side of the world, to the extent that he moved to New Zealand and joined Nelson College as a teenager.

'I guess it is still sinking in a bit for me,” Segner said. “But on Sunday, travelling back [to Auckland], I had a bit of a moment to sort of digest it all.

“The way I feel about it now is that after having been a part of two test weeks, I obviously know what it looks like and I guess that has upped my confidence a little bit, knowing what the process is.

“The one thing that hasn't changed is that I'm enjoying every step of the way”.

Whether Segner gets the chance to go again against Ireland remains to be seen, with Peter Lakai – who played in the season-opening test against France, but not against Italy – and Simon Parker – who is yet to play this year – both waiting in the wings in the loose forward ranks.

Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson and Ardie Savea were the starters in the No 6, 7 and 8 jerseys against Italy, with Sititi having a rough night after coming in for Lakai in the only change to the unit from the France match.

Segner said the message to the forwards this week had been simple: “That we're going to have to roll our sleeves up.

“The Irish, they're a good pack, so definitely at set pieces, especially, we're going to have to be right on, as well as around the park.

“They pride themselves around their carry and clean, so for us on defence, it's going to be about work ethic and putting bodies in front of theirs and making sure that we get lower than them.”

The All Blacks team to face Ireland will be named on Thursday afternoon.