​Anton Segner is poised to become the first German-born All Black if the uncapped back row player comes off the bench for New Zealand in their Nations Championship clash with Italy on Saturday. The 24-year-old was born in Frankfurt and grew obsessed with rugby and the All Blacks after being introduced to the sport by two English school friends. He joined a local club that had New Zealand coaches and adopted Kiwi habits, even asking his parents to make him pies and performing a haka learned from YouTube at a school Christmas concert. “Talk like a Kiwi, eat like a Kiwi, dress like a Kiwi,” Segner’s father Tim recalled in an interview with Stuff last month, describing his son’s childhood.
At 15, Segner moved to Nelson College, a state school that has produced several All Blacks, and he progressed through New Zealand’s age-grade teams before earning a contract with the Blues in Super Rugby. “I’ve experienced it first hand that rugby in New Zealand is like football [soccer] in Germany,” Segner said. “It’s a rugby-crazy country and that’s all I wanted. To make this squad now is definitely a dream come true.”
Although Segner seems on the verge of becoming the first German-born All Black, his journey mirrors the path taken by Fabian Holland. Holland was born and raised in the Netherlands but, inspired by a New Zealand Sevens training camp at his local club, set his sights on becoming an All Black. He moved to Christchurch at 16 and made his New Zealand debut against France in July 2025, later being named World Rugby’s breakthrough player of the year in December.
Coach Dave Rennie has made five changes to the starting lineup after last weekend’s narrow win over France, with flanker Wallace Sititi among the new faces. Ruben Love retains the fly-half position after his first Test start in the 34-32 victory in Christchurch. The All Blacks’ team for the fixture features: McKenzie; Jordan, Proctor, Barrett, Carter; Love, Roigard; de Groot, Taylor, Lomax, Darry, Vaa’i, Sititi, Jacobson, Savea. Replacements: Taukei’aho, Bower, Tosi, Lord, Segner, Ratima, Lienert-Brown, Moorby. Listen: Sport’s Strangest Crimes – Bloodgate. Listen to the latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast for better SEO.