Billy Stead was an All Black captain and the vice-captain of the famous "Originals" on their 1905-06 tour. Stead also played provincially for Southland, and later coached various teams, including Southland and the New Zealand Maori. He is considered one of the greatest All Black first five-eights, and a master tactician. Him missing the teams' Wales Test was considered a major factor in their only loss. A bootmaker by trade, he also co-authored The Complete Rugby Footballer with Dave Gallaher, a book that remains one of the most influential books produced in the realms of rugby literature.
