E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly Version 
Subscribe to RSS FeedAnton Oliver
Date of birth: 09/09/1975
Position: Hooker
Test caps: 55
Test Debut: Fiji, 1997
Test Points: 15
Current Club: Otago
Strengths: With over 290 first-class caps, Oliver brings a vast wealth of experience to New Zealand's front row and remains a natural leader, having captained the All Blacks in 10 Tests. This experience has made him one of the best decision-makers in the game, while his scrummaging is also one of his greatest strengths. In fact, Oliver's set-piece play is rivalled only by Springbok captain John Smit on the international stage as his line-out throwing is back to his exemplary standards of old.
Weaknesses: While there is nothing wrong with his handling, Oliver is not the sort of hooker to make huge territorial gains with the ball in hand. As one of the smaller players on the field he is forced to rely on technique, but sometimes struggles in more physical situations. As a result he is often taken off in the closing stages of a game in favour of the more robust Keven Mealamu.
Likely headline(s): Oliver Asks For More
Did you know? Made his All Blacks debut on the same ground and against the same opposition as his father Frank: against Eastern Province at Port Elizabeth. Anton and Frank, who captained New Zealand in 1978, are the only father and son All Blacks to have both played on a Grand Slam tour. He is a patron for the Coalition for Open Government a political pressure group formed in the late 1970s to promote open government in New Zealand.
