All Black legends to be capped

Some of the biggest names in All Blacks' history will be honoured this weekend in as the second of the All Blacks Test capping ceremonies takes place in Wellington.

In all, 32 former All Blacks or their families will receive the caps they earned for their first Test appearance at a Te Papa function on Friday night.

Many of those players will be acknowledged again at Saturday's Test match between the All Blacks and France, with 18 of them forming a guard of honour to welcome the teams to the field.

The tradition of capping a players' first appearance in a Test match was interrupted by the Second World War and was only re-established in 1997 meaning more than 400 All Blacks never received a Test cap.

The NZRU has committed to making sure all those caps are awarded by 2011.

Among those being capped this weekend are legendary figures of the game including four former All Blacks captains - each of whom debuted in a different decade - Bob Stuart, Kel Tremain, Chris Laidlaw and Dave Loveridge.

There's also a strong Wellington contingent, including former Wellington and All Blacks captain Andy Leslie, and a group of players who played in the great All Blacks teams of the 1980s - Bernie Fraser, Murray Mexted, Allan Hewson and Murray Pierce.

Fullback Hewson is easily the top points scorer from those being capped having amassed 201 Test points, the most famous of which are probably the decisive penalty goal which won the Test and the Series for the All Blacks against the 1981 Springboks.

Earle Kirkton, a product of Otago who went on to coach Wellington and become a national selector, will receive his cap while two players from the 1990s - loose forward Jamie Joseph and first five-eighth Stephen Bachop, both synonymous with Otago rugby but have since settled in Wellington, will be the last to be capped.

Meanwhile, all six Manawatu All Blacks being honoured plied their trade in the forwards ranging from the first player to be capped - number eight Jack Finlay, who debuted in 1946 against Australia and who passed away in 2001, through to 35-Test veteran prop Gary Knight and loose forward Geoffrey Old, both of whom played against the Springboks in 1981.

The full-list of players being honoured:

Jack Finlay* (M'watu)
Roy White* (Wgtn)
Bob Stuart* (Cant)
Norman Wilson* (Otago)
Ron Jarden* (Wgtn)
Brian Finlay* (M'watu)
Kel Tremain* (Cant)
Mick Williment* (Wgtn)
Larry Savage (Cant)
Selwyn Bremner (Akld)
Don McIntosh (Wgtn)
Neven MacEwan (Wgtn)
Russell Watt (Wgtn)
Ian Uttley (Wgtn)
Chris Laidlaw (Otago)
Earle Kirton (Otago)
Sam Strahan (M'watu)
Blair Furlong (H Bay)
Mick Duncan (H Bay)
John Callesen (M'watu)
Andy Leslie (Wgtn)
Bill Osborne (Wanganui)
John Ashworth (Cant)
Gary Knight (M'watu)
Dave Loveridge (Taranaki)
Bernie Fraser (Wgtn)
Murray Mexted (Wgtn)
Allan Hewson (Wgtn)
Geoff Old (M'watu)
Murray Pierce (Wgtn)
Jamie Joseph (Otago)

Stephen Bachop (Otago)

• Family members of those players who have passed away will collect the caps on their behalf.