 A representative New Zealand team first toured the British Isles in 1905 . The side is now known as the Originals , as the All Blacks name emerged during this tour when , according to team member Billy Wallace , a London newspaper reported that the New Zealanders played as if they were " all backs " . Wallace claimed that because of a typographical error , subsequent references were to " All Blacks " . This account is most likely a myth – because of their black playing strip , the side was probably referred to as the Blacks before they left New Zealand . Even though the name All Blacks most likely existed before the trip , the tour did popularise it . 
