SA All Blacks Fan Winston Small Legally Changes His Name to Māori Version
- A South African rugby player and lifelong All Blacks supporter legally changed his name ahead of the team's Cape Town visit
- The 31-year-old Wellington man chose a Māori name he described as a direct translation of his original English name
- An All Blacks player also has a South African connection; his father named him after a former Springbok captain
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A South African man's devotion to New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team has gone well beyond wearing a jersey or waving a flag; he has legally changed his name in honour of his favourite side.
Source: Twitter
Winston Small, 31, now goes by Winitana Mororiki, a name drawn from the Māori language of New Zealand's indigenous people. He described the new name as a direct translation of his original English name into Māori. Small plays club rugby for the Roses Unity Rugby Club, which falls under the Boland Rugby Union, and is based in Wellington in the Western Cape.
Cape Crusaders welcome the All Blacks
On 31 July 2026, Winitana was part of a group of local All Blacks supporters, who refer to themselves as the "Cape Crusaders," that turned out to welcome the New Zealand team on their arrival in Cape Town.
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"I've been a huge New Zealand supporter since I was a child. My parents were both full-blooded New Zealand supporters," he told the media.
There is, however, a notable twist in the family story. His father, Willie Small, stepped away from his All Blacks allegiance in 2024 after accepting a position within SA Rugby's executive council.
Watch the video below as he explains.
The All Blacks player with a South African name
The story takes an unexpected turn when one considers a prominent All Blacks player who carries a deeply South African name. Du'Plessis Kirifi, who plays for the Hurricanes, was named after former Springbok captain Morné du Plessis. His father, retired rugby player Jack Kirifi, befriended du Plessis and admired the name so much that he adapted it, adding an apostrophe, for his firstborn son.
The 28-year-old has acknowledged that he is likely the only Du'Plessis he knows of, and that many people struggle to pronounce his name upon first meeting him. He is widely known by his nickname "Dupy" or "Dupes" within the Hurricanes setup. His Instagram handle, @deepblueseeee, plays on the phonetics of his unusual first name.
Springboks land in Buenos Aires
Briefly News previously reported that the Springboks have arrived in Argentina ahead of next Saturday's Test against Los Pumas, with head coach Rassie Erasmus confirming the squad is well prepared for the challenge.
They received love on Instagram after a video of them on arrival, with some fans raving about their bags as they wished them well.
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Source: Briefly News
