“…the All Blacks made a conscious decision … they went out a couple of minutes early.” Justin Marshall on Nathan Charles in Sydney.
The broadcaster sets the time a team leaves the changing room. In Sydney on Saturday 17 October, the All Blacks brought theirs forward for Nathan Charles.
“…the All Blacks made a conscious decision that they knew Nathan Charles was going to be out there and they went out a couple of minutes early,” Justin Marshall said.
Marshall, 81 Tests at scrum-half for the All Blacks, told the story on The Good, The Bad & Rugby Australia & New Zealand, published on Tuesday 20 October. Host Andy Rowe had asked him about the support for Charles at Accor Stadium.
Did the walkout mean more than the haka? Say which moment stayed with you in the comments.
Why the All Blacks left the shed early for Nathan Charles
Charles is a former Wallabies hooker who played four Tests. He revealed his motor neurone disease diagnosis earlier this month, and he was at the ground for the second Bledisloe Test.
The slot exists for television, Marshall explained, and going early bought the squad a few minutes. “So that they could take the time to go and see him on the field,” he said.
“the whole entire team went over to him. he was stood on the [Wallabies] side and and shook his hand um and hugged”
Codie Taylor led the handshakes, according to allblacks.com. The Wallabies wore 881, his Wallaby number, on their jerseys. He was there for the anthem too, and Marshall noticed him singing it.
Marshall saw him in the tunnel first
Before any of that, Marshall had spoken with Charles in the tunnel, before Charles went out onto the field.
“…see him in the flesh and what he’s dealing with and the courage that he has”
Charles has lived with cystic fibrosis since he was a baby. Before Eden Park he joined the Wallabies in Auckland ahead of their captain’s run.
He has also done all of it in public. Marshall’s view was that the people around him have made that possible: “that’s because of the rallying of that rugby community you talked about.”
Codie Taylor’s speech and a framed jersey
After the All Blacks’ 43-21 win, the Wallabies were invited into the All Blacks’ changing room with him.
“…performed a special [haka] for Nathan Charles.”
Then came the jersey “with his images” and the squad’s signatures, “presented by [Codie] Taylor after a speech”, in Marshall’s words.
The jersey was framed and signed by the squad. Photos of Charles playing for the Wallabies surround it, according to the All Blacks’ own report.
In his speech Taylor said: “It’s a tough place to get up and talk about, obviously, the news you’ve had mate,” and told Charles “we’re right in behind you.”
“For that sort of moment in rugby, it goes to show you what rugby is all about,” Marshall said.
Jeremy Paul on telling the same story over and over
Jeremy Paul, 72 Tests at hooker for the Wallabies, had caught up with Charles at a lunch on the Friday before the Test. What struck him was how often Charles has to explain himself.
“Like you might meet 50 people at the footy and then you’re having to talk about the same thing over and over and over again. And it’s just when you talk about brave, mate, like that is just so brave”
Paul gave the All Blacks credit too, calling Taylor “outstanding” in his delivery. The haka “does mean a lot”, he said, for the respect it shows Charles.
The full episode is on the show’s YouTube channel.
Your turn: the walkout or the haka?
The All Blacks gave up their walkout slot before kick-off and performed a haka for Charles after it.
Which one got to you more? Vote walkout or haka below.
Frequently asked
Who is Nathan Charles?
Nathan Charles is a former Wallabies hooker who played four Tests. His Wallaby number is 881. He has lived with cystic fibrosis since he was a baby and revealed a motor neurone disease diagnosis in October 2026.
What did the All Blacks do for Nathan Charles?
Before the Sydney Test on 17 October 2026 the whole team shook his hand on the field, led by Codie Taylor. After the match they performed a haka for him in their changing room and presented a framed, signed All Blacks jersey.
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