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James 'Buster' Barrett, in his time the lightest AB forward, went to WWI in 1915 with the Auckland Mounted Rifles division. His horse was trained for war while away but never saw any action and never returned.

After an unauthorised tour to South Africa in 1986 by senior All Blacks (the ‘Cavaliers’), players who toured were banned for two test matches. The New Zealand selectors therefore had to cast further afield for a team to play a test against France in Christchurch and in a following game against Australia at Wellington. They opted in choosing from younger or second-string players who were active around New Zealand.
The relative youth and inexperience of the new team soon earned it the affectionate nickname ‘Baby All Blacks’. The team’s popularity was ensured when it beat France, 18–9 and lost narrowly, 12–13, to Australia.
The Baby Blacks included a number of players who were to become seasoned All Blacks: David Kirk was their captain, while Joe Stanley, Sean Fitzpatrick, John Kirwan, Frano Botica, Terry Wright, Mike Brewer and Andy Earl all represented New Zealand for years.

Answer; SOUTHLAND (They had the Ranfurly Shield from September 10 1938 until August 2 1947 – which was three weeks short of nine years!) That was more than when Auckland had the Shield from September 14 1985 til September 18 1993 - a total just over 8 years! [NOTE:There were no matches played in the years of WWII. The Shield stayed in the window of H.H.Geddes and son, the menswear store, on the corner of Tay and Dee Streets in Invercargill during the war years.]