UPDATED 5:05am: Former All Black and Crusader Leon MacDonald confronted burglars at his Blenheim home, but failed to prevent them taking off with up to 15 of his international rugby jerseys.

The incident happened in the early hours of yesterday morning.

When Macdonald confronted the offenders they verbally threatened him before taking off.

Both are believed to be in their teens - one Caucasian, the other part Maori - an one is thought to have a nose piercing.

The jerseys have game dates written on them, and some have MacDonald's name woven into the fabric.

He says he wished they'd taken anything else.

"I felt a bit sick the next day. It was gutting. Especially once you realise some of the jerseys that are gone you'll never replace them. You can buy replicas in the shop but to actually have jerseys that you've swapped with players - there's a story behind every one."

Macdonald says they should do the right thing.

"Blenheim's a small community and there's no use for these guys. They've got no value. It means a lot more to me than it does for them. So hopefully common sense prevails and they leave it somewhere where we can locate and we move on quite happily. I just want them back."