I'm a Hawkeye Guy

13th defence:

 BAY OF PLENTY 

 

McLean Park, Napier. Saturday, September 21st, 1968

 

HAWKES BAY 14, BAY OF PLENTY 0 (Half-time: 3-0)

 

 For Hawkes Bay: Hepa Paewai and Mick Duncan tries. Ian Bishop, conversion and penalty goal. Blair Furlong, dropped goal.

 

Hawkes Bay: Ian Bishop, Dennis Smith, Mick Duncan, Doug Curtis, John Dougan, Blair Furlong, Hepa Paewai, Gary Condon, Philip Pratt, Rod Abel, Karaan Crawford, Kel Tremain, Neil Thimbleby, Myles Reddy, Hilton Meech.

 

Bay of Plenty: Ernst van der Leeden (Waikite), Graeme Moore (Katikati), Alfred James (Waikite), David Magee (Tauranga HSOB), Renata Kaipara  (Te Teko), Barry Flood (Waikite), Dave Meek (Rotorua HSOB), Bruce Matuschka (Mount Maunganui), Dick ‘Red’ Conway (Whakatane United/captain), Arthur Jennings (Kahukura), Manu Maniapoto (Whakarewarewa), James Teat (Kahukura), Paul Scott (St. Michael’s OB) Ken Grant (Rotorua HSOB), Dinny Mohi (Rotorua HSOB)

 

Referee: Dr. H (Humphrey) Rainey (Wellington)  Crowd: 18,695  Net profit to HBRFU: $7,245.70

 

 

“The Bay of Plenty match was the hardest game of the past two seasons, but once again, Bay of Plenty – as shield challengers – did not attack and really put the acid on us. For all that, it was a wonderful display of forward play and brought the best out in both sides”                                                                                                 Colin Le Quesne (Shield ’68)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bay of Plenty had arrived in force, led by their mascot, Hori Bop. Their supporters had brought Napier alive with their part in the pre-match parade and sounded a real note of confidence as the game drew near. It was always assumed that the Bay of Plenty challenge would be hard. The rugged pack were full of hard men, led by one of the most remarkable players in the game for many a year, a 33-year-old carpenter from Whakatane, Richard James ‘Red’ Conway.

 

Although he started his rugby career for Otago in 1957 (and played there for several winters), he was Bay of Plenty born and bred and returned in 1962 to captain that side. The shield challenge was his 71st appearance for the Bay of Plenty. He retired a week later following a Coronation Shield match against North Auckland in Whangarei at the completion of the 1968 season. 

 

Conway had played 25 games for the All Blacks – including 10 tests – going back to the 1959 series against the British Isles, where he played in all but the first in Dunedin. He toured South Africa a year later, playing in three of the four international matches, but infamy is greater owing to what can only be described as one of the truly legendary moments in rugby football history. 

 

A persistent finger injury incurred from playing as a softball catcher put Conway's chances of touring South Africa in doubt. After the finger had mended, it retained a kink and he was told by a specialist that if he kept playing rugby, the finger would keep breaking. To keep his spot on the tour, Conway decided to amputate the finger after the final selection trial.

He was not selected for the All Blacks again until 1965, when recalled for the four tests against South Africa, playing also for the combined Bay of Plenty/Counties/Thames Valley side in their 17-33 defeat, the Springboks running in nine tries, three to Janie Engelbrecht.

 

The following season, although not required for the All Blacks, he had the distinction of marking a somewhat out of position Willie John McBride as the Bay of Plenty (the side also included Arthur Jennings, Manu and Jim Maniapoto and Paul Scott) earned for themselves a very meritorious 6-6 draw in Rotorua, against the Lions.

 

Arthur Grahn Jennings was born in Lautoka, Fiji and as such, would become the first Fijian born All Black, when selected for the Northern Hemisphere tour the preceding summer. He made his debut for Bay of Plenty in 1962, in a 14-9 win over Counties in Whakatane. A tall and athletic lock, Jennings was noted that season as being ‘grand in the open, a most dangerous runner with ball in hand’. His line-out skills too, were of considerable value to any side he was selected in. A former West Coast representative, Ian MacRae - who ‘tackled ‘soundly and was a clever centre’ - was making his debut for the Bay the same match.

 

Both players (MacRae in Hawkes Bay by then) received their first All Black trial the following season and the pair were perennial trialist’s throughout the mid-1960’s. In 1967, Jennings – ‘justifiably so’ - received his New Zealand call-up after playing more than 50 matches for a Bay of Plenty pack that were rarely beaten, especially in close-quarter confrontation on heavy grounds.

 

His selection was seen as just reward for this effort and he was the sole Bay of Plenty representative in the touring party. Manawatu’s young Sam Strachan, it appeared, was the selectors replacement for brother Stan, as Colin Meads permanent locking partner. Jennings played in only six tour matches and the fourth lock, Alan Smith of Taranaki, in only five. Neither would play in a test match. His first match for New Zealand was in the 36-3 drubbing of British Columbia in Vancouver en route to Great Britain.

 

Arthur Jennings made 89 appearances for the Bay of Plenty between 1962 and 1970, the sum total of his provincial rugby. He appeared in seven All Black trials between 1963 and 1970. 

 

The vastly experienced Jennings and 1960-1966 Maori All Black, Manukapua Maniapoto, were considered to be not only amongst the finest pair of ball winning locks in the country (a serious threat to Crawford and Abel come line-out time) but strength personified in the tight and dangerous marauders in the loose.

 

Manu and his brother’s Huri and Jim had become institutions of Maori rugby and in Manu’s case particularly it seemed there was at one time ‘no limit to how far he might go’. Their father, Hema, played in the first Prince of Wales Cup match in 1928 for Tai Rawhiti (followed by four of his sons Nepia (1960 Te Waipounamu), Huri (1961 Tai Rawhiti, 1962 Tai Hauauru, 1963 Southern), Manu (1963-65 Tai Rawhiti, 1967 Northern), Jim (1962 Tai Tokerau, !964-73 Northern)). He also represented NZ Maori Rugby League and was in the team to Australia in 1928.

 

After moving from Te Rangiita (14km north of Turangi, on the eastern shores of Lake Taupo) to Rotorua to take up a forestry job, Manu made his senior debut for the Whakarewarewa club in 1955. 

 

He first played for the Bay of Plenty in 1960 and in his prime he was a magnificent footballer and an outstanding physical specimen, but he seldom was able to recreate in trial situations what he could achieve for his province. At 33, Manu weighed in at 17 stone and while giving away seven pounds to Karaan Crawford, at 6’ 4”, he had an inch on the Magpie lock.

 

Younger brother, Hupa James ‘Jim’ Maniapoto, 26, was himself a vastly experienced player, having previously represented Auckland (during the early ’60’s shield reign), the New Zealand Juniors and New Zealand Maori (both against the 1965 South Africans).

 

He returned from Auckland Teachers College in 1965, joining Manu at the Whakarewarewa club, playing in all 15 of the Bay’s fixtures that year and a further three for the Bay of Plenty-Counties-Thames Valley combined team, including the match with South Africa. He had made 42 appearances in all for the Bay of Plenty before their shield match, where he sat out the tense encounter on the bench.

 

Older brother Huriwaha had captained Te Aute College 1st XV and was nominated for the Maori All Black trials while still at school. He played only twice for Bay of Plenty, before representing both Hawkes Bay and King Country. A flanker/No. 8. he had played for New Zealand Maori and was an All Black trialist.

 

No. 8, Bruce Matuschka, was already known to Hawkes Bay followers. The bricklayer had moved to Mt. Maunganui at the conclusion of the 1967 season from Dunedin and had impressed all with a fine game for Otago when they had challenged Hawkes Bay for the shield the previous year. On the blind-side of the scrum was another newcomer to the side, James Teat, whose height was an advantage in the line-out, a particular strength of his game.

 

The front row were considerably experienced. Hooker Ken Grant was playing his first season in the Bay of Plenty, for Rotorua Old Boys, but was a veteran of 30 matches for Wellington. The ‘hard-working front rower’ was part of the champion capital pack which knocked over the ‘Boks and Lions in successive years. He also played for the New Zealand Juniors against the Springboks (3-25, Wellington) and New Zealand Universities.

 

Prop, Paul Scott had been a reserve for the All Blacks against the 1966 Lions, the same year in which he also played for the North Island. He had been a trialist from 1965 through ’67 and had racked up 59 matches for his province. On the other side, the 27 year old saw miller from the Rotorua Old Boys club, Dinny Mohi was approaching 50 games for the Bay and like Manu Maniapoto, had represented the Maori All Blacks.

 

It was fair to say that in the back division, some re-building was going on and this was certainly perceived as a weakness within the team. From the 1967 side, Ian Uttley had returned to Wellington and the excellent goal kicking full back and All Black trialist, Bill Potae was now living in Central Otago. Injuries to experienced backs, JL Cresswell and Mike Docherty prior to BOP’s challenge, further compounded issues for coach, Ron Bryers, the sole selector since 1962.

 

The Dutch born full-back, Ernst van der Leeden, Renata ‘Len’ Kaipara and Barry Flood were in their first season as Bay of Plenty representatives, as was Constable Dave Magee, a 1966 New Zealand Services representative, who had scored 3 tries in a match against Nelson Bays. Alfred James had made one appearance the preceding season, that in the Bay’s last outing against Counties.

 

Half-back, Dave Meek played for Auckland in 1965 and 1966 and had made 13 appearances for the Bay since moving to Rotorua. Pacy winger, Graeme Moore, was also a ‘veteran’, with 12 games for his province since 1967 under his belt.

For all that, a loss in Auckland, to Auckland, by 3-14 was the only occasion in which Bay of Plenty had been defeated thus far during the current season. Wins had been racked up against; Wairarapa (13-5, Opotiki), Thames Valley (6-3, Paeroa), Counties (21-11, Tauranga), East Coast (41-8, Whakatane), Poverty Bay (3-0, Gisborne), Taranaki (20-3, Rotorua) and Waikato (11-5, Whakatane). A 6-6 draw with King Country at Taumarunui had also been recorded.

 

Bay of Plenty were one of nine North Island unions to have never held the shield. Their last challenge had been some five years ago in 1962, when soundly beaten by the fully in-swing Auckland powerhouse by 6-29. They did manage a try of their own however, scored by one Ian MacRae. Two years prior they had gotten much closer to the Auks, only going down by 6-9, but the 1962 Auckland side were on top of their game and most certainly in the most dominant form of their tenure.

 

This would be the Bay’s eighth challenge in total, going back to a 3-22 defeat to Wellington in 1920. They had met Hawkes Bay just once during the Magpies golden tenure of the 1920’s and this was one of the more bizarre matches of the reign.

It was the first challenge of 1922 and the Bay of Plenty side almost put the spanner in the works that would have ended the Magpie decade of dominance before it had even truly started. Played at Nelson Park in Hastings in front of a crowd around 4,000, the Magpies just couldn’t get their game going, or break the resolute defence of the supreme underdog and took only a slender 11-10 lead into the half-time break.

 

Led by Lex McLean, the Bay of Plenty forwards were big and energetic. In the vanguard, Viv Wilson’s straight running had begun to worry the holders and supporters, although still expectant that the second half would see the Magpies return to some sort of form and take the game away from the challengers.

 

This proved unfounded and with only a few moments to go, things looked safe enough at 17-13, until C. Alexander scored for the Bay of Plenty and H.Boucher had the opportunity to convert the try from right beside the posts and claim the shield for his province.

 

In a much vaunted anecdote to conclude the match, Boucher was given a mouthful from some of the hard Hawkes Bay All Black forwards from behind the posts. “He can’t possibly miss from there…not from right beside the posts…” was one such comment made, knowing the kicker, already trembling like a leaf,  was in ear shot.

The Hawkes Bay coach, Norman McKenzie, believes that the sigh of relief that went up when the conversion attempt missed, could be heard miles away.

 

*****

 

The Hawkes Bay rugby fraternity were pretty certain that the Magpies would have the edge over Bay of Plenty, but only if they were able to gain parity up front. The new back combination of Furlong-Dougan-Duncan was working particularly well and – with Smith and Curtis on the wings – the winning of this game may well be in the ability to use the backs and shift the ball wide.

 

But on the Friday before the match, veteran campaigner for many seasons, Tom Johnson (already named in the programme) withdrew from the back of the Hawkes Bay scrum. Johnson had been struggling to stay in the game for much of the season through a spate of injuries, time seemingly catching up with the 29-year-old. 

 

He would not play for Hawkes Bay again. His contribution to the Magpies in all capacities since coming into the side in 1959, was almost immeasurable. Unknowingly, the match against Wellington the preceding week was to be his 84th and final appearance in black and white.

 

This meant a rapid elevation from the reserves bench to the starting fifteen for the young panel beater from Taradale, Phil Pratt. With but four games under his belt, Pratt got his big chance in a shield match, taking Gary Condon’s place on the side of the scrum, with Condon moving to the back. 

 

Pundits were to be impressed by the performance of the newcomer, whose shield debut could not have come in a tougher match where the play was more exacting on the forwards. He acquitted himself with great skill and must surely have gained confidence from the experience.

 

Colds and influenza had hit the Hawkes Bay camp earlier in the week, threatening to enforce more changes on Le Quesne, but thankfully Johnson’s omission proved to be the only change to the side which had met Counties the week before.

 

*****

 

The two sides ran out onto a rock hard McLean Park, in a match that had been dubbed ‘The fury of the Bay’s’. The glorious sunshine and ground condition the first indication that spring was firmly encroaching and the end of the season nigh. The ground was so hard that a bucket of sand was brought out for the goal kicker every time he wanted to place the ball.

 

At 18,500, the crowd size was a little disappointing, especially given the numbers drawn in 1967 and right from the outset, all indications and talk had proved accurate, this was going to be the toughest, hardest pack that Hawkes Bay had faced in the thirteen challenges to date. That’s how the game transpired, with little movement and not a lot to generally get excited about and that’s how the game will be remembered.

 

Back play was confined mainly to Hawkes Bay with two players impressing more than most; John Dougan showed his range of skills throughout with some crisp passing, swift footwork with some neat changes of direction and Hepa Paewai proved extremely elusive on the run with ball in hand.

 

It was Paewai, in fact, who provided the only points of the first half. A brilliant individual burst on the short side brought him a fine try which Ian Bishop was unable to convert. The fullback opened the scoring in the second spell, with a penalty from 30 yards out and right in front and with the successful kick brought up his century of points for 1968, the third season in a row in which he had achieved the feat.

 

There was bruising forward rugby with Arthur Jennings and Manu Maniapoto matching it with Karaan Crawford and Rod Abel in the line outs. Dick Conway was at his marauding best in the loose, although shrewd judgment on his behalf after many years experience enabled him to get around the park more efficiently than his speed really allowed. Tempers often flared at at one point, Rod Abel was flattened and the stretcher called for. But the lock shrugged aside the prospect of being carried from the field and emerged as one of the games true stars.

 

It took the Hawkes Bay forwards until half way through the second spell to gain enough control that the points on the board started to manifest. Possession honours had been fairly even up to that point, but Hawkes Bay’s backs had made better use of the ball. The telling moment came as Paewai scuttled into the open and made to reverse pass to Furlong. The BOP defence had been sold the idea at bargain price and instead, the ball sailed along the chain to the hands of Mick Duncan who scored the try. This time Bishop converted and the Bay were out to a lead of 11-0. 

 

With five minutes to go, the inevitability in Blair Furlongs actions indicated to all in sundry that the drop kick was on. Hawkes Bay duly won the line out, 40 yards from the Bay of Plenty line and as the defenders charged him, he swung his boot into action in a relaxed and easy arc and the ball sailed between the uprights. The game was won, the Bay had worn down yet another challenger, but it had not been all cakes and ale, this one. 

 

Bay of Plenty’s challenge was a determined but largely unimaginative effort and the Bay side had to fight to keep their notable record of conceding only two tries in 14 shield matches. Had Ernst van der Leeden landed the four kicking opportunities given him, the outcome may have been a little different.

 

But repelled they had been and now all of Hawkes Bay were focused on the big challenge of the year the following Saturday, the last for 1968 against another worthy foe, mighty Auckland. Following the Bay of Plenty challenge, Tom Johnson officially announced that his playing days were over.

 

*****

 

Bay of Plenty concluded their season seven days later with a loss to North Auckland in a Coronation Shield match in Whangarei by 0-16. They had been kept scoreless for two matches in a row. Had they been successful in lifting the shield from Hawkes Bay, having no further home matches during the 1968 season, they would have retained the trophy until 1969. 

 

Based on that, a hypothetical line-up of challengers (results in brackets) may have been as follows; July 12 v Thames Valley, Tauranga (19-8). July 19th v Poverty Bay, Tauranga (37-8) August 16th v King Country, Tauranga (20-19), August 30th v Otago, Rotorua (6-9). Otago were in the midst of their four yearly northern tour and were not back in Dunedin until early September. We may suppose that a 2nd XV match against South Canterbury on September 20th, be rescheduled as a special shield challenge on the 17th and assuming Otago fielded a full strength side, they would have retained the trophy.

 

*****

 

On the same day as the Bay of Plenty challenge, there were many matches played around the country; Otago completed their season with a 27-3 win over South Canterbury in Timaru. North Auckland were successful in another Coronation Shield match in Hamilton against Waikato, winning by 22-8. Auckland (in their last outing before their shield challenge) decimated the young Wellington side on Eden Park by 22-6. Taranaki were too strong for the Manawatu, winning by 23-12 in New Plymouth while in Christchurch, Canterbury gave Southland a 24-6 thumping. In Oamaru, North Otago were defeated at home by Mid-Canterbury by 24-15.

 

*****

 

Ernst van der Leeden played the following Saturday against North Auckland, therein ending his time in the Bay of Plenty jersey. He made just five appearances for the union, all in 1968, kicking a conversion and two penalties in an 11-5 win over the Waikato in Whakatane.

 

The Ranfurly Shield match was the last game that Dave Magee would play for the Bay. The following season he wore the dark blue of the New Zealand Police, scoring two tries in their five matches, one each against the NZ Navy and the Fijian Military Forces and Police. He would play for the Police until 1971, but was unable to regain a spot in the New Zealand Services XV.

 

Alfred James was a regular in the Bay line-up during 1969 (scoring 11 tries) and 1970 and capped for New Zealand Maori against Tonga in 1969, the match at Eden Park won by the tourists by 19-6. He made a further two appearances for the union in 1975, taking his tally to 34. In 1971 he played on the wing for Northern Maori in the Prince of Wales Cup match in Napier, his side victorious by 6-0.

 

Len Kaipara played 54 matches for the Bay between 1968-1972, mostly at centre or as a five-eighth. Noted as equally sound in attack or defence, he played for the union against the British Lions of 1971 (as did Moore and Mohi) and the Australians in 1972 (also with Moore and Mohi).

 

Graeme Moore scored a try in each of these matches. The wing three-quarter played 114 matches for the Bay between 1967 and 1980, scoring 62 tries and is still the record try scorer in the unions history. He also played for Bay of Plenty against Scotland in 1975 (10-16, Rotorua, with Mohi) and the British Lions of 1977 (16-23, Rotorua). He represented the Tauranga sub-union from 1965-1981.

 

In the 1971 match against the Lions, on the Tuesday preceding the fourth and final test, the tourists had to scrap hard to retain their unbeaten record against all provincial sides faced, a feat they eventually achieved and one not done since 1937, when the greatest of Springboks sides toured these shores.

 

The Bay of Plenty pack were the best drilled provincial unit to oppose the Lions on tour and on one occasion during the first half, drove the home unions pack backwards for 25 metres, to the roar of delight of the gathered crowd. And bolstered by temporary stands, it was an exceptionally large crowd of 23,000 who had packed into the Tauranga Domain to lend their support to the home side, turning the normally picturesque park into a gladiatorial cauldron. 

 

Dinny Mohi was a force charging with ball in hand and on the flank, Alan McNaughton was a complete menace in upsetting the great Barry John in particular. He was so effective in the loose it certainly appeared that the New Zealand selectors had indeed been premature in discarding him from the fourth test line-up.

 

Bay of Plenty also had the distinction of outscoring the Lions by three tries to two, Eddie Stokes and Graeme Moore combining in the first spell for Moore to capitalise on a lethargic Lions defence, cut inside John Bevan and bolt 40 metres for his spectacular try, right under the posts.

 

"We got quick ball recycled by the forwards. I was out wide on the right wing heading towards the Mount end and it came out through quick passing to Eddie Stokes. They were one short and I cut back in and Eddie gave me the ball exactly    where and when I needed it, to best use what was there. I wasn't touched, given Barry John pirouetted out of the way! I scored under the posts and I remember running through the posts towards the bowling green end after I scored.”                                                                                                                                     Graeme Moore Bay of Plenty Times (Barry White), 2015

 

A late rally by the Bay (with tries to Bruce Trask and Ron Walker) saw them come from 8-17 down to 14-17 with time up on the clock, before Barry John dropped a goal in the dying seconds to secure the win for the tourists by 20-14.

 

The following year the Bay squandered a 6-0 lead against the hapless Wallabies and were a tad lucky in the end to hold on for a 6-6 draw. Suffering the effects of a gruelling Ranfurly Shield challenge just three days prior against North Auckland, the Bay side faded late in the game and against the run of play, Wallaby centre, Dave Burnett, scored a try, which once converted, tied the scores up at six a piece.

 

Earlier in the second half, Eddie Stokes had intercepted a pass from Dave L’Estrange - intended for full-back, Arthur McGill - and scampered away from the stretched Australian defence. He was checked near the line but got the pass away to Graeme Moore, who strolled across for another try against international opposition. Bruce Trask converted, but was astray with three longer range penalty attempts, any of which would have increased the Bay’s buffer and stranglehold on the game.

 

Trask’s two penalties had been the sum total of the Bay’s score, when going down by 6-22 in their shield challenge. It was the first challenge that had received since Napier four years earlier and unfortunately for them, they ran into Ken Going (playing his 100th match in the sky blue of North Auckland) in simply devastating form. His general play and personal contribution of 14 points (try, two penalties and two conversions) were indicative of what the Kauri tree motif meant to him, having also been given the honour of leading the side onto the field.

 

The Bay had arrived in Whangarei with an air of confidence, but the match was inevitably over after 20 minutes when New Zealand Juniors winger, Peter Gilbert, limped from the field. Bryers moved his key marauder around the fringes, McNaughton, onto the wing, lessening his effect where it was most needed.

 

The lively and enterprising Barry Flood played 14 games for the Bay in 1968 and 1969, but the emergence of two 21 year olds from the Tauranga Cadet Old Boys club, a solid half-back and first five-eighth combination of Laurie Monro and Greg Rowlands was favoured by selector Bryers, which spelled the end for Flood and Dave Meek, whose last appearance was in the loss to North Auckland.

 

Greg Rowlands would play a grand total of 161 games for the Bay between 1969 and 1982, making him at point of writing, the most capped Bay of Plenty representative in the unions history. Originally, owing to his slight build, Rowlands played mainly at first five-eighth and trialled for the All Blacks in that position in 1970 and again the following year.

 

A switch to full-back during the 1974 season proved ultimately fortuitous for him. He was already a fine goal kicker and he adapted quickly to his new position, although at times was found a little wanting under the high ball.

 

Following further New Zealand trials in 1974, ’75, ’76 and an appearance for the North Island the last named year (with the All Blacks away in South Africa), he won selection for the ‘second’ All Black side of 1976 to tour Argentina, playing four matches, including both ‘unofficial’ tests against the Pumas, scoring 44 points (10 conversions and eight penalties).

 

1976 was an auspicious one for the Bay, as they were to win the inaugural ‘Radio NZ Provincial Championship’, The Coronation Shield from Waikato and - had not Manawatu lifted the trophy from Auckland the weekend before their scheduled challenge - may have taken the Ranfurly Shield from Auckland.

 

With regular skipper, Graeme Crossman in South Africa, the side were ably led by Maori All Black ‘Tuck‘ Waaka and contained some considerable depth and experience. Ex-All Black flanker, Alan McNaughton, was in top form, supported in the forwards by No. 8, Mike Connor, props Dinny Mohi and Lawrence ‘Bo’ Keepa, Waaka and All Black trialist Robert Moore.

 

There was some talent in the vanguard also with Rowlands and three others who would tour Argentina that year; Maori All Black, Eddie Stokes, John Brake and future All Black proper, Mark Taylor, who played seven test matches between 1977-1982.

 

After dropping the first match to Counties (9-10, Rotorua), Bay of Plenty were undefeated in the remaining nine (which included a 10-7 win over Hawkes Bay in Rotorua) to claim the first ever national provincial championship, a competition that had been talked about in earnest for several seasons before it’s implementation.

 

The tenacious No. 8, Bruce Matuschka - one of only two players to oppose Hawkes Bay during the shield tenure for different provinces - made a further five appearances in 1969, but was injured in the 25-14 win over Nelson Bays in Nelson and did not play again that season, or indeed until 1972, when he gained another four caps, taking his total to 18.

 

Prior to his arrival in the Bay, Matuschka had made 31 appearances for Otago between 1964 and 1967 (playing for the Union club) and one for Golden Bay-Motueka in 1962 (playing senior rugby for the Motueka based ‘Huia’ club), the first match of the season, a 3-29 loss to Nelson in Nelson.

 

James Teat played 25 matches for the Bay between 1968-1970. Ken Grant would play 11 more matches in blue and gold in 1969, before announcing his retirement from all rugby.

 

When Manu Maniapoto took the field in Whakatane for the corresponding fixture against Hawkes Bay the following season, he became the Bay of Plenty’s first centurion, his own special milestone and piece of rugby infamy. After playing in 16 of the Bay’s fixtures, he also retired at the end of 1969, having played 107 matches for the union since 1960. He remained a bushman all his life. 

 

Brother Jim also racked up over 100 (105) matches for the Bay of Plenty between 1965-1975. He was a New Zealand Maori representative from 1965-1973 and a junior All Black in 1965.

 

Arthur Jennings took over the captaincy of the Bay side following the retirement of ‘Red’ Conway at the completion of the 1968 season and held the position until the end of 1970, when he too retired from first-class rugby. During his final year he received an All Black trial, but was not selected to tour South Africa. Between 1962-1970, Jennings appeared 89 times in the blue and gold of the Bay of Plenty, his sum total of provincial matches played throughout his career.

 

Dinny Mohi played 156 games for the Bay from 1961 to 1977, second in appearances behind only Greg Rowlands. He was a member of the Maori All Blacks between 1964-1976, on two occasions post Bay of Plenty’s 1968 challenge. The following season against Tonga and again in 1976 against Western Samoa at Rotorua (won by 19-6) replacing the original selection, Bill Rowlands of Wairarapa-Bush, who became unavailable through injury.

 

Unfortunately, Paul Scott died before the commencement of the 1969 representative season. He turned out for a Bay of Plenty training run in May, but died suddenly in late June, following a short illness. 

 

He was an All Black reserve in 1966 and had played 61 games for the Bay of Plenty between 1963 - 1968. He also played three matches for the combined Bay of Plenty/Counties and Thames Valley team in 1965; the North Island in 1966 and was a New Zealand trialist from 1965 - 1967.

​

*****

 

#1 song in NZ (20-26 September, 1968): Indian Lake (The Cowsills)