I'm a Hawkeye Guy

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Athletic Park, Wellington. Saturday, September 13th, 1969

 

NORTH ISLAND 3, SOUTH ISLAND 13

 

For the North Island: Mick O’Callaghan, try

 

For the South Island: Ian Kirkpatrick and Phil Gard tries. Fergi McCormick, two conversions and a penalty.

 

North Island: Bob Lendrum (Counties), Mick Duncan (Hawkes Bay), Graham Thorne (Auckland), Mick O’Callaghan (Manawatu), Ian MacRae (Hawkes Bay), Alan Watkins (Auckland), Sid Going (North Auckland/vice captain), Brian Lochore (Wairarapa/captain), Alan McNaughton (Bay of Plenty), Sam Strachan (Manawatu), Colin Meads (King Country), Bevan Holmes (North Auckland), Brian Muller (Taranaki), Bruce McLeod (Counties), Ken Gray (Wellington)

 

South Island: Fergi McCormick (Canterbury/vice-captain), Bruce Hunter (Otago), Phil Gard (North Otago), Brian Sampson (Mid-Canterbury), Wayne Cottrell (Canterbury), Earle Kirton (Otago) replaced early in the 2nd half by Derek Arnold (Canterbury), Lin Colling (Otago), Alex Wyllie (Canterbury), Ian Kirkpatrick (Canterbury/captain), Jake Burns (Canterbury), Warren Townsend (Otago), Tom Lister (South Canterbury), Keith Murdoch (Otago), Gary Bacon (Canterbury), Alister Hopkinson (Canterbury)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The Saturday following North Auckland’s challenge (September 13th), the annual Inter-Island match was played in atrocious conditions at Wellington’s Athletic Park. A howling nor'wester was blowing and the driving rain left large pools of water on the surface of the ground, which ultimately became a mud bath once the game commenced.

  On August 23rd, a match between the New Zealand Juniors and Tonga had been played in identical conditions on the same ground and following the match, advice received that ‘the match should never have been played in the first instance’ was largely ignored by the New Zealand Council, the administrators of the game.

  Three weeks later, when two talented line-ups took the field for the Inter-Island clash, the doyen of rugby literature of the day, T.P.McLean, was moved to write that Athletic Park was once again ‘horrible’ and the match conditions ‘dreadful’.

  The winter of ’69 had been overtly wet throughout much of New Zealand and Athletic Park was certainly no stranger to this sort of occurrence. It had been the venue for one of the more extraordinary matches between these two ‘geographically selected’ sides in 1956, when in equally appalling conditions with ‘all the rain in Christendom falling’, the game was called off after only 25 minutes of the second spell.

  The 8-3 scoreline in favour of the North at the time of cancellation stood, their points coming from a try to the All Black lock from the Hawkes Bay, Harry Frazer, with the Petone and All Black legend, Bob Scott, adding the conversion and a penalty.

  Once again, the current state of affairs threatened to mar one of the most eagerly awaited and contested matches of the annual New Zealand rugby calendar. The North versus South fixture had its own rich and full rugby history, a tapestry of great battles and atmosphere, of characters and colour.

  In the past - and indeed with an eye on the upcoming South African tour in 1970 - the match had been used as an ‘unofficial’ All Black trial, when it was meant to be anything but. Surprise selections had at times failed dismally or equally launched glittering careers, but overall, more than any other fixture, it had brought ‘pound for pound’ fantastic and enjoyable rugby for players and followers of the game.

  Of the 61 previous clashes (dating back to 1897) the North had won 36 and the South 22, with three matches having ended in draws. The South Island had not won since 1963 in Christchurch, when T.N.McAra - an ‘unknown’ from the West Coast – with time up on the clock - gathered in a kick to score and record a dramatic 14-13 win, against one of the most vaunted North Island teams in their history.

  The North – having won the last five (and 15 of the last 20) – therefore stepped out onto Athletic Park in the knowledge that a win on this day would see them equal the record of six consecutive victories, as set by the South between 1937-1945 (although matches were not played, 1940-1942). With six All Blacks in their pack, including three of the games absolute legends in Colin Meads, Ken Gray and captain, Brian Lochore - and Sid Going behind the scrum - the job at hand looked largely a routine one.

  The South had no right to came within ‘cooee’ of their ‘heavyweight’ opponents, but had in-store, according to T.P.McLean, ‘a superior amount of unyielding earnestness on defence and an undying determination on attack, which is implied in that simple and expressive word, spirit’.

  So against the odds, the South Island players themselves not buying into any theory that the North would simply march on to yet another triumph - by out-thinking them before and during the game - turned the tables on their more favoured opponents, carving out a most meritorious 13-3 victory.

  In selecting their side for the annual clash, the North Island selectors; Christian, Walsh and Paterson had gone with seven of the eight forwards who had done the business for them the preceding year, when the North recorded an impressive 34-17 win in Christchurch. The 34 points posted was the most by either side since the North’s 41-9 success in 1926 and included six tries; two each to Thorne and Going, with wingers Owen Stephens and Mick O’Callaghan dotting down, one apiece.

  The only new blood in the Northern engine room was the highly promising open side flanker from the Bay of Plenty, Alan McNaughton. Having played twice for his province in 1968, the 22 year old carpenter from the Kahukura club burst onto the scene, scoring five tries in his first four provincial outings of 1969 and impressing as ‘a fast, tireless and talented side ranker with a future’.

  His early season rep form earned him a trial for the New Zealand Juniors and two days later – during the aforementioned match of August 23rd – he took his place in that side, scoring a try, as the Junior’s romped to a most impressive 43-3 routing of the touring Tongans.

  McNaughton’s performance - in the shocking conditions exhibited throughout during the match – was good enough to further elevate him with selection for the North Island side, ahead of recent All Black and arguably the leading contender for the berth, Graham Williams of Wellington.

  Both were fine examples of the new breed of tear-away flanker, now deemed necessary to take full advantage of new law changes, which promoted a more attacking approach to the game. Speed to the loose ball was paramount and this required a lighter, faster, more dynamic type of flanker to play on the open side of the scrum and usually directly off the back of the line-out.

  To accommodate this, the loser – who had already lost his test spot earlier in the season, causing a good degree of concern to most, given his status as one of the game’s true legends – was the beleaguered Hawkes Bay skipper, Kel Tremain.

  Ironically, both Tremain and Williams had been in the ‘Probables’ side, heavily beaten by 37-19 by the ‘Possibles’ in the All Black trial on May 17th, to select the side to take on the five nations champions and triple-crown winners, Wales, who were about to embark on their first tour of New Zealand.

  Bevan Holmes of North Auckland, who had played in the open side role in 1968, was moved to the blind- side of the scrum. As Holmes could fill the locking role - in the advent of a replacement being necessary during the game – Andy Leslie of Wellington took his place on the reserves bench.

  The other forward reserve was North Auckland hooker, Frank Colthurst, who had now come into some real consideration for a spot for South Africa, following his fine all-round performance in the shield match three days prior, which included his complete demolition job of Gus Meech, by gaining no fewer than nine tight-head’s off the Magpie rake.

  McNaughton (who went on to play in 17 of the Bay of Plenty’s 18 fixtures during 1969) aside, there were three other benefactors in the North Island XV - all in the vanguard - elevated from their appearances in the Junior side which had so impressed against Tonga.

  Auckland’s Alan Watkins, of the College Rifles club, was given the pivotal first five-eighth role, somewhat surprisingly ahead of a few candidates of greater notoriety; Blair Furlong (although he himself was a reserve), Maori All Black’s Mattie Blackburn and Brian Going, or even his provincial teammate, Mac Herewini.

  Likewise, the highly promising Bob Lendrum was selected at full-back ahead of some more illustrious competition in principally Gerald Kember and Ken Going. Kember had been an original selection in the side, but in his preferred position of second five-eighth. Injury prevented him from playing and he was replaced by Ian MacRae.

  Mick Duncan’s inclusion on the wing was a late call call-up, ironically as a replacement for his provincial team-mate, Bill Davis, who had broken his ankle three days earlier during the Hawkes Bay-North Auckland Shield match.

  Another original selection, Malcolm Dick of Auckland was replaced by Manawatu’s Mick O’Callaghan. The injury to Davis meant that All Black winger Graham Thorne would be switched from that position to centre.

  In the pack, Brian Muller (first test), Bruce McLeod, Ken Gray, Colin Meads and Brian Lochore had all played in the most recent test series against Wales and Sam Strachan himself was a ten-test veteran at the relatively young age of 24.

 

*****

 

  The South Island side contained seven Cantabrians in All Blacks Fergi McCormick, Wayne Cottrell, Ian Kirkpatrick and Alistair Hopkinson (brought in late for the injured Tony Kreft of Otago), plus Alex Wyllie, Jake Burns and the New Zealand Junior hooker, Gary Bacon.

  Otago provided five players; 18-year-old ‘find of the season’, Bruce Hunter (a track athlete and dashing winger who had dotted down five times for Otago in their 39-3 win against Marlborough on July 22nd and generally impressed, scoring a try, in the early Junior All Black trial), Earle Kirton, Lin Colling, Warren Townsend and the powerful prop Keith Murdoch, who had represented Hawkes Bay in 1965. All Black Tom Lister of South Canterbury retained his 1968 jersey on the side of the scrum.

  The relatively unknown Philip Gard of Kurow and North Otago took the field at centre, replacing the original selection, another highly promising youngster, 19 year old Howard Joseph of Canterbury. Gard was only 18 years of age himself when first called into the North Otago squad, for their North Island tour in 1966. He made his debut on the wing against King Country (Taumarunui, 6-22). Noted as a ‘speedy and determined’ runner, he played in almost all of North Otago’s representative fixtures in 1967 and 1968 and earlier in 1969, earned himself a trial for the New Zealand Under 23 side.

  25 year old, Brian Sampson of the Allenton club from Mid-Canterbury (one of three brothers to have played for the Union during Brian’s time; John A. and James D. the other two) was a surprise selection on the left wing, but no stranger to upset victories.

  He debuted for that province in 1964, scoring four tries in a home win of 27-3 over North Otago and (scoring one of his teams four tries registered) was in the side that created a stir by beating the touring Australians 16-10. 5,500 people had packed into the Ashburton Showgrounds to watch the home team record a deserved and rare win against International opposition. The local heroes became the ‘toast of the town’ and – as it would transpire - were also the only provincial team to defeat the Aussies on their tour.

 

*****

 

  Whether or not they were more at home and adept in the adverse conditions or whether they were rather arrogantly underestimated by the North, the South Island surged on to glory, caning their counterparts on the field and more painfully for them, in reputation.

  With first use of the howling Nor’wester, the South went to the break ahead by 8-3, the margin considered ‘manifestly too small’, if the North – with their rack of talent - were too use the wind in the second spell to their advantage. A try to Ian Kirkpatrick, converted by McCormick, who also added a penalty, played the North Islands solitary score, a try to winger Mick O’Callaghan.

  In the end, the wind counted for exactly nothing and soon after the recommencement of play, the game was well and truly sealed by Derek ‘Bluey’ Arnold, who came on in the storm to replace Earle Kirton and promptly put through a kick for centre Philip Gard to score a try. Ahead by 13-3, a shock win was on the cards and worse than that for the North Island, they had absolutely no combative answers.

  It was widely expected that the transfer in 1968 of All Black half-back Chris Laidlaw to Canterbury, would be a tremendous blow for the ‘dark blues’ of Otago. Much of their tactics and fortunes had been based around the pairing of Laidlaw with his University and All Black team-mate, Earle Kirton. But his replacement, Lin Colling, filled the void with such promise and distinction that he found himself the South Islands number one rated half-back in 1969.

  After a solitary performance for the province in 1967, when with the Wakatipu club in Queenstown, the former student of Cromwell District High School moved to Dunedin the following year, joining up with the Pirates club. He played in all but one of Otago’s 13 first-class matches in 1968, the Union beaten only twice, by Canterbury in Christchurch and the touring French side.

  Colling had missed out on selection for the Tongan match – moved to the main trial from the first when Ian Stevens of Wellington withdrew through injury – despite claims by T.P.McLean that he was ‘by far the best of the half-backs in the recent national junior trials.’ Any further proof required that he was ‘undoubtedly decidedly talented’ was provided by his complete over-shadowing of test incumbent, Sid Going, McLean adding that ‘his quiet efficiency was extraordinarily impressive’.

  Going himself, plus Bevan Holmes, Ian MacRae (who kicked excessively throughout the match) and Mick Duncan, were all backing up from the rigours of a very taxing, physical shield encounter of three days prior and none had much left in the tank. Going particularly was feeling the effects and had a terrible afternoon, his usually reliable hands letting him down and stifling his talented back division.

  The result was of considerable concern to the good rugby folk of Hawkes Bay. The rugby savvy would have acknowledged a seismic shift in geographic power and potentially the beginnings of a new Southern rugby dynasty. And if their team could get past Taranaki in seven days time, it would be Canterbury looming large on the horizon, the eighth and final challenger of the season. The twenty-second of the current tenure and the last Ranfurly Shield match of the 1960s.

  The Canterbury contingent in the South Island side had all been inspirational and dynamic. Wayne Cottrell, the All Black second five-eighths did nothing spectacular but – like Colling – was consistently efficient.

  Ian Kirkpatrick, Alex Wyllie and Alistair Hopkinson – reveling in the conditions – were clinical and mercenary in their dismantling of the Northern scrum and the former two, along with Tom Lister – made up a most effective loose trio which was in essence, where the match was won (and lost). Kirkpatrick’s leadership was exceptional and caused no visible weakening of his swift, driving play.

  In the 23rd minute of the second spell, the three loose forwards, who so effectively stifled the North, combined magnificently in a flourish that set the seal on their performance. Alex Wyllie broke away from a most dangerous situation and linked up with Kirkpatrick, who really turned on the pace. He in turn found Lister and the three of them had taken play from inside their own twenty-five to twenty metres into enemy territory.

  Critics were left wondering why Hopkinson was omitted after his performance, as he and Keith Murdoch exerted such pressure on All Black counterparts Gray and Muller that Gary Bacon was able to take three tight-heads off the test hooker, Bruce McLeod, which led to enthusiastic prophecies and speculation that he would be in South Africa the following year also. As far as anyone could recall, McLeod had never conceded three tight-heads in a single match ever before in his first-class career.

  The final shattering downpour that started an hour or so before kick-off did little to dissuade Fergi McCormick, who exhibited another outstanding display of full-back play, his footwork in evading defenders even more impressive than his goal kicking.

  Mick Duncan and Ian MacRae must surely have returned to Napier that evening with tales to tell of the men of Canterbury, heading their way in fourteen days time. One hell of a showdown was brewing. If Hawkes Bay – unbeaten themselves in 1969 – could get past Taranaki, it was most certainly ‘game on’.

 

*****

 

  After playing for the Junior’s and the North Island (plus in 10 of the 19 Auckland fixtures in 1969), Alan Watkins was touted as a first five-eighth with a big future ahead of him. In fact, he was one of the only North Island players to show some real class in their 3-13 defeat and was another widely tipped as a hot candidate to tour South Africa in 1970.

  But he was consigned (as so many were in the day) to the losing side in the graveyard of the early trial and ultimately gave way to a very experienced quintet chosen to tour the republic. He did retain his North Island spot and although the side redeemed themselves with an 11-6 victory in Nelson, Watkins was replaced late in the game by Hawkes Bay’s Geoff Martin (who promptly put over his trademark dropped goal to secure the victory). The match was played while the All Blacks were still away.

  His indifferent form for Auckland did not bode well for him and while he was able to retain his berth for most of the season, Auckland’s poor performance return of losing 8 of 17 fixtures fell largely on his shoulders, the outer backs suffering as a consequence.

  In 1971 he made his third consecutive appearance for the North Island (a 31-9 victory for the North in New Plymouth) and played another nine matches for Auckland. By 1972 he had lost his Auckland spot to the 21 year old Marist player, Mike Richards, who had formed a most effective partnership with future All Black half-back, Bruce Gemmell.

  Alan McNaughton played the early All Black trial for South Africa in 1970, being in the winning Probables side (16-11) but ultimately missed selection. He did retain his spot in the New Zealand Junior’s, playing in their one outing, that being a 20-9 victory over Fiji in Wellington on August 1st. He was also re- selected for the North Island and made a further six appearances for the Bay of Plenty.

  Following a strong showing for the Possibles (lost 17-18), McNaughton was selected for the All Blacks to play the first test match against the touring British Lions of 1971. One of the six new caps (widely criticized in the New Zealand press), his ‘dark horse’ selection was testament to his speed and mobility, qualities considered lacking in Alex Wyllie’s game, as evident when Canterbury played the Lions the Saturday before the test. Already a hardened All Black though, Wyllie was selected in the reserves.

  Following the shock 3-9 loss, McNaughton retained his spot chiefly courtesy of injuries sustained to key players, although he had acquitted himself admirably against ‘King’ Barry John, arguably one of the more difficult tasks in world rugby. Although John controlled the test match well, setting up victory for the Lions, he was forced to play from very deep to avoid the clutches of the speedy young flank forward.

  In the second test, won 22-12 by New Zealand, McNaughton was nothing short of sublime, getting amongst the Lions inside backs regularly, harrowing John particularly and making Gareth Edwards life – one of the finest half-backs the game had known – a total misery.

  He and the other All Black loosies, Wyllie and Kirkpatrick, had only a spasmodic influence on the third test (won 13-3 by the Lions in Wellington), with Barry John playing a blinder and looking every bit the player whose nickname warranted instant coronation. The All Blacks panicked on the field and the selectors off it, making sweeping changes for the final test in Auckland.

  McNaughton was the only forward casualty, Messrs. Vodanovich and Walsh opting for the experience and superior line-out skill of Tom Lister. In an effort to bolster the size of the pack, they sacrificed pace and mobility. Considered by many to have been most unlucky, McNaughton took his place in the reserves.

  The test match was drawn 14-14. Another nine games for the Bay of Plenty and a third consecutive Inter-Island appearance rounded out 1971 for Alan McNaughton, plus selection in the prestigious ‘Almanack XV’ as selected by Arthur’s Swan and Carman.

  1972 began in relatively unusual circumstances in rugby circles, with the announcement that the All Blacks would undertake an internal tour of the country, the first occurrence of this nature in the history of the sport in New Zealand.

Alan McNaughton was one of the 21 players involved in the squad, the tour matches also being used as a trial for the upcoming series against the Australians. He took part in six of the nine matches played, scoring three tries, those being against the New Zealand Juniors in Wellington (won 23-9), Marlborough (59-10) and Mid-Canterbury (52-7).

  By now, there was some fierce competition throughout the country for the open-side flanker role and McNaughton lost out to Alastair Scown of Taranaki for the three tests against the Aussies. He also lost his North Island spot to Graham Williams and could only make the early trial for the forthcoming tour of the United Kingdom, France and North America, not being selected in that thirty-strong tour party.

  The emergence of the raw-boned 19-year-old, Ken Stewart of Southland, spelled the end of Alan McNaughton’s International career although he did feature in the main All Black trial in 1973.

  When he retired at the end of the 1980 season, he had amassed 153 first-class appearances, which included 122 games for the Bay of Plenty. He had played a major role for that Union in 1976, when they won the inaugural National Championship, making appearances for the Bay against the Lions of 1977, the Australians of 1978 and the Argentine tourists of 1979.

 

*****

 

  A product of Oamaru and Waitaki Boys High School (where he spent the seasons of 1967 and 1968 in the 1st XV), Bruce Anthony Hunter received a taste for the big time when playing for the South Island Secondary Schools XV, in an Inter-Island curtain-raiser to the New Zealand-Australia Jubilee Test in 1967.

  He moved to Dunedin in 1969 and joined the Pirates club, where he was soon noted as a player of merit, a ‘young speedster who surely has New Zealand honours within his grasp’. Still aged only 18, Hunter was called into the Otago side, making his debut in a 6-8 loss against New Zealand Universities.

  His first season try scoring haul (11) - achieved by ‘exhibiting a zeal which concentrated on taking the shortest route to the try line’ – was noted and Hunter was given a trial for the New Zealand Juniors, a match in which he scored a try, but missed selection.

  The disappointment was short-lived as he was given the right wing berth for the South Island and performed well enough on the day to earn further accolades, including ‘dashing youngster’ and ‘fast, intelligent footballer’.

  The high praise of Hunter came to fruition, when chosen in the thirty-strong touring party to head to the republic in June of 1970. Following a successful South Island trial, in which he scored a try, he was given an opportunity in the main trail in Wellington and although his Possibles side lost, he was selected.

  Plagued by injuries, he played in only five tour matches, scoring three tries; two against Eastern Province (a 49-8 win in Port Elizabeth), the other against South-West Africa in Windhoek, won 16-0. His absence with the All Blacks meant he didn’t play for Otago in 1970.

  Following the South Island trial of May 12th, 1971 – in which his contribution to a 20-20 draw was a try for the Probables side – he played in the main trial on the 15th (scoring again in the Possibles 18-17 win) and was duly selected on the right wing for the All Black side to face the Lions in the first test.

  The trial system aside, Bruce Hunter had performed well for Otago in their 9-21 loss to the Lions and with retirements and the unavailability of several key three-quarters from the last five or so years, with an All Black tour under his belt, Hunter was deemed relatively experienced.

  The decision to switch Bryan Williams to centre and play two test debutant wingers in Hunter and Ken Carrington of Auckland - the New Zealand three-quarter trio all 20 years of age – and to have them marking Welshmen John Dawes, John Bevan and Gerald Davies respectively, was considered a risk by some and ludicrous by others.

  Hunter played in the first three tests but was another to feel the axe of the selectors for the fourth and series decider in Auckland (although there was also talk of him carrying an injury). Hunter played a further 12 matches for Otago (scoring three tries) and made a second appearance for the South Island.

  In 1972 he was unavailable for all rugby, but returning a year later he played for the South for a third time and also appeared in his third All Black trials, his Probables side well beaten by 6-29. Another dozen matches for Otago took his tally to 38 since 1969 (17 tries), but by now he was struggling to cement a spot in the provincial ‘A’ team, overshadowed by 1973 All Black Terry Morrison and New Zealand Universities representative (and future AB), Graeme Sims. In 1974, Bruce Hunter retired from rugby to concentrate on his other great sporting passion, Athletics.

 

*****

 

  Phil Gard received a South Island All Black trial in 1970 and also came on as a replacement for Grant Batty in the New Zealand Juniors trial in July, but made neither of those two nationally selected sides. He did play again for the South Island in their 6-11 loss in Nelson, notching up another six games for North Otago.

  Like Hunter, Gard played in and scored a try for his Possibles side, as they etched out a 20 all stalemate in the South Island trial, but he failed to make the final trial on May 15th. The Lions juggernaut rolled into town a week later and in match six against the combined unions of South and Mid-Canterbury, North Otago, captained by Tom Lister, Phil Gard put in a most credible and impressive performance.

  While fairly much a second string Lions side - as the match was sandwiched on the Wednesday between the Wellington and Otago fixtures – they waltzed in for a comfortable enough win, with Welsh winger Gerald Davies scoring a brace, the final margin of victory being 25-6.

  Following the 3-13 debacle in Wellington that was the third test match, when the All Black vanguard was cut to ribbons by the wizardry of the Lions ‘razzle-dazzle’ back division, Vodanovich, Duff and Walsh made five changes for the all important fourth test, four of them in the backs.

  The concussion received by Bob Burgess during the third test was sufficient to keep him out of the tour finale, a real shame for the home side, as Burgess had in many ways been the All Black back of the series against the Lions. His creative flair and natural genius had kept the Blacks on the front foot for most of the first three tests, it was the finishing off of tries following his initiatives that had created problems, especially in tests one and three.

  Mick Duncan (who became the first All Black to make his debut as a substitute) replaced Burgess with 15 minutes to play of the third test and was given his first start for New Zealand at centre, replacing Howard Joseph, who quite simply had a nightmare test debut in Wellington.

  The outside backs had offered very little throughout the entire match as summarized by Lindsay Knight; “Nothing could go right and once when a try seemed possible, centre Howard Joseph fell over a boxer dog which had strayed on to the field.”

  With Bryan Williams fit again and a natural selection, Ken Carrington was moved back onto the wing and Bruce Hunter the player omitted. Wayne Cottrell moved into first five-eighth and that left the inside centre position to be filled.

The selectors had pondered as to whether or not Gerald Kember may be able to fit the bill, but decided that he should not be considered, given his reluctance to play at provincial level. Joe Morgan of North Auckland was another likely contender and press favourite.

  “His selection in most quarters will occasion surprise”, wrote Knight, as the selectors pull a right wild card and go for the dependable and constructive, 23 year old Philip Gard. The captain of North Otago (with over 40 appearances and back to back Inter-Island experience) found himself called into the All Blacks for the fourth test match at second five-eighth.

  Although Gard was from one of the smallest clubs in one of the smallest unions in the country, he had taken his chances well and made the most of his opportunities, when called upon to play in front of significant selection panels. He had exhibited admirable qualities in these outings and his hard running and hard tackling – much like Morgan – was what the All Black selectors wanted for the last test.

  The test was drawn 14-14 and the series lost to the Lions, but the back display by the All Blacks in the last test in Auckland was the most accomplished of the four tests, Phil Gard looking confident and promising in his debut. He found his feet in the second half and whisked through a couple of gaps between Mike Gibson and John Dawes.

  A week later he captained North Otago, from first five-eighth, in the opening Ranfurly Shield challenge of the 1971 series against Canterbury. Howard Joseph – fresh from being dropped by the All Black selectors – was in grand form in the opening minutes, making several excellent breaks and putting new wing three-quarter, Duncan Hales in for his first try in shield rugby.

  But once Joseph left the field injured, the standard of back play fell away to an alarming degree. The forwards appeared unwilling to commit to the tight or engage in their Canterbury birthright, trademark, hard-driving packmen role.

This did little to engender any confidence in their parochial red and black supporters. The challenger’s chances were never rated high – by even their most ardent supporters – but North Otago more than held their own and at times, subjected the holders to considerable pressure.

  “The ‘hurry-up’ North Otago gave Canterbury in the match for the Ranfurly Shield caused more than a fleeting glance to be made of the gold jersey wearers’; Swan and Carman, ‘1972 Rugby Almanack of New Zealand’.

  The lessons were not learned, mistakes not corrected and the following Saturday, against the expectations of most, Canterbury lost the Ranfurly Shield to Auckland by 16-20. Failure to take their chances was the principal on-field attribute, but off it, the selectors decision not to play Alistair Hopkinson seemed odd, given his considerable strength and outstanding value at No. 2 in the line-out.

  As it transpired, Canterbury won everywhere in the statistics department (with 66% of the matches possession the most alarming by gauge) but still lost the game and of course, the log.

  On April 9th, 1972, Gard made an appearance for the ‘Cantabrians Club XV’, who opened a three-match Commonwealth games benefit series with a match against Canterbury. This was the first, first-class representative match played in New Zealand where tries were worth four points each.

  Gard was brought into the stellar line-up when Russell Fairfax of Australia was unable to attend the festivities, John Dougan in turn switching from inside centre to flyhalf. The Cantabrians ranks also contained two Springboks in Piet Greyling (Orange Free State) and Jan Ellis (South West Africa), John Hipwell (New South Wales and Australia) and Fiji’s PB Tikoisuva.

  In near perfect conditions, a splendid game resulted, the lead changing frequently, with Canterbury – whose combination was a deciding factor – the eventual victors by 27-25, scoring the winning try two minutes from time. Three players who had given sterling service to the province over the years (all members of the ‘69 Canterbury side who lifted the shield from Hawkes Bay) made their final appearance in the red and black on this day; All Blacks Wayne Cottrell, Alistair Hopkinson and Jake Burns.

  In 1972, Phil Gard retained his All Black jersey for the early season internal tour playing in the matches against New Zealand Juniors (25-9 Wellington), Mid-Canterbury (52-7, Ashburton), Wanganui (39-21, Wanganui), Wairarapa-Bush (38-0, Masterton) and Manawatu (37-9, Palmerston North). He came on as a replacement in the match with Marlborough (59-10, Blenheim).

  A fourth straight appearance for the South Island followed in July, which acted as an unofficial All Black trial for the upcoming home series with the Wallabies. Here Gard went head to head with Mike Parkinson of Poverty Bay. Parkinson scored a try as the North Island took the match at Lancaster Park by 19-8.

  Parkinson had also helped to elevate his profile with a try for New Zealand Maori the preceding Saturday, in a 28-21 win over the touring Californian ‘Grizzlies’ and now apparently had the inside running to the test jersey. With that selection confirmed and Graham Sims of Otago named in the reserves, it also appeared that Philip Gards time in the black jersey may be at an end.

  He did play in the early trial to pick the team to travel to the Northern Hemisphere, but his omission form the touring party – as a centre or second five-eighth – served to illustrate just where he was in the pecking order of midfield backs throughout the land.

  Admittedly, the team included Bruce Robertson of Counties, who would become arguably New Zealand’s greatest midfield back of the 1970’s, but he had also lost out to one of his own in 21 year old Ian Hurst, now of Canterbury, but whom as a college boy at Waitaki Boys High School in 1970, had played a full season at centre for North Otago. Strong and resourceful, Hurst – it was claimed – was one of the most highly promising attackers to play in the province in recent years.

  When he retired in 1977, Gard had amassed 85 games for North Otago, made four appearances for the South Island, played seven matches for New Zealand, including one test match. He had the distinction of never playing in a losing All Black side. Phil Gard died of cancer in 1990, aged 42.

 

*****

 

  Lin Colling played in 14 of Otago’s first-class matches in 1969, including the 9-27 loss to the touring Welsh national side. Following a 9-9 draw with Taranaki and then a 19-0 drubbing in the first test match in Christchurch, the thought of having to face Otago – who had beaten the 1950 (23-9), 1959 (26-8) and 1966 (17-9) Lions – was not an overly happy prospect for the visitors.

  But the Dragons certainly turned it on, the Cardiff winger and 1968 Lion to South Africa, Maurice Richards, scoring three tries, two of them inside three minutes, that attributed to the Welsh shooting out to a 10 nil lead after less than 20 minutes.

Later that same season, Richards switched rugby codes and played for the Salford club, where he holds the record for most appearances with 605 between 1969-1983. He also played rugby league for Wales and was a member of the 1974 Great Britain side, which toured New Zealand, winning the series by 2-1.

  Colling played eight games for Otago in 1970, plus the early All Black trial as a member of the winning Probables side, scoring a try. Even though some believed Colling to be the best distributor of ball to the backline around, with a long and accurate pass, there were some scrumhalf heavy-weights ahead and beside him in Chris Laidlaw, Sid Going, Ian Stevens, Hepa Paewai and Lin Davis, on the way to a New Zealand jersey.

  Only a South Island trial beckoned in 1971, but a further 13 matches for Otago, including the seasons big game against the British Lions. The crowd of 28,000 were thrilled by the determination of the home team, although they were unable to repeat their previous successes against the same opposition.

  Otago had been well praised for their effort and display by the Lions management following the game, coach Carwyn James indicating that the intensity of the match was exactly what the Lions had been missing in their build-up for the first test match.

  ‘No praise could be too great for a bonny Otago side, which gave the Lions the toughest test of their tour so far’, wrote Lindsay Knight, adding ‘Otago’s driving and rucking among the forwards was relentless and remorseless, the tackling was also deadly, especially that of the loose forwards Greg McGee, John Adams and a lightweight terrier, Rex Smith’.

  Despite needless kicking on a number of occasions, Colling harried with vigour with the loosies, leaving Gareth Edwards to feel the brunt of the pressure. All the Lions 21 points were scored by Welshmen with John Taylor, JPR Williams and John Dawes scoring tries, with Barry John converting all three, adding a penalty and a dropped goal.

  Lin Colling’s rise through the ranks was complete in May 1972, when he was selected as Sid Going's understudy for the All Blacks nine-match internal tour, starting against Marlborough (two tries), Mid- Canterbury, Counties and Wairarapa-Bush (two tries).

  Yet another brace, a sterling performance and the ‘chief guiding light’ in Otago’s 26-0 demolition of Australia in their tour opener at Carisbrook was enough to secure Colling’s place on the reserves bench for the three tests against the Aussies. ‘Wallabies wilt in Otago porridge’ wrote Lindsay Knight, as Otago gave a classical display of ‘rugby for the conditions’, with mud so thick and foreign to the tourists.

  Selection ahead of Lin Davis for the South Island side seemed to confirm that Colling was now firmly regarded as New Zealand’s No. 2 half-back. With the two mentioned opposing each other in the final trial to select the seventh All Blacks, it appeared that Sid Going was suffering ‘a love hate relationship’ with the selectors and general public following his indifferent form for the All Blacks against Australia.

  While there was never any doubt concerning his sheer brilliance as a running scrumhalf, Going tended to ‘over-run’ at times or to kick too much and when he chose to pass, the service provided throughout the test series was at times shoddy.

  His erratic performances had not allowed his flyhalf to settle into his role at all, best illustrated by the fact that and selectors chose John Dougan, Lyn Jaffray and Bob Burgess in three consecutive tests, searching for the right person to partner Going.

  It was Going and Colling who would fill the two half-back roles for the end of season tour to the UK, France and North America. Colling played in 15 matches on tour, the most prominent being when coming on as a replacement for Going in the tour finale, British section, the most famous match against the Barbarians Club in Cardiff, won by the home side by 23-11.

  In all, Colling played against British Columbia (31-3, Vancouver), Western Counties (39-12, Gloucester; try), Llanelli (3-9, Llanelli), Leinster (17-9, Dublin), North-Western Counties (14-16, Workington), Midland Counties West (8-16, Moseley), Edinburgh and Glasgow (16-10, Glasgow), Southern Counties (23-6, Oxford), Combined Services (31-10, Twickenham), South-Western Counties (30-7, Redruth), Midland Counties East (43-12, Leicester; try), Munster (3-3, Cork), Neath & Aberavon (43-3, Neath), Barbarians and South Western France (12-3, Tarbes).

  The tour itself was one of mixed fortunes for Lin Colling. In the second match on British soil, marking 1971 Lion, Ray ‘Chico’ Hopkins, it was his clearing kick that was charged down by Roy Bergiers, resulting in a try, which ultimately saw the All Blacks beaten 3-9 by the Welsh side, Llanelli. His confidence took a shattering after the the match and he took a long time to forgive himself for his error.

  On the Wednesday following Keith Murdoch’s expulsion, the All Blacks were still picking up the pieces when they were rolled by the David Duckham led West-Midland Counties by 8-16, Colling up against the English scrumhalf, Jan Webster of Moseley.

  He had been rooming with Murdoch upon the teams return to Cardiff for the test against the Welsh four days prior, neither man could have foreseen what was about to happen and the ultimate turmoil it would cause. With his natural leadership skills to the fore, it had been Lin Colling who took the responsibility of calming down a hysterical Grant Batty, the little winger from Wellington full of grief and raging at the team management for sending Murdoch home.

  Equally, all the big scores recorded on tour by the All Blacks, those at Gloucester, Leicester and Neath principally, were in part posted because of Colling’s pellucid passes, which had sent his talented backline away so gallantly.

In the match with the Barbarians, the All Blacks were down 0-17 when Colling came on to replace Sid Going. The fact that New Zealand won the second half by 11-6 was largely due to the crispness and fluidity of the Colling pass, which again gave his back-line the due service it required.

  Colling was one of the New Zealanders invited to take part in the Scottish Rugby Unions centenary celebrations and on April 7th, 1973 took part in the first International seven-a-side competition, predating the World Sevens tournament by twenty years. The tournament winners, England, proclaimed themselves to be world champions, although this was not sanctioned by the IRB.

  Other’s who had toured the UK and France only months before, who were invited back for the celebrations were Ian Stevens, George Shudder, Alex Wyllie, Alistair Scown, Grant Batty, Duncan Hales and Alan Sutherland. The Australian centre who had toured New Zealand in 1972, Dave Burnett, rounded out the kiwi contingent, who were beaten only once in three matches, an 18-22 loss to Ireland.

  An All Black trial and an appearance for the South Island (scoring a try in a 14-27 loss) led to Colling being re-selected as an All Black for the internal tour of 1973 (replacing the cancelled tour to New Zealand by the Springboks). He played in two of the matches; New Zealand Maori (18-8, Rotorua) and the Invitation XV (22-10, Auckland) marking Sid Going in the second match.

  Although playing in the final trial Going, failed to make the side as selected by Messrs. Stewart, Duff and Gleeson, who opted for Colling and Wellington’s Ian Stevens as the two half-backs. Going returned for the disastrous one-off test with England (Colling again on the reserves bench). Lin Colling made eight appearances for Otago in 1973 (taking his tally since 1967 to 69), having captained the province since the 1971 season.

  In 1974, he (and winger Terry Morrison) transferred to Auckland and joined the powerful Ponsonby club side, arguably the strongest in New Zealand, which already included All Blacks in Bryan Williams, Peter Whiting and Andy Haden, plus a young prop who had played for the Junior All Blacks in 1972 and ‘73 and had trialed for the side to tour Australia in Brad Johnstone.

  Colling was injured just before the trials in April, when the selectors (Stewart and Eric Watson of Otago) dropped a bombshell by not giving Sid Going a trial at all. Had he been fit, Colling may well have gone to Australia, but gave way to Ian Stevens (who had reinvented himself as a half-back) and ironically, another vying for the Auckland job, captain of the New Zealand Juniors in 1973, Bruce Gemmell.

  Once again, Goings omission was the source of endless debate regarding his merits and failings around the nation’s smoko tables and pub leaner’s. At times throughout his career his selection was controversial, selectors preferring half-backs with more natural passing abilities who could ignite or stimulate their backline into positive action.

  But in the test arena, Going played to New Zealand’s strengths and was a scintillating attacking option and noted throughout the rugby world as a ‘match-winning’ half-back. Once again the New Zealand rugby public would be ‘shocked’ by the announcement that he was back in the team (along with Ian Stevens) to tour Ireland and Wales at the end of the 1974 season.

  By the time the All Blacks had returned from their 1974 Australian tour, Bruce Gemmell (who had played the first two tests) had lost not only his test spot, but his place in the Auckland side to Lin Colling, the latter now also that Unions captain.

The coup de grace for him was that – after unsuccessful challenges with Otago in 1970 and 1972 against Canterbury – Lin Colling captained Auckland to a 26-13 Ranfurly Shield victory over Wellington at Athletic Park, 11 days and one defence after the capital boys had rested the trophy from South Canterbury.

  Wellington had recently completed a five match tour of the South Island (collecting the shield along the way, most matches played on energy-sapping, heavy grounds) and had defended the trophy six days previously against Waikato.

Throw in the Inter-Island fixture and All Black trials, the fact that they had played Taranaki three days before travelling South (and Hawkes Bay a week before that), Grant Batty (amongst others) was playing his 11th match in 34 days.

  The tiredness of the side was obvious and had manifest itself in a bumbling display, Wellington allowing the shield to slip away by plethora of fundamental blunders. Although not even fancied by their own press, Auckland on the day were simply far too good and successful in defending the trophy against Waikato seven days later by 9 points to 6.

  Colling made 11 appearances for Auckland in each of the 1974, 1975 and 1976 seasons, captaining the side in seven successful shield defences in 1975 against Thames Valley (22-0, try), Hawkes Bay (19-6), Wellington (19-14), Counties (7-6), North Auckland (22-16, try), Waikato (17-13) and Marlborough (13-4) and Southland (9-9) in 1976.

  Three days after the Southland challenge, Manawatu ‘ambushed’ the holders with a 12-10 victory, the first time that province had ever held the amulet. A fortnight later against Otago, Colling was injured and did not play again that season.

  Earlier in May, he had trialed for the side to tour South Africa, captaining the early trial Probables to a 27 to 20 win and later in the season, would become the first Ponsonby captain in 22 years to lift the Gallaher Trophy for Auckland senior rugby.

Lin Colling was heavily involved with coaching once his representative career ended, with Ponsonby, the New Zealand Colts and Development teams and was an All Black selector in 1994. He died in Auckland in 2003 following a lengthy illness, diagnosed with a brain tumor.

 

*****

 

  Brian Sampson ended the season with nine tries for Mid-Canterbury and had proved himself throughout his career, a fast and most determined runner with ball in hand. With the Union holding and retaining the Hanan Shield with wins over North Otago (17-9) and South Canterbury (33-11) - and Sampson scoring a brace of tries in each - he was hurried into the South Island side and played his part in their shock but thoroughly commendable victory.

  Mid-Canterbury’s victory over Australia in 1964 and the South Island appearance in 1969 were certainly the high points of Sampson’s career. He played for the combined South Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury and North Otago side (with All Black, Ian ‘Spooky’ Smith on the other wing), beaten 13-28 by the Springboks in 1965, another season where he was in great try-scoring form, notching eight in six matches, including four in a 16-11 win over Golden Bay-Motueka in Ashburton.

  He appeared for the same combined selection of Hanan Shield districts against the 1966 British Lions, defeated in Timaru by 12-20. Although he scored a try and his Probables side won by 9-5 in the South Island trial of 1970, Sampson failed to make the final All Black trial for South Africa. He played four further matches for Mid-Canterbury (scoring a try in a 12-12 draw with Queensland) taking his tally to 57, dotting down no fewer than 41 times along the way.

 

 

*****

 

  If the South’s victory had in any way been regarded as a surprise or a fluke, three days after the Inter- Island match, Canterbury unmercifully hammered Wellington in Christchurch by 23-3. Ken Gray scored Wellington’s sole points with a try. Wayne Cottrell, Robin Woolhouse, Hamish MacDonald and Ian Penrose scored Canterbury’s tries, Fergi McCormick converting them all and adding a penalty. 

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