I'm a Hawkeye Guy

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Fourth defence;

Southland

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McLean Park, Napier. Saturday, September 2nd, 1967

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HAWKES BAY 29, SOUTHLAND 6 (Half-time: 11 – 6)

 

For Hawkes Bay: Kel Tremain (3), Blair Furlong tries. Ian Bishop, 4 conversions and 3 penalty goals. 

 

For Southland: Barry Cullen, 2 penalty goals.

 

Hawkes Bay: Ian Bishop, Mick Duncan, Bill Davis, Doug Curtis, Ian MacRae, Blair Furlong, Aidan Thomas, Dave Bone, Gary Condon, Rod Abel, Kaaran Crawford, Kel Tremain, Neil Thimbleby, Myles Reddy, Hilton Meech.

 

Southland: Barry Cullen (Mataura), Graeme Townsend (Gore Albion), Ian ‘Spooky’ Smith (Wyndham), Denis Hazlett (Otautau), Robin Welsh (Invercargill Pirate), Alan Blackler (Invercargill Star), L Taiaroa (Southland HSOB), Gerald Dermody (Tokanui), Arthur Frew (Wyndham), Graeme Pohlen (Invercargill Pirate), Peter Grant (Drummond), Harold ‘Hori' Miller (Waikaka), John Lindsay (Invercargill), Greg Spencer (Winton), Jack Hazlett (Drummond) captain.

 

Referee: RK (??) Marsh (Wellington)  Crowd: 19,600  net profit for HBRFU: $7,684.36

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It was quite some reputation the Southland forward pack carried, when they arrived in Napier, being widely acclaimed for their hard and uncompromising mentality, although their game was better suited to the wetter grounds of the South admittedly.

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In impressive fashion, they had defeated the 1966 Lions in their tour opener, New Zealand section – by 14 points to 8 – with full back, Barry Cullen, scoring 11 of the home sides points. The Lions arrived (having just thumped the Wallabies by 31-0), only to be met by a rampaging (without rest) Southland pack, that marauded around Rugby Park in Invercargill, showing all the signs of a return to the hard, tight and clever forward play, which made Southland such a feared side in former years.

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Try for Barry Cullen. Southland strike a major blow to the Lions by comprehensively defeating them in the tour opener, New Zealand section, by 14-8. The full-back from the Mataura club contributed 11 of his teams points.

 

 

Six of the eight who demolished the Lions were still wearing the maroon of Southland a year later and duly took the field on September 2nd, for the fourth defence of the Magpie tenure, the first challenge from a South Island province.

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In August of 1965, the Southerners had gone mighty close to lifting the Ranfurly Shield off of Taranaki, the holders having to have come from behind and then hold on for a 6-6 draw. The fact that they did ensured that the Bay themselves would get to challenge the following Saturday, which was largely considered likely by most before the unexpected zeal of Southland’s challenge.

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The challengers forwards had once again lead the way, taking on and beating their Taranaki counterparts up front and winning more than their share of ball from both scrums and line-outs. The battle at the latter between Hazlett and Alan Smith had been immense.  It was again left up to Ross Brown to level the scores with his customary dropped goal, which set a new Ranfurly Shield record for Taranaki with 14 successful defences, displacing the 1957-59 record from the books. 

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It was now twenty years, since the trophy had resided in Invercargill and the Southland team, administrators and supporters yearned for its return and were determined to get it back.

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Although soundly beaten (22-12) by Wellington on the Wednesday before their shield challenge, a week prior to that, Southland had recorded a rare win over Auckland by 9-8, in Invercargill. The whole tenor of the associated match report indicated that; “The Southlander’s showed excellent appreciation of the windy conditions, the forwards increasingly resilient, always hostile, always bristling to make the most of breakdown and error.”

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Other home wins against Nelson (17-5), Otago (12-8), West Coast (12-9), South Canterbury (32-0) and North Otago (26-0) had been chalked up prior to their Northern tour, with losses to Otago, in Dunedin (6-11) and Canterbury, in Invercargill (9-24) also.

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The Southlander’s were led by the incumbent All Black loose head prop and South Island captain, Edward John ‘Jack’ Hazlett. Jack’s Uncle Bill (a fiery and robust individual) had also been an All Black, playing eight tests between 1926 and 1930. The family name Hazlett was to Southland, what Clarke was to the Waikato, the former’s kin not only noted as great rugby players, but also as farmers and prominent members of the horse racing fraternity.

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In a most famous incident during Southland’s vigorous Ranfurly Shield challenge of 1925 in Napier, Auckland referee, Bill Meredith, had admonished Hazlett, then fresh out of Waitaki Boys High School, for having had the temerity to turn on Maurice Brownlie, possibly the outstanding forward in New Zealand rugby at the time.

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The referees advice for the young, rawboned Southlander, which became an instant piece of rugby folklore throughout the land, was “Now then Hazlett, you leave Mr. Brownlie alone!” The comment, leaked to the media, was retold as a poem entitled, ‘A Southland saga’ and published in ‘The Truth’ newspaper on August 29th. **

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Most of Jack’s major rugby was as a prop, where he was an excellent scrummager, capable at the front of the line-out and with surprising skill and mobility in the open. But at 6’ 2”, he was often used by Southland as a lock. He entered the Southland side in 1960 - having just turned 22 - made the South Island side in 1964 (and again ’65 and ’66) and received his first All Black trial in 1965.

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The making off Jack Hazlett, the All Black, occurred with two robust performances within ten days of each other in 1966. Following the retirement of Wilson Whineray post the Springbok tour of ‘65, the loose head prop spot was up for grabs and with the Lions en route, four test caps were for the taking.

 

The final All Black trial took the form of New Zealand v the Rest. Jack Hazlett was in the ‘Rest’, a side captained by the incumbent test flanker, Dick Conway of the Bay of Plenty, the only player dropped from the test line-up to the ‘Rest’, as it were.

 

 

“The snag was the return of the previously injured flanker Waka Nathan. He had missed the whole of the series against South Africa but just 'could not be left out in 1966,' said the sports writers of the day. That meant that on that Tuesday, the popular 'Red' Conway was dropped back to captain the 'Rest of New Zealand' team.”

Keith Quinn

 

 

It is not known exactly what Conway said to his team before the game, but former broadcaster come author, Keith Quinn believes it is one of the most violent rugby games he ever saw live.

 

Right from the outset, the ‘Rest’ tore into their counterparts with some of the hardest nuts around the traps in Hopkinson, Wyllie an outraged Conway…and Jack Hazlett. The fighting and scrapping throughout the match was constant, referee John Pring often having to halt proceedings to have a word to constant perpetrators.

 

Colin Meads, ensuring that the rumours regarding the possibility of him losing his test spot to the young, giant of a lad from the tiny Wairarapa township of Featherston in Robert Meadows, were not going to come to fruition, clocked the latter while another brawl broke out following a line-out, breaking his nose.

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For the record, the New Zealand XV defeated ‘The Rest’ by 26-17. When Southland, ten days later, led by Jack Hazlett from the Drummond club, steam-rolled the Lions by 14-8 in their first match in New Zealand, the national selectors had pencilled his name as Whineray’s successor, ahead of Paul Scott from the Bay of Plenty.

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Confirmation of this came when his name was read out for the first test team and such was the margin (20-3) and convincing manner of victory in that game, the pack remained unchanged for the entire four match series, all won by the All Blacks. Hazlett had retained his spot and played in the Jubilee test against Australia just weeks prior to Southland’s challenge and was considered an almost certainty to be retained for the forthcoming tour to the United Kingdom.

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His propping partner was John Lindsay, son of the 1928 All Black full back / three quarter, David, who had played in three tests against the Springboks that year. John, who had previously played for Otago, had made the South Island side of 1966, but effectively retired from all but club rugby at the end of that season. His form for Invercargill was so impressive that he was coaxed back into the rep side, where he played all but the first two of Southland’s fixtures in 1967.

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The tight head prop was one of the hardest men in the business. Greig George Spencer played 107 matches for Southland between 1958 and 1967, making the Junior All Blacks in 1959. Another youngster developing well in the game was the 22 year old lock or No. 8, Gerald Dermody, The former Waitaki Boys 1st XV’er, who had made his debut for Southland in 1965. 

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As a fellow centurion himself in years to come, Dermody, described Spencer as ‘the hardest Southland representative he had seen in his playing time’. His fitness and dedication to his rugby was outstanding – if he lost a game he would go for a run afterward just to get the disappointment out of his system.

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At 6’ 6 1/2” and weighing 17st 1lb, the Bay were right to be concerned over the ball winning potential of one of the country’s brightest prospects for the locking position in Graeme Pohlen. The 25 year old had previously played for Otago while a medical student in Dunedin and had also represented the South Island. He was also one of the few members of the Southland squad who was not a farmer, shearer or stock agent.

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Dermody, Spencer, Lindsay, Hazlett and flankers Arthur Frew and Hori Miller had all played against the Springboks of ’65, a match won 19-6 by the tourists (running in five tries, two to the Western Province winger, Gertjie Brynard).

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In the back-line, only Cullen and Graeme Townsend had played against the Boks. Barry Cullen had been in the Southland side since 1960 and rugby folk of the deep South were convinced that he had enjoyed the better of every occasion in which he had marked the incumbent All Black full-back, Mick Williment of Wellington. Cullen had played over 60 matches for his province.

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Townsend was another long servant, having joined the representative ranks in 1962. He had played all his rugby for Southland as a full-back or on the wing and was known as a prodigious drop-kicker. He had also represented the province at tennis.

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Alan ‘Stumpy’ Blackler, a Makarewa farmer who played for the Star club in Invercargill would start the match at first five-eighth. Blacker had marked ‘Mac’ Herewini on debut for Southland in 1965, the southerners outscoring the Auks by three tries to two on Eden Park, but losing the match by 11-13.

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The general feeling was that if the Magpies could hold the fearsome Southland pack, they would certainly have an edge in the back division, which would hopefully be enough to win the game.

 

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A light shower fell before the match, but the ground was firm, the result of an unusually sunny and mild winter. Southland took the lead in the first minute with a penalty goal by Barry Cullen, who had scored all of the Maroons points with his boot, earlier in the week in the loss to Wellington.

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Ian Bishop replied for the Bay after nine minutes and from then on, Hawkes Bay took control of the match, the forwards playing very much the Southlander’s at their own game. Karaan Crawford and Rod Abel successfully negated Graeme Pohlen’s influence in the line outs and the Bay loose trio ran amok the Southland inside backs, causing all manner of devastation.

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After 26 minutes, Blair Furlong - turning in his best performance of the tenure thus far for the holders - danced his way through some tackles to score. Ian Bishop converted and after he added a penalty goal moments later, Hawkes Bay went to the half time break ahead by 11-6.

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With Bill Davis hobbling and Ian MacRae carrying a back injury as a result of being flattened in a tackle, Furlong’s kicking game became paramount and was superbly executed. He took the mantle upon himself to direct the play and in such circumstances, Hawkes Bay had confined their game to the forwards.

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The second half will always be remembered as belonging to Kel Tremain. Three second half tries to the skipper and an incident which provided the most galvanizing moment of the 1967 rugby football season. Seven minutes after the restart, he dived through the Southland line out, on the challenger’s line, to score. Bishop converted, 16-6.

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On twenty four minutes, the Hawkes Bay forwards gave the Southland pack a hefty shove back over their line and Tremain flopped on the ball to score. Bishop converted and soon after added another penalty, 24-6.

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As the match drew near to a conclusion, the Southlanders were feeling the freshness of the pace and slipped further behind the eight ball. Whether through compensation or frustration of this, spectators witnessed one of the more unsavoury incidents in the entire shield series late in the game, when Kel Tremain was knocked to the ground by the fiery Greig Spencer.

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“Roughing up our skipper was the worst thing they could have done. Our blokes – especially Hilton Meech – saw red. They were like men possessed. Southland never had a hope after that.”

Kel Tremain (Shield Fever)

 

 

“Those who are not with the team will find it hard to understand what I mean by ‘team spirit’, but anyone who saw the way Neil Thimbleby                                                                      called the team together after Kel Tremain was hurt, will understand.”                                                              Colin Le Quesne (Shield ’67)

 

 

But big Kel was as tough as they come and he would have the last laugh. With six minutes to go, Ian MacRae broke clear and handed on to Tremain, who cleared the ball out to Mick Duncan. The winger screamed up the touch-line before passing back infield to Tremain, who crashed over in the corner in the tackle of John Lindsay. Bishop again converted, his personal tally for the match extended to 17 points.

 

*****

 

Things didn’t get much better for Southland on their northern tour. In their remaining three matches of 1967 – all away – they were beaten by King Country (0-16), Wanganui (3-20) and Manawatu (3-17).

 

Following the Hawkes Bay game, Ian Smith, Robin Welsh and Jack Hazlett did not play again for Southland that winter.

 

*****

 

September 2nd was a busy day around the country; Waikato and Bay of Plenty fought out an 11-11 draw in Hamilton, Wellington and Taranaki the same score in Wellington and Otago and Auckland a 3-3 stalemate in Dunedin. At Papakura, the home side, Counties, were beaten 11-6 by King Country. Marlborough made light work of Buller in Blenheim, winning by 24-3, while down the road in Christchurch, Canterbury thumped neighbours, Mid-Canterbury by 21-0. North Otago had a home win in Oamaru over South Canterbury by 19-3.

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*****

 

On Wednesday, September 6th, several Hawkes Bay players were involved in the North Island trials, held at the Showgrounds Oval in Palmerston North, a prelim to the main All Black trials, to select a team to tour the United Kingdom and France.

 

Neil Thimbleby was in the victorious ‘Possibles’ in the first North Island trial (11-0), while Dave Bone (replaced early by Ken McMillan of Counties) was in the losing ‘Probables’. Hepa Paewai was originally selected for the ‘Possibles’ in this match, his place taken by David Miller of Counties.

 

In the main North Island trial match (won 14-11 by the ‘Probables’), Kel Tremain was the only Magpie, while Ian MacRae (who scored a try) and Kaaran Crawford (playing in the unfamiliar role of prop) were in the losing ‘Possibles’ side. Owing to the injury received in the Southland challenge, Bill Davis was unable to trial and was replaced by Ian Uttley of Wellington. 

 

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With Dennis Smith still out injured, Frank Jones of MAC took his place, his first representative match of the season. Armstrong and Martin were paired in the five-eighths. Aidan Thomas, growing in stature and confidence with every match he played, resumed his role as half back.

 

Hawkes Bay’s nineteen points were made up from tries to Mick Duncan, Doug Curtis, Rod Abel, Neil Thimbleby and Dick. Carney added two conversions. 

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*****

 

Following the final New Zealand rugby trials held at Athletic Park in Wellington, on August 9th, a 30 strong touring party was selected to tour Canada, the British Isles and France, October – December, 1967. This tour was arranged as a replacement for the cancelled tour to South Africa, New Zealand refuting the invitation as offered, with the South African Government remained adamant in their stand that Maori players be excluded from the touring party.

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Chosen to tour from Hawkes Bay were Kel Tremain, Ian MacRae and Billy Davis. Other tourists who played in Ranfurly Shield challenges in 1967 were; Manawatu - Sam Strahan. Waikato - Bill Birtwhistle. Wairarapa - Brian Lochore (Captain). Southland - Jack Hazlett. Taranaki - John Major, Brian Muller, Alan Smith, Murray Wills. Otago - Chris Laidlaw, Earle Kirton. Wellington - Ken Gray, Gerald Kember, Graham Willams.

 

***** 

 

At the completion of the 1967 rugby season, the curtain came down on the career of one of the Maroons finest backs of his era in Barry Cullen. In his seven seasons for Southland, Cullen had amassed 441 points in 68 outings for his province. After 12 appearances on the wing, Jack’s younger brother Denis Hazlett did not play for Southland again, post 1967, nor second five-eighth, Robin Welsh. Denis Hazlett was killed during a controlled scrub burn off on a high country farm near Waikari, North Canterbury, in October of 2014.

 

Graeme Townsend, a South Island representative in his debut season, scored 211 points in his 80 matches between 1962 and 1969 (although he did not play during 1968), which included 35 tries, almost half his points tally.

 

Grahame Pohlen’s profession saw him on the move from Southland also and in 1968 he popped up in the King Country (playing nine matches for that union) and the following season in Auckland, where he made a solitary appearance. Pohlen played in the All Black trial of 1968 and it is understood that he declined invitation from Ivan Vodanovich to tour South Africa in 1970.

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John Lindsay also did not play for Southland post-1967, the union for which he had made 45 appearances, since arriving from neighbouring Otago in 1964.

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Gerald Dermody of the Tokanui club would go on to make 120 appearances for his province between 1965 and 1977, for quite some years the highest ranked centurion to have worn the maroon of Southland. His brother’s Gus (51 games) and Stuart also played for the union, Gus’s son Clarke going on to become an All Black in 2006. 

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In 1968 he became a Junior All Black and played in the 19-23 loss to Japan on Athletic Park on June 3rd, yet despite numerous All Black or South Island trials, was not able to claim national honours.

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Gerald Dermody died of cancer in December, 2014, aged 69.

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Harold ‘Hori’ Miller, played 71 times for his union between 1963 and 1972 as a side row forward. He co-coached the Southland ‘Stags’ in 1983 with Kevin Laidlaw and Jack Borland. Alan ‘Stumpy’ Blackler played 37 games at pivot and also as fullback and halfback from 1965 to 1973.

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Robin Welsh has been rated by ‘discerning judges’ as one of the finest all-round sportsmen ever produced by the Southland province. A big and fast centre with a strong fend, Welsh made 40 appearances for Southland as a midfield back, but a New Zealand under 19 tennis singles title (defeating Colin Pascoe 8-6, 6-1) would most likely remain his finest sporting achievement.

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Welsh also represented Southland in squash and snooker, as well as being a single handicap golfer. He died in 2013.

 

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#1 song in NZ: 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' by Procul Harum