I'm a Hawkeye Guy
There's Something About a Magpie
7th defence
Wellington
McLean Park, Napier. Saturday, September 30th, 1967
HAWKES BAY 12, WELLINGTON 12 (Half-time 6-9)
For Hawkes Bay: Mick Duncan T. Ian Bishop 2P. Blair Furlong DG
For Wellington: Mick Williment 2P. Mattie Blackburn 2DG
Hawkes Bay: Ian Bishop, Mick Duncan (replaced by Frank Jones), 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.
Wellington: Mick Williment (Victoria University), Robert Gray (St Pats OB), Bruce Hill (Onslow), Pat Myers (Marist BOB), Gerald Kember (Victoria University), Mattie Blackburn (Wellington) replaced by John Dougan (Petone), Ian Stevens (Petone), Wayne Nicholls (Poneke), Graham Williams (Wellington), Nev MacEwan (Athletic), Paul Delaney (Onslow), Tom Lister (Athletic), John ‘Junior’ Finn (Marist BOB), Terry McCashin (Athletic), Ken Gray (Petone) captain.
Referee: DH (Dave) Millar (Dunedin) Net profit to HBRFU: $9,802.25 Crowd: 25,850 (2/22)
“When teams of quality at the peak of fitness, given the great occasion and perfect conditions, play a draw, then the odds are this was a match of seething excitement, of heroic deeds. Nearly 26,000 people clenched nearly 52,000 white knuckled fists or nervously nibbled on nearly 520,000 nails as Wellington and Hawkes Bay produced their fantastic climax…” Alex Versey (Dominion Newspaper, Wellington)
Taranaki may have had four All Blacks in their forward pack, Otago the dynamic duo of Laidlaw and Kirton, but nothing in 1967 quite matched the star studded Wellington side for ‘name’ players and an absolute wealth of playing experience. They had it all; a powerhouse forward pack, crisp dash and verve in the back line.
Bill Freeman assumed the coaching of the Wellington team from Clarrie Gibbons, a fellow book and newspaper seller, in 1964. On July 3rd the following year, the relatively unheralded coach would put Wellington rugby on the world map, meticulously planning from his Molesworth Street business, an historic win over the old foe, South Africa.
Under Freeman’s guiding hand, not only was the win achieved against the ultimate international rugby opponent, but it was also obtained with control in the backline and ruthless power in the forwards. The 1965 humiliation of the Springboks still ranks as the province’s finest ever rugby outing, Wellington rugby’s greatest day.
He and ex-All Black, Ivan Vodanovich, had decided on a plan to set up a victory, which largely involved Wellington shelving their own brand of entertaining but high risk, expansive rugby and instead to compete for everything in the forward exchanges and kick the ball over the top and in so turning the ‘Boks around…chase hard!
“We walloped them, 23-6. I don’t even remember who played for South Africa that day, we were so focused on what we were doing. Coach Bill Freeman was a master motivator. He plastered signs around the dressing room before the match, which simply said ‘Tackle, Tackle, Tackle’, and boy did we tackle!” Nev McEwan (KeithQuinnRugby.com)
The anticipation and excitement in the city was evident all week before the big match, only the second of the tour, a real carnival atmosphere having been stirred up by Dick Evans and the Wellington Rugby Supporters Club.
Showman, Evans, had lined up 40 floats, 10 bands and marching girls to set the scene and had positioned himself and the local sides mascot, Leo the Lion and his trainer alongside cracking his whip, at the head of the pre-match parade as it made its way along Willis Street and past the Grand Hotel.
The coach and his team, immaculately dressed in their Wellington blazers and ties, proudly took the fans' salute on their hotel balcony. Freeman was always a stickler for clean boots, appropriate dress and discipline. "Even if you can't play the game, at least look as if you can," he would often tell his players.
The MC - also on the balcony - was Winston McCarthy, the doyen of radio commentators, who (never short of a word) was reacting to the quips which adorned the sides of the passing floats. Local dry-cleaning firm ‘Dentice’s’ entered a fleet of vans, each with a single word on their sides with a message which collectively read; 'Welcome Springboks, you too can be taken to the cleaners'.
38,000 packed into Athletic Park to get their first glimpse of the fourth Springbok side to tour this country. They had disposed of Poverty Bay midweek to the tune of 32-3 and there was much anticipation regarding how they would stand up to one of the leading provincial outfits in New Zealand.
The crowd erupted in the 10th minute, when the incumbent All Black fullback, Mick Williment, kicked a left-foot 40-metre dropped goal. He doubled the score with a penalty on 15 minutes, followed by another to put Wellington ahead 9-0. The South Africans replied with a 50-metre penalty into the southerly breeze, but Williment replied to extend Wellington’s lead to 12-3.
Then just before halftime, the fullback came into the backline and linked up with second five-eighth Graham Bowerman and centre Ian Uttley for the latter to score. Williment converted the try, putting Wellington ahead by 17-3 at halftime.
South Africa closed the gap with a second penalty early in the second half, but Wellington’s pack was firing on all cylinders and they couldn’t make any more inroads. Instead, Wellington sealed victory with a brace of penalties to first five-eighth Brian Frederickson (who had taken over the kicking duties) and the home side were able to celebrate a famous win. The game plan had been executed to a tee! Wellington’s forwards were collectively credited with producing one of the union’s finest afternoons of rugby.
“I wonder if any Wellington pack of the past has played with such fire and dedication as Saturday’s one did. The Wellington eight established the foundations of the win, built the victory structure round these foundations and erected a supremacy dome on the top.” G R David (Sports editor, ‘Evening Post’)
The South Africans were gracious in defeat in what is widely regarded as captain, Ken Gray’s finest hour for Wellington in his 125 match career for the Lions between 1959-69. After giving the ‘Boks such a fearful walloping, Wellington were duly expected to return from New Plymouth with the Ranfurly Shield six weeks later, but met with fervent resistance from the holders and were (largely un-expectantly) beaten by 3-11.
In 1966, they repeated the dose of claiming an International scalp when they decimated the British Isles by a similar score line in 20 points to six. It was the 5th match on tour for the Mike Campbell-Lamberton led Lions (although Welsh No. 8, Alan Pask captained the side against Wellington) and they had already been soundly defeated by both Southland and Otago. Alan Osborne, Bruce Hill and Graham Williams scored tries for the capital boys, with Mick Williment converting one and adding three penalties.
A 3-11 loss to Canterbury in Christchurch following, was the only loss the Wellington Lions had suffered in 1966. They had beaten Auckland twice, Canterbury in the return fixture at Athletic Park and dealt to both Otago and Southland on their four yearly Southern tour.
On the final Saturday of the season, they had given the new Ranfurly Shield holders, Hawkes Bay, a frightful walloping at home - with the shield not at stake - also by 20 to 6. The try count in the match was two apiece (Denis Smith scoring two superb tries for the Magpies), the difference being made up by the boot of Williment with a conversion and four penalty goals.
Surprisingly, Wellington did not have a great shield record during the 1960’s. The one time they did get their hands on it, when ending the Auckland dynasty of 26 defences between 1960 and 1963, they only held it for six days before losing it to Taranaki (which started another lengthy, fifteen-match tenure for the amber and blacks, 1963-65).
During the Auckland era, Wellington had three unsuccessful attempts before their 8-3 victory. Since losing to Taranaki, challenges had gone awry against the same mentioned new holder in 1964 (0-3) and 1965 (3-11). It was time for the shield to return to the original holder.
The successes of 1966 were not repeated and Wellington endured a dodgy old start to the 1967 season with back to back losses against the Wairarapa and Manawatu and then another to Taranaki. By mid-season however, they were well and truly on a roll with wins against Auckland, Wanganui, South Canterbury, Otago, Southland and two 11-11 draws with Canterbury and Taranaki respectively.
Surprise losses to Waikato and North Auckland had created some wobbles, but the two Saturdays leading up to September 30th, wins had been recorded against Auckland (14-6 at Eden Park) and Canterbury (19-17 at Athletic Park). Wellington were right to fancy their chances of lifting ‘the log’.
They would field an unchanged line-up from the Canterbury match a week ago, the best news in this being the fact that their enigmatic captain, Ken Gray, would be able to take his place in the front row, having suffered from a knee injury for most of the season. The inclusion of arguably the world’s best tight head prop (although he was totally adapt either side of the scrum and in fact, started his rugby career as a lock), was imperative to Wellington’s success.
A farmer from Pauatahanui, near Porirua, Kenneth Francis Gray had played over 100 games for his province, was naturally strong and to this day, his name is among those nominated for debate when it comes to naming the greatest of All Black sides. Strength was not his only commodity, Gray added to his game considerable rugby ability and skills, mobility in broken play and a commanding line-out presence, especially as a jumper towards the front.
In 1959, with the Petone club, he began a lengthy career in the Wellington jersey and by the time he retired in 1969, he had amassed 133 games for the union. In 1964 Gray took over the captaincy and led the union in the back to back wins against the Springboks and the Lions.
To his disappointment - for which he always claimed to be responsible - he was also captain in the two unsuccessful Ranfurly Shield challenges against Taranaki in 1964 and 1965 (and again against Hawke's Bay in 1967 and 1969). In the book ‘Rugby Greats’ (Bob Howitt, 1975), Ken Gray stated that, in his own opinion, he was a poor Ranfurly Shield captain, who had developed a defeatist attitude over it through being over-cautious.
He had the first of his nine All Black trials in 1961 and in 1963, played the first of his six matches for the North Island and at the end of that season made the All Black team for Britain and France. He played in all five internationals as the tight head prop and for the rest of the decade was to be the cornerstone of one of the greatest All Black packs of all time, alongside such giants of the game as Colin Meads, Brian Lochore and the Bay’s own Kel Tremain.
He played all three tests against the Wallabies in 1964 and in each of the four against the Springboks in 1965 and the Lions in 1966. Having been an automatic selection, there was doubt that he would make the coming All Black tour to the United Kingdom because of the knee injury which had ruled him out of the Jubilee test against the Wallabies. He did miss the England international at Twickenham but recovered to play those against Wales, France and Scotland.
At full back was the incumbent New Zealand number 15, who had also made over 100 first-class appearances for his province (the first back to become a centurion for Wellington), Mick Williment of the University club.
In 1958, one year out of Rongotai College (where in sporting terms, he also excelled as a fine fast bowler and lower order batsman in cricket), Michael Williment found himself in the Wellington rugby side for the last two fixtures of the season against Taranaki and the Centurions. By 1960, he was the province’s number one full back and – until forced to retire through injury in 1968 – had racked up 108 matches for the union.
His provincial highlights were many during this time, among the finer being; captaining Wellington to the Ranfurly Shield win over Auckland in 1963 and the back to back victories over the Springboks and the British Lions in 1965 and 1966 respectively.
Four days after an epic 3-3 draw with Hawkes Bay (which broke the Ranfurly Shield record for run of successes set by the Magpies of the 1920’s), Wellington went to Eden Park and – in the mud - burgled the Ranfurly Shield from an Auckland side, physically and mentally drained from their previous encounter.
Not that the win wasn’t a deserved one by Wellington, more largely unexpected, for the challengers did not have a ‘great’ side in 1963, as is best reflected in the fact that within seven days the shield was on the move again, Taranaki recording a resounding 17-3 victory on Athletic Park in defence one.
Wellington had played with real spirit in beating Auckland and those who had watched and returned to the capital were convinced that – with Taranaki, Southland, Auckland and Canterbury to follow – Wellington had an even chance of holding the shield for the remainder of the season.
The trophy had not been housed in the capital since 1957, but the Lions faithful believed that their team – on a dry ground – had the mettle to cut it with anyone through a backline dripping with talent; Williment, Caulton, Uttley, Osborne, Stewart.
The deep set formation that the backs employed against Taranaki played directly into the challengers hands. Wellington attacked as though the challenger while Ross Brown and Taranaki played percentage rugby and came away with a coolly calculated and clinically executed victory.
Mick Williment had been a perennial trialist since 1961 and had it not been for one of the All Black greats in Don Clarke, may well have played more tests for New Zealand. As it was, he got his first ‘break’ into the test arena through a knee injury to Clarke, the big Waikato full-back unable to take his place in the first test against Australia in 1964 at Carisbrook in Dunedin.
The 25 year old Williment made a sound debut in general play, contributing two penalties and a conversion toward the All Blacks 14-9 score-line. Clarke returned for the second and third tests, but would eventually fall victim to his knee ailment on a permanent basis, retiring before the commencement of the 1965 season.
That and the following season, 1966, were the two career topping ‘golden years’ for Mick Williment. He played against the Springboks on five occasions throughout the winter of ’65; for Wellington in their historic 23-6 win, the first three tests for the All Blacks and for New Zealand Universities.
He suffered concussion in the last mentioned of these matches, which allegedly prevented him taking his spot in the fourth test and he was replaced by Fergi McCormick of Canterbury, making his international debut. Strangely, he did play for Wellington on the same day as the test, scoring a try, as the boys from the capital defeated Taranaki on Athletic Park by 17 to 5.
Through his association with the Victoria University club in Wellington, Mick Williment had been involved with many New Zealand Universities sides throughout his career. In 1961 he was the sole full-back selected for a ten match tour of California and British Columbia, the side captained by the All Black, then Lincoln College student, Kel Tremain.
The Universities side won eight of the ten matches, suffering two, three point loses (to Vancouver, 0-3 and British Columbia, 6-9). Williment topped the individual points scoring tally with 57 in his seven matches on tour and Tremain with eight, was equal top try scorer with Quentin Tapsell of Canterbury.
In 1964, Williment was full-back in all three ‘tests’ against the Australian Universities (all won) and apart from the 11-55 loss to the Springboks in 1965, he also played for the Universities national representative side against Manawatu (16-14, Palmerston North; 7 points) and Wanganui (40-0, Wanganui; 13 points).
He played in the four tests (all won) against the 1966 British Lions, contributing 35 points to the All Blacks campaign with a try (in the first test) and eight conversions and six penalties throughout the series. As with the previous season, he played for Wellington in their win against the Lions and for NZ Universities, a match won 24-11 by the tourists in Christchurch.
Williment played in the Jubilee test against Australia six weeks before Wellingtons shield challenge in 1967, as it transpired, his ninth and final test match appearance. He suffered only a solitary loss (16-19, to South Africa in the 3rd test match of 1965) in his nine tests for the All Blacks. He had been plagued by a groin injury throughout much of 1967 and his form in the main trial for the side to tour the United Kingdom had been described as ‘sluggish’.
His recent omission from the touring party had upset folk from the capital city, with Fergi McCormick of Canterbury chosen as the sole full back to tour. But after appearances for the North Island, New Zealand under 23 and the final All Black trial (all at second five-eighth), Gerald Kember – Williments’ provincial team mate - was selected as a utility back and as such, became McCormick’s back up in the full back position. It appeared that the 27 year old Williment’s test career was indeed at an end.
Gerald Francis Kember had been a star in the Nelson College 1st XV from 1959-63. Originally a very gifted first five-eighth, he was moved out after being referred to as ‘too long legged’ for the position. At almost 6” tall, he was occasionally used at centre and his useful boot, accurate goal kicking and positional sense made him the perfect full back.
He had made his full Wellington debut as a 19 year old in 1965, playing for New Zealand Universities the same year. In 1966 he was in the North Island side, in All Black trials, and was part of the All Black squad as a reserve for the test series against the British Lions. Kember did not take the field but had three games against the tourists, for Wellington, NZ Universities and the NZ Juniors.
Ian Neven MacEwan (making his 133rd and final appearance for Wellington) was another long serving player, having first represented the Capital in 1954 and along the way, clocking up over 200 first class matches. The list of players to have done that at the time, now reads like a chapter from the bible of New Zealand rugby greats; Ian and Don Clarke, Wilson Whineray, Denis Young, ‘Tiny’ White and the near immortal Colin Meads.
After spending the 1951 and 1952 seasons in the Nelson College 1st XV, Nev McEwan moved to the capital to train as a school teacher and made his first class and representative debut for Wellington in 1954, alongside another promising youngster in Dave Harker.
In 1956, MacEwan had the first of his many All Black trials, made the first of his five appearances for the North Island and - at just 22 - was included in the second test of the 1956 series against the Springboks. He was used not in his specialist role in the second row but as a third lock at No 8.
“I played No. 8 and really struggled. The Springboks played like thugs that day. At the first scrum their veteran loosehead, Chris Koch, threw a punch at our tighthead, Frank McAtamney, who was playing his first game for the All Blacks, and this set the tone for a spiteful contest. It was more of a fight than a game of rugby.” Nev McEwan (KeithQuinnRugby.com)
The All Blacks lost that test and MacEwan was relegated to the reserves for the rest of the series. But he was included on the 1957 tour of Australia, beginning what was to be a regular test position for the next five or six seasons.He retained his test place in the 1958 series against the Wallabies, in 1959 against the Lions, on tour to South Africa in 1960, where he captained the national side against Northern Transvaal (27-3) and Eastern Province (16-3). His best performance in the silver fern came against against France in 1961, in the ‘Hurricane test’ on Athletic Park, won 5-3 by the All Blacks.
“At the lineout, MacEwan with a gigantic leap proclaimed that he was, as he was to remain, the principal person in the contests for the ball…the new MacEwan, so much more vitally concentrated in energy than the man who lost his place in the North Island team earlier in the season, broke 40 yards from a lineout, raging up field with tail bucking like a runaway steer.”
Terry McLean (‘Cock of the Rugby Roost’)
McEwan then made the tour to Australia in 1962 and the return tour by the Wallabies the same year, although he was dropped for the final test against the Wallabies, when for the first time Colin and Stan Meads were used together as locks. In all, he played 52 matches for the All Blacks including 20 tests.
That was to be the end of MacEwan at All Black level. He was plagued by injuries for much of the 1963 season and missed his opportunity of making the tour of Britain and France. While he received another All Black trial, his 16th, in 1965 the rest of his career was spent almost entirely with Wellington, where ironically, even though he was at 32 considered an international has-been, MacEwan produced some outstanding rugby.
With experienced forwards in Ken Grant (injured) and Gary Hermansson (in the United States) already lost to the Wellington squad for the 1967 season, capital supporters hailed with glee at MacEwans announcement that he would be available for selection for the representative side, providing his form was good enough and it didn’t clash with club football.
A newly selected All Black from the Wellington club, was Graham Charles Williams. After starring as a schoolboy at Rongotai College (1st XV 1960-63) Williams came into the Wellington representative team in 1964. Coach Freeman, impressed by the youngster’s commitment and determination, played the lad in the open side flanker role for the entire season.
Williams had his first All Black trial in 1965 and during the 1965-66-67 seasons made the New Zealand under 23 sides, playing for the Juniors in each of the first two seasons against the Springboks and the Lions. His elevation to the All Blacks was seen as inevitable and he more than fulfilled expectations on the 1967 tour, playing in nine matches and scoring six tries.
Hooker, Terence Michael McCashin, arrived in the city in 1965 and joined his Athletic club team mate, Tom Lister, as a co-worker on the council rubbish trucks. Originally from Levin, he entered first class rugby as a hooker with Horowhenua in 1963 and so impressed in his debut year that the following season he toured Australia with the New Zealand under 23 side, playing in three of the matches.
As with Lister, he left his small town for the big smoke in an effort to increase his chances of national selection, but upon arrival was unable to dispose the University club and Junior All Black hooker, Ken Grant.
He played only once for Wellington ‘A’ in 1966, but made the New Zealand Juniors for their match against the touring Lions. He finally cracked the Wellington side as first choice hooker in 1967 and had the first of four All Black trials he would receive over the next three years.
Born in Ashburton and having spent the 1960 season in the Waitaki Boys High School 1st XV, Thomas Norman Lister was first chosen to represent South Canterbury in 1962 and at 18 years, eight months and nine days old, is still the youngest player to have represented that province. He made the move to Wellington in 1964, but was also initially unable to break into the provincial outfit, although he also made the Juniors tour to Australia.
By 1965 he had the monopoly on the blindside flank and made 14 appearances for Wellington. His performance against South Africa in the Lions victory earned him a place in the Juniors line-up to face the same opposition. He had also received an All Black trial earlier in June, the curtain-raiser to the Inter-Island match.
1966 was virtually a carbon-copy for Lister. 14 matches for Wellington, including the victory against the British Isles, playing for the Juniors against the same tourists, but unable to make even the North Island All Black trial. The 22 year old was an uncompromising flanker of abundant talent, intelligent and tireless, but playing in an era where New Zealand had depth personified in the loose forward department. Ian Kirkpatrick (particularly) was beginning his meteoric rise at about the same time.
The Ranfurly Shield challenge was Listers 12th match for the Lions in 1967, and would be his 40th and final appearance for the union. After playing in the second North Island trial in Palmerston North on September 6th (at No. 8, marking Brian Lochore) and the first New Zealand trial three days later in Wellington, his Possibles side running away with the match by 37-0, he failed to make the All Black side for the United Kingdom.
On the other side of the front row was the 1964 New Zealand Colt (the sole representative from the Wellington union), John ‘Junior’ Finn from the Marist Brothers club. Finn was in the capital sides that topped the ‘Boks and Lions and on the strength of his performance in the first mentioned, earned for himself an NZ Juniors jersey, which he was able to then retain the following season.
At No. 8, Wayne Nicholls was enjoying his first full season in the Wellington jersey and had developed into a most resourceful loose forward and part of a dynamic trio with Williams and Lister. His form had led to an early trial a month before to select the New Zealand Under-23 side.
Paul Delaney, partnering Nev McEwan in the middle of the scrum, was another long servant of the union and growing up in the Western Hills suburb of Ngaio, is regarded as the finest forward ever produced by the old Onslow club.
After two years at St. Patricks College in Wellington city, he left secondary school to take up a plumbing apprenticeship with his father, Tom. Following two appearances for essentially the ‘B’ team in 1959 and being singled out as a player to watch by future Rugby Union chairman Tom Morrison, he slowly became an integral part of the ‘engine room’.
On the field he was a ‘captain justice’ type figure. Like his captain in the Wellington team, he never initiated trouble but if anyone went looking for it they discovered they had come to the right place. By the time of the shield challenge of September 30th, 1967, he had played over 50 matches for his province and was another to have been in the sides that met and defeated the ‘Boks and the Lions.
On the left wing, Pat Myers had entered representative rugby late in 1961, coming on as a replacement against Auckland for All Black Russell Watt and scoring a try in a 16-19 loss on Athletic Park. With Watt, Terry Heeps and Ralph Caulton - three All Blacks trying for two wing spots in the capital - opportunities for Myers were limited, but he retained his position for the final two matches against Canterbury (9-19) and the Centurions club, both also on Athletic Park.
His provincial appearances remained spasmodic because of the All Blacks queued ahead of him, but by 1964 he was racking up first-class matches, courtesy of being both part-Maori and a Police Constable. He scored a try for Southern Maori in their 9-15 loss in Te Awamutu and then played for NZ Maori against Waikato, a match lost by 3-23.
The following month he toured Fiji with the Maori representative’s, playing in seven of the eight tour matches and scoring three tries and was back there again with the NZ Services side for a 4-match tour in September.
While provincial rugby still evaded him, he clocked up 19 tries for his club side, Marist, in the 1965 Jubilee Cup competition, again representing Southern and NZ Maori, the latter against Horowhenua (scoring a try, 43-9) and then in the epic encounter with South Africa on Athletic Park. He also retained his place in the NZ Services side.
By 1966 the way was clear for him to grab a wingers berth in the provincial outfit and he turned out for Wellington on 16 occasions, his best performance coming against Otago in Dunedin, scoring three tries in a 17-0 victory. He scored again for Southern Maori in another unsuccessful Prince of Wales match, their Northern counterparts winning by 22-20 in Tauranga.
His try line was radar was fully operational again for NZ Maori in their narrow 14-16 loss to the touring Lions, as it had been earlier in the season during the 2nd North Island trial, when he bagged two tries in a 21-18 win for his Possibles side, earning himself an appearance for the North Island. He then came on to replace Ian ‘Spooky” Smith for Rest of NZ in final AB trial.
Although he had, by 1967, cemented a place in the Wellington side and made yet another appearance for Southern Maori (two tries in a 14-21 loss at Athletic Park) any talk of him stepping up to national honours was snuffed out during the early All Black trial three weeks prior to the shield match. He was in the Probables team beaten 37-0, his opposite Phil Clarke scoring 3 tries and duly being selected for the upcoming tour to the United Kingdom and France.
Robert Gray had entered first class rugby in 1966, coming on as a replacement for Bruce Hill and scoring a try in a mid-week fixture against Wanganui. He quickly followed up with a try in a 23-15 win over Auckland at Eden Park and with Hill still injured, played in a 14-6 victory against the Cantabs on Athletic Park.
The trouble for the long striding Gray was that Freeman saw and used him as a mainly as a utility back, such were his broad skills and he was never able to cement for himself a regular spot early in his career, although by careers end he had made 76 appearances for his union. Already during 1967, he had played centre, on the wing and at full-back for his province.
Freeman had a preference for the Onslow club’s Bruce Hill at centre, whom he brought into the rep environment also in 1966, where he made 10 appearances before being injured in the 22-9 win over Wanganui on September 7th and not playing again for the remainder of the season. He had played in 11 matches - all at centre - in 1967 and took his place in the starting line-up there, forcing Robert Gray onto the right wing.
At first five-eighth was Mathew Blackburn (another introduced in 1966) whose cool hands, boot and tactical nous had confirmed him, by mid-season, a place as the unions number one in his position. A month prior to the shield challenge he had played for Southern Maori in the Prince of Wales Cup match in Wellington, knocking over his almost standard and inevitable dropped goal.
Newcomer, Ian Neal Stevens, had earned a lot of praise for his excellent displays at scrum-half, with swift recognition of his courage and ability. He had good all round skills, a quick pass, an accurate boot and a breaking ability round the fringes of rucks and mauls which made him a most dangerous attacking weapon.
And Wellington’s gain was Hawkes Bay’s loss, with Stevens having been born and raised in Waipawa and Takapau respectively. Furthering his education, he moved south and attended Palmerston North Boys High School, making the 1st XV in 1965 and 1966, where a ‘bright future’ was predicted for him.
In search of even bigger smoke, young Stevens moved into the Wellington region early in 1967 and joined up with the Petone club, instantly making the senior XV. After a handful of impressive performances, Freeman whisked the lad into his representative unit to cover for the injured Brian Coulter.
The tongues were now really wagging regarding the snowy headed half-back and following some sound performances against some of New Zealand’s best, he turned out for the ‘Black’ team in the second NZ under 23 trial, then received a trial for the North Island, a precursor to the All Black trial proper. He was one of the brightest rugby prospects in the country.
Even the reserves bench was littered with future AB’s in Owen Stephens (1968), John Dougan (1972) and a future All Black captain in Andy Leslie (1974-76).
*****
With Karaan Crawford fit again, after being replaced during the Otago challenge, Hawkes Bay would likewise field the same 15 who had successfully defended the shield in the cliff hanger seven days prior. His replacement, Robbie Stuart, would again take his place on the reserves bench.
Before the game, Wellington coach, Bill Freeman, had observed his Hawkes Bay counterpart, plus Tremain and Furlong, walk to the right hand corner of McLean Park at the scoreboard end. Le Quesne threw a piece of paper in the air to test the direction of the wind. Freeman was convinced that the performance of this ritual was evidence enough that the holders intended to play the game, half of it at least, into that corner of the ground.
Tremain led the Bay out onto McLean Park, he and Ken Gray dissecting the brass band who had just finished the obligatory ‘God Save The Queen’. MacRae was behind him then Abel, Condon, Reddy, Thomas, Thimbleby, Bone, Davis, Crawford, Bishop…the ball went down the chain as the amplified warbling magpie sound rang around the ground.
The afternoon shadows cast were short in the early spring sunshine and the crowd of almost 26,000 filled the stands, temporary or permanent, with a ring of spectators sitting at ground level, right around the park.
After eleven minutes, Ian Stevens fed a Wellington scrum on the Hawkes Bay 25 yard line. The Hawkes Bay forwards screwed the already collapsing scrum to the left. Roger Urbahn (an All Black in 1959 & 1960) believes that Kel Tremain was the instigator of the ‘twisting of the scrum on the oppositions loose head’, so that the loose head flanker, while legally bound, was then in a great position to pounce on the opposing half-back.
The idea was right, but Stevens flung the ball back chest height to Mattie Blackburn, who coolly slotted a dropped goal to open the scoring. Tremain, Thomas, Curtis and Condon, from the open side, attempted to charge the kick, while Bone, Duncan and Bishop got the best view of it sailing straight and true between the uprights. Pockets of support for the challengers broke into raptures around McLean Park.
On 21 minutes, Pat Myers threw into a lineout, ten yards on the Wellington side of half-way. Hilton Meech - at number two – tapped the ball back, unopposed, for the Bay. Aidan Thomas scooped up the rolling ball and darted inside the marauding Graham Williams, then went to ground with Blackburn, Stevens and Tom Lister on him.
He flipped the ball up to Gary Condon, who was nabbed by Lister, but Thimbleby, Abel and Meech drove in and the ball popped back again for Thomas, to feed Ian MacRae. The five-eighth stepped inside Gerald Kember who held on and with Ken Gray coming over the top, was able to complete the tackle. MacRae laid the ball back, picked up on the run by Karaan Crawford who charged into Barry Hill and with help from Nev MacEwan, stopped the big second rower, but not before he had slipped a pass to Tremain.
With Robert Gray on his back, Tremain unloaded to Dave Bone, who cut inside Blackburn but was halted on the 25 yard line by Mick Williment. But the momentum the three giant forwards had created was telling. Bone, with Thimbleby and Abel alongside, fed the faster Mick Duncan on the wing and the nineteen year old scorched up the right hand touchline. The crowd had got louder as each forward had transferred the ball to the next, by the time Duncan had it under his right arm, the noise had become a roar. Graham Williams as cover defender was no slouch either, but Duncan beat him to the corner flag and leveled the scores with a fine try.
Aidan Thomas was up to congratulate the winger and also the ball boy, who had been simultaneously haring up the wing. ‘Hawkeye’ and a couple of black and white clowns endorsed the crowds delirium and danced down the sideline in front of the McKenzie stand, as Duncan tossed the ball to Ian Bishop for the conversion. He missed from the wide angle, but landed a penalty on 20 minutes to give Hawkes Bay a 6-3 lead, the only time they would do so for the rest of the match.
During the first half, Hawkes Bay were frequently penalized in line-outs and scrums and Mick Williment, attempted six shots at goal, succeeding only twice, in the 32nd and 36th minutes. Half time came with the Bay trailing the challengers by 6-9.
Eleven minutes into the second half, with big Nev MacEwan beginning to dominate the line-outs (although it was Paul Delaney who hauled in this one), Mattie Blackburn, fed a crisp pass from Stevens again, cracked over a second dropped goal and Wellington had gone out to what now seemed an unassailable lead of 12 points to 6.
Sparkling or flowing rugby this was not. An extremely physical encounter, tempers were often frayed in the second half as two big sets of forwards hammered away at each other, no quarter given or asked for. Wellington were seemingly in control. With fifteen minutes to go, the pendulum was beginning to swing back in favour of the holder. Hawkes Bay attacked and attacked as if they were the challenger and Wellington reeled back, could only defend.
With nine minutes to go, Ian Bishop converted a penalty following a Wellington infringement and the Bay trailed by 3 points. Now any score; a try, another penalty, a dropped goal, any would earn a draw and hold the shield. Again Hawkes Bay went on the attack, spurred on by the thought of losing the log. Wellington could only clear their line.
The turning point of the match occurred only a few minutes from time. Mattie Blackburn had been calling the tune all day and Kel Tremain was aware that if he stayed on the park, Wellington would most certainly win.
“I had to get him off. He was a terrific little footballer, a bit under rated in some quarters. He’s the only player I’ve deliberately put off in my life. I tackled him late and hard. It’s nothing I’m particularly proud about, but in the interests of a team, I’d do it again. Mattie was dominating the game.” Kel Tremain (Shield Fever)
Wellington coach, Bill Freeman, sent John Dougan on as Blackburn’s replacement, with precise instructions to, when the situation came, put the ball into touch. From an ensuing line-out, Dougan chose to run around the edge of it, then kick, but the ball was partially charged down. A series of scrums followed with Hawkes Bay feed, giving the defenders the initiative.
Freeman wondered whether he had made an error of judgment in the cauldron of battle. Should he have brought Williment up to first five eighth and brought on Dougan as full-back?
By now, the pent up crowd were literally all around the sideline. McLean Park was at a fever pitch like it had not experienced for forty years. Time was up on the clock. Hawkes Bay had one last feed to a scrum 15 yards from the Wellington line. Blair Furlong had positioned himself for a pot at goal. If successful it would level the scores and the shield would be safe in the cupboard at the HBRFU over summer, just as Ian Bishop stated was the team’s collective desire.
Furlong was predictably nervous. He knew that the dropped goal was the best option, but he had been here before, albeit as the challenger trying to win the shield. Law changes since that day in 1963, meant that in the current situation he was facing, flankers at least now had to be attached to the side of the scrum until it was completed. This was an advantage. But there was another option and that was for Ian MacRae to run on the blind side of the scrum.
"I said to Mac (Ian MacRae), 'I'll make out as if I'm going to drop a goal and you run in from the blind side and score a try and we'll save the game'. ‘No you won't’, he said, ‘you'll have a drop kick at goal’. Blair Furlong, (HB Today)
MacRae did in fact run the blindside, but Thomas sent the ball straight and true to Furlong, who thundered over the kick, tied the score at 12-12, sending the crowd into euphoric ecstasy, thousands of whom engulfed the field, carrying the Bay players high on shoulders towards the main stand.
Never had McLean Park witnessed such pandemonium! This was real Christians and lions stuff. All Blacks past, present or future, the Wellington side and reserves contained eleven and Hawkes Bay seven. Many more from both attended All Black trials, played for the North (or South) Island or New Zealand Maori or Universities.
The crowd refused to leave the ground. The Hawkes Bay players gathered together in the Main Stand, Kel Tremain had a microphone thrust into his hand and replied to the tumultuous reception extended to the team after their hair-breadth defence.
In a famous photo of this event, Blair Furlong is pointing to the spot where he ‘potted’ the goal, to the absolute delight of Tremain and the team. Smiles abound, a picture of joy, relief, exhaustion but above all, it shows (with arms draped around each other) a great team spirit and unity.
It is another photo that Wellington coach Freeman recalls more vividly and one possibly more famous. The McLean Park scoreboard shows Wellington 12, Hawkes Bay 9. Furlong can be seen turning away after his famous drop kick. Bill Davis is off the ground in joy. Lister and Stevens have heads bowed, Dougan looks bemused. The photo haunts Freeman and the master tactician confessed that small, crucial matters within the game didn’t break Wellington’s way.
“It (the Ranfurly Shield) is something you can look at and see some reward for all the effort and struggle you put into your matches and practices. It’s a symbol of all the pain, agony and sacrifice you have to go through.” Bill Freeman (Shield Fever, Lindsay Knight)
These facts, an accurate assumption from a man who coached and challenged five times without success, were certainly not lost on the Hawkes Bay team.
“Like all shield matches, the challengers have only one game in mind, but the defenders have to stand up to seven per year. The thrill of still having the shield locked away in the cupboard for another year was all we wanted, after all the hard work that we had put in training. Running over the Taradale hills and sprinting under the eye of Bryan Wilson.” Ian Bishop, 2011
“You’d go to work on Monday after a game and everyone would want to talk to you about what had gone on in the weekend, it was pretty hard to get away from it. But it was exciting and the crowds at Hawkes Bay were just absolutely amazing. We had - believe it or not - 26,000 people at one of our shield games.” Ian MacRae (Hawkes Bay Today website, 2011)
“My main recollection of the two shield defences against Hawkes Bay in that era was Wellington not playing attacking football enough – especially the game we drew. We tried to defend a six point lead and in the end Furlong dropped a goal to equalize and hold the shield.”
Gerald Kember, 2003
*****
Other first class matches played around New Zealand on Saturday, September 30th, 1967 were as follows; Manawatu 22, Taranaki 12 (Palmerston North), Canterbury 11, Otago 8 (Christchurch), Auckland 29, Waikato 12 (Auckland) and North Auckland 42, Vikings Club 24 (Whangarei).
*****
Pat Myers, Bruce Hill, Nev MacEwan, Paul Delaney and Junior Finn had either retired or were not available to coach Bill Freeman for representative selection in 1968. Neither Tom Lister, who had returned to South Canterbury, Terry McCashin (Horowhenua) and John Dougan who had moved to Hawkes Bay.
With the exception of the 1972 season when Lister had officially retired from the sport, he returned and played for South Canterbury from 1968 until the end of 1974.
After narrowly missing selection for the All Black side which toured Britain and France in 1967, his inevitable accession to the All Blacks was duly made on the tour of Australia early in 1968. He played in eight matches, scoring six tries, three of them in the 68-0 win over Victoria in Melbourne. He played in both tests against the Wallabies (scoring a try in the last gasp 18-17 win in the second in Brisbane) and the first against France later that year, covering for the injured Brian Lochore. He also made the first of his four appearances for the South Island.
Following the demolition job done by his Possibles side (37-19; scoring a try) in the New Zealand trial in Wellington on May 17th, 1969, he was preferred to Kel Tremain for the two tests against Wales which effectively ended that great flanker's career with the All Blacks.
Not only did Lister have a dynamic trial, as part of a dominant pack, it was deemed that his ability at the back of the line-out would be most useful to the All Blacks in an attempt to curb the ball winning ability of the Welsh number eight, Mervyn Davies.
Still, even those who had predicted Kel’s demise were sorrowful for it. His omission caused a national sensation and a combination of disbelief and relief from the Welsh tourists, who’d raced off Rugby Park in New Plymouth after their opening match against Taranaki to hear the announcement of the All Blacks they’d face in four days time.
In Hawkes Bay, his subsequent retirement from International rugby was described as the biggest shock in the province since the devastating 1931 earthquake. It was inconceivable that the 31 year old Tremain, the 38 test veteran and champion leader of their winning Ranfurly Shield side could be overlooked, dumped without a by-your-leave.
In 1970, Lister toured South Africa with the All Blacks, but in what was an inconsistent selection policy - with 27 players used in the four tests - was played in only the first and fourth. He played in 12 tour matches in total, scoring four tries, including the opening try of the tour against Border, at East London, a match won comfortably by the All Blacks by 28-3.
After Alan Sutherland broke his leg following the first test match of the 1971 series against the British Lions, Lister was recalled to the All Black camp, where he was a reserve for the 2nd and 3rd tests. The mauling the home side received during the 3rd test meant changes in an attempt to square the series and Lister was added to the starting XV ahead of the Bay of Plenty flyer, Alan McNaughton.
Once again, his line-out value against Mervyn Davies came into play, but also his general experience from seven caps gained and two tours away with the AB’s. His fire and aggression would possibly be needed as the New Zealand side looked to avoid the embarrassment of (for the first time) losing a series on home soil against the British. He levelled the scores at 11-11 after 57 minutes, when he secured the ball from a line-out near the Lions goal line and smashed his way over for a try.
He had previously captained the South & Mid-Canterbury/North Otago combined unions against the Lions, a 6-25 loss in Timaru
Lister temporarily retired in 1972, but returned to representative rugby in 1973, with much of his old ability and zest. He played six times for South Canterbury that year and also for the ‘Invitation XV’ against the All Blacks on Eden Park, a match won by the latter by 22-10. His loose-forward buddies on this occasion were two South African Internationals in Albie Bates and Tommy Bedford.
In 1974, following two failed challenges for Wellington in 1965 and 1967, he played a prominent role in helping South Canterbury lift the Ranfurly Shield from Marlborough.
It was only the second time in the unions history that they had gotten their hands on the trophy and for Lister, it had been a long wait to add something tangible to his career, something to go with the two Wellington wins in ’65 and ’66 against the ‘Boks and Lions respectively.
Unfortunately for South Canterbury though, their victory fell into the path of Wellington, such are the rules governing the Ranfurly Shield and ‘changes of hands’ mid season and 14 days after lifting the trophy in Blenheim, it was in the capital city.
Wellington were on their four yearly Southern tour and were overwhelming favourites to win the match and shield, something the SCRFU were aware of and subsequently they tried to ‘dodge a bullet’ by denying Wellington (and Taranaki) a challenge. The incident created controversy and left a bitter feeling between the two unions before the match, which Wellington duly won by 9 points to 3.
But the margin and manner of victory do not marry, the game itself was far closer than the score indicated. Wellington were ahead by 9-0 at half-time courtesy of a try to Keith Hawea, converted by Brian Cederwall, who had also kicked a penalty. The first half had belonged to the challengers, who had narrowly missed other try scoring opportunities, one in particular to Al Keown from the front of a line-out.
In the second spell however, possession dried up for the boys from the capital and South Canterbury were resurgent under the inspirational play of Tom Lister, who became the games dominant figure and drove into the Wellingtonians. Despite being up against past and future AB's in Andy Leslie, Graham Williams and Graham Mourie, Lister was the best loose forward on the park.
At one point, rattled and forced into error, Wellingtons second five-eighth, Richard Cleland, fired a pass into the midfield, which failed to find it’s target and almost provided the stampeding Lister with the perfect opportunity to score under the posts, ensuring the match would be tied up at nine apiece.
His outstanding contribution won him a recall to the South Island side for his fourth appearance in an Inter-Island match but he failed to gain national honours again and at 30 he retired, this time for good, to concentrate on darts, of which he was also a South Canterbury representative. He played 72 matches for South Canterbury between 1962-1974.
Tom Lister died in July of 2017 following a short battle with cancer.
Terry McCashin also made the All Black tour of Australia and Fiji in 1968, as deputy to Bruce McLeod, playing in seven matches. He was the test reserve that year to McLeod, both in Australia and in the three-test series against France and then again in 1969, in the two tests against Wales.
Soon after the tour of Australia he was ruled ineligible for Wellington because of the tight residential regulations then in force. He played for Horowhenua for the balance of the 1968 season and again in 1969, but being back in a minor union, it seemed, had affected his international future.
He returned to Wellington for the 1970 season and brought his total appearances for that union up to 35. But despite being a test reserve the previous year he was overlooked entirely for the 1970 trials and was never again an All Black contender.
Having entered the hotel trade, McCashin reappeared in 11 matches for King Country in 1972, including that union's match against the touring Wallabies. There was then a five year break in his representative career but in 1977, aged 33 and now based in Picton, he played three matches for Marlborough. In all, his first class tally of matches, spanning 15 seasons, was 93.
After kicking a couple of penalties and adding a dropped goal, Mick Williment went off injured at half-time during the first club game of 1968. His University side took the 9-0 advantage, courtesy of their champion full-back and went on to a 25-14 win over the Ralph Caulton coached Poneke side during the early game on Athletic Park, to top the Jubilee Cup on points after round one.
The University side contained three All Blacks in the backline (Williment, Ian Uttley and Gerald Kember) and another who would go on to wear the fern in Mark Sayers. In the Poneke match it was the latter who orchestrated and implemented the students intensive support game the best as they ‘turned the lights on’ during the second spell and ran away with the game.
The following weekend, Williment opposed Fergi McCormick in the main All Black trial in Wellington, kicking two penalty goals and a conversion in his ‘Probables’ sides 17-15 victory. But as with the tour to the United Kingdom a few months prior, the selectors had chosen to take just one full-back to Australia and that was to be the Canterbury man, McCormick.
Had he been available, Kember may have gone to Australia as a utility back and backup for McCormick, but he had chosen to make himself unavailable to his province and country to concentrate on his law studies.
He opted to play only club rugby and for the national New Zealand Universities side, whose ‘big’ game for 1968 was an outing against Japan on Athletic Park, a match they duly won by 25-16. Mark Sayers scored two tries in this match. Mick Williment had been overlooked in favour of the 22 year old Evan Taylor of Otago.
Williment took his place in the Wellington side for the opening representative fixture against Wairarapa on Wednesday, May 22nd however, kicking three conversions and contributing a dropped goal to the 27-3 victory, also at Athletic Park. Sayers early season club form saw him make his full Wellington debut in this match.
And the University side were going great guns and about to turn the 1968 club season on it’s ear. An inexplicable loss to Naenae Old Boys in round two and a 14-14 draw with Taita saw them start their match with the nigh on unbeatable Petone side on June 1st as ‘underdogs to be a little cautious about’.
Giving away ‘a fair dollop of weight to the husky Petone boys’, the students were faster to the loose ball and got to the breakdowns a yard or so faster than the Petone packmen, setting up a meritorious 15-6 win. Kember and Sayers (noted as ‘a clever pair’) were to the fore again, Kember’s shrewd, tactical kicking creating untold problems for the Petone full-back, Jack Seymour.
The following weekend, Mick Williment went from the field with a bad thigh injury during University’s match with Wellington College Old Boys and initial diagnosis appeared as bad as predicted, he did not take a rugby field again.
Gerald Kember, Bruce Hill, Mattie Blackburn, Ian Stevens, Graham Williams, Wayne Nicholls, Paul Delaney and Ken Gray would all be back in 1969 for another crack at the log.
#1 song in NZ (22 September-20 October) San Francisco (Scott McKenzie)
Watch highlights of the match above, set to the tune of Robert Houston's "There's Something About a Magpie".
Match photographs can be viewed by clicking on the match programme at left.
