I'm a Hawkeye Guy

The 1968 Ranfurly Shield series

 

 

 

Saturday, March 23rd, 1968. Centennial Pak in Oamaru was the scene of a pre-season festival match between the 1967 All Blacks (captained by Kel Tremain and including Ian MacRae at second five-eighth) and the Sassenachs, the Dunedin based equivalent of the Saracens club, to raise funds for the North Otago Rugby Union, enabling their top representative side to travel to scheduled away games.

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With the exception of Ken Going at full back, the Sassenachs (captained by Jack Hazlett) were all selected from the southern provinces of Southland, Otago, North Otago, Mid or South Canterbury, Canterbury and Marlborough.

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On Monday, April 8th, 1968, it was a Hawkes Bay XV’s turn to engage Brian Lochore’s 1967 All Blacks in Levin, to help with the commemorative celebrations as the Horowhenua Union celebrated its 75th Jubilee. The chance to have a pre-season hit out against quality opposition was a useful asset to Colin Le Quesne, who also took the opportunity to give some of the younger brigade some needed experience and rest some of the older or key players for the bigger games coming up.

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Just as with 1967, the grip that the Ranfurly Shield had over the province of Hawkes Bay was blatantly evident as the new club rugby season unfolded. Firstly, the wealth of talent in the district had burgeoned as players from other centres had arrived in the hope of becoming a ‘Magpie’, such was the trophy’s draw card.

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Most notable of these was the Wellington utility back and All Black trialist, John Patrick Dougan (who had come on as a late replacement in the epic shield climax of the winter before), who arrived not long after the start of the of the club season, joining the maroon and white of Taradale.

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The 21 year old had spent two seasons in the St. Bernard’s College (Lower Hutt) 1st XV, progressing to the Wellington under 19 side in 1965. The following season he made the Unions ‘Colts’ side and made his senior debut for the famous Petone club. In 1967 Dougan made six appearances for Wellington (two coming on as a replacement), made the New Zealand Junior side and gained his first All Black trial.

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Joining the established Bill Davis, Ian MacRae, Blair Furlong, Geoff Martin and fellow utility back, Neil Armstrong, Dougan’s inclusion would give Colin Le Quesne considerable options in the midfield and  - with the ability of most listed to ‘inter change’ positions – strength and experience on the park at all times.

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Three members of the 1967 Hawkes Bay back line had made the move to the city from rural districts; Neil Armstrong (Wairoa Celtic) and Aidan Thomas (Taupo) would both play their 1968 club rugby for the Hastings club. Geoff Martin (Dannevirke Old Boys) had made the move to (NHSOB) and ‘B’ team wing three quarter (and former Taupo club mate of Thomas) Peter Hobdell, would turn out for Marist.

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Since the re-introduction of a representative ‘B’ team a few seasons prior, Colin Le Quesne (and the ‘B’ team coach, Percy Tombs) were able to bring younger players through and develop them sufficiently for full honours in the future. And with an extensive representative programme to consider for 1968; seven Ranfurly Shield matches, a match against France, a four match South Island tour (and the other annual fixtures all to be slotted in), plus the constant disruptive menace that injuries bring, this back-up was essential.

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The process had already paid out handsome dividends in 1967. Aidan Thomas, Geoff Martin and Paul Carney – all originally ‘B’ team selections – found that their experience playing in minor matches meant that ‘opportunity knocked’ for all as the season progressed. Thomas became an integral part of the late half of the shield campaign when Hepa Paewai was unavailable through injury and Martin and Carney were called into the ‘A’ team reserves as cover.

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And on the topic of the South Island, reports were already coming out of Marlborough that ‘a full scale invasion of Hawkes Bay’ was in the planning, as the red devils prepared for their Ranfurly Shield challenge, set for August 24th. Half a dozen chartered aircraft were already fully booked for various supporters tours and it was believed that special inter-island ferry sailings were required, bringing fans to Wellington to link up with extra trains put on the line to Napier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The 1968 All Blacks to Australia

 

 

 

On May 4th, the All Black trial was held in Wellington to select the team to tour Australia later in the month. Hilton Meech was named in the Probables side for the early trial and Karaan Crawford was drafted into this team following the withdrawal of Otago’s Tony Banks. Dave Bone was originally selected in the Possibles but withdrew, being replaced by Bevan Holmes of North Auckland. The Possibles won by 35-6.

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In the main trial, Kel Tremain and Ian MacRae were selected in the Possibles and Bill Davis (who scored a try, his team winning the match 17-15), the Probables. An injury to MacRae prevented him from taking the field, also forcing him out of the All Black tour, the following Saturday’s Sub-Union matches and weeks of club rugby.

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Tremain and Davis were both named in the 26 man squad to tour Australia and would only return to New Zealand a few days before the first Shield defence against Bush on June 29th. Tremain played in eight of the eleven tour matches, but in the last of these – against Queensland – he was forced from the field and took no part in the second test four days later.

 

He captained the side against Australian Capital Territory and played prop against Victoria, when early tour injuries to Brian Muller and Ken Gray necessitated the cause. Kel Tremain scored five tries on tour, including a brace against New South Wales Country in Newcastle.

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Bill Davis played in six matches, but an injury early in the second half against Australian Capital Territory saw him miss the next three tour matches. He played in both tests, being awarded a late and controversial penalty try which ensured a 19-18 victory in the second at Ballymore, Brisbane. He also dotted down against the Junior Wallabies in Adelaide and the match against ACT.

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*****

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Both All Blacks last appearance before leaving for Australia was for Napier on Sub-Union day (May 11th), in the main match on McLean Park against arch rivals, Hastings. It was expected that this may be a fairly even clash, with Hastings fielding its best side for several seasons, but the class of Davis and Tremain (the two Napier try scorers) was evident in the home sides twelve point winning margin. The big Napier pack comprising not only ‘Bunny’ Tremain but also shield buddies; Condon, Abel, Stuart and Hilton Meech were altogether too powerful for the Hastings pack which included Bone, Crawford and Lou Cooper. 

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Most interest was in the front row, with the incumbent Bay hooker, Myles Reddy not available for Napier and his place taken by Mike O’Malley of Marist, with Gus Meech confined to the reserves bench. Likewise for Hastings, it was Brian Brittin given the rake berth ahead of Richard Hunt, out-hooked the previous season by Meech, a telling factor in Napier’s 27-11 win.

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When O’Malley was forced from the field with a head injury, bringing Gus Meech into the game, Hastings were able to secure more scrum possession than they had enjoyed all through the game prior. With Colin Le Quesne on the side line at all three fixtures, the tarnishing of reputations such as this instance only added fuel to the fire regarding the validity of the Sub-Union matches, never the spectacle that they promised and seldom offering little to go by in terms of true player form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Early season action, 1968

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Left: Rod Abel (NHSOB) and Tom Castles (Dannevirke OB) engage in a game of football during the Old Boys tournament at Easter.

Middle: Tech OB half-back, B Hannah about to set his backs in action against NHSOB during an early season club match

Right: The Hastings forward pack (Crawford, Harding, Brittin, Bone, Kershaw, Cooper and Thornton pictured) were no match for Napier on sub-union day.

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But Le Quesne gleaned enough information from what he saw, coupled with all he knew on the club scene and was confident that he was going to be able to name a very strong Shield squad for 1968. One important factor noted was that the incumbent Shield team were amongst the fittest players on display in all three matches. Paul Carneys goal kicking for Napier was also noted by Le Quesne. In the unthinkable event that Ian Bishop was to become injured at any point, it was of great comfort to the coach to know that Carney would be a more than adequate replacement.

 

Most enterprising around the field was Hepa Paewai, playing for Dannevirke against Wairoa. His battle with Aidan Thomas for the provinces No 1 half-back berth throughout 1967 and ’68 was keenly contested, a fact not lost on ‘the Fuhrer’.

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“Paewai and Thomas played great rugby throughout the year and it is a good indication of the team morale that they are the best of friends and there is no ill feeling because one was passed over for the other.”

           Colin Le Quesne (Shield ’68, Daily Telegraph)

 

 

Hastings folk were somewhat disgruntled with the news that Nelson Park would not be the venue, as with the previous year, for any of the Shield programme of 1968. While the infrastructure of McLean Park was obviously more favourable for the bigger games against a Wellington or Taranaki or Auckland, it was hoped that Hastings may be granted a couple of the matches against the smaller unions that were challenging that season. It was not to be.

 

After six rounds of club play it was crunch time for co-favourites for the Maddison Trophy, Marist.  A 14-15 loss in round three to Taradale left them two points adrift of NHSOB (and indeed Taradale, both unbeaten) and in round seven they faced their old adversary, in a match also for the Brother Virgilious Cup. Defeat would leave Marist four points behind their major rivals and possibly Taradale, who were playing Havelock North in the feature game at Nelson Park.

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The injured Ian MacRae would be sorely missed by Marist in the midfield, his combination with Blair Furlong was well established and instinctual. Otherwise the greens were at full strength for the vital encounter with the most heartening news possible that Tom Johnson would be available for the match, strengthening the the loose forward trio, now expected to dominate, especially with the NHSOB skipper, Kel Tremain, away with the All Blacks. With Furlong and Neil Thimbleby also reported fit, Marist were starting to assume ‘formidable proportions’.

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Napier Old Boys had somewhat of an edge in the backs with former, current or future Magpies in Dave Selby, Paul Carney, Doug Curtis, Geoff Martin and Jock Eddy. My uncle (in law) Harry Clare was on the left wing amongst this illustrious company.

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In the ten previous encounters for the Brother Virgilious Cup, since its inception in 1958, it was NHSOB of the two McLean Park based clubs who had the slight advantage of five wins to four, a 6-6 draw being recorded in 1963. In 1968, Napier Old Boys would extent that lead, being the victors by 14 points to 8.

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The titanic battles between the two sides for inter city supremacy, had often attracted no fewer than 5,000 spectators to the ground. Their total dominance of Napier-Hastings club rugby was also reflected in the round-robin orientated Maddison Cup competition, of which the Tremain led NHSOB side were victorious on seven occasions between 1964 and 1971.

 

Marist won the trophy in 1962 and again in ‘63. The two clubs, rarely beaten, would provide close to two thirds of the Hawkes Bay side throughout the three season tenure with the Ranfurly Shield. 

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The first representative match played by Hawkes Bay in 1968 was the annual ‘Queens Day’ fixture with the Wairarapa, this time at Nelson Park in Hastings. On the same day a Hawkes Bay XV played Bush in Pahiatua and this team included Paul Carney and Phil Pratt who would both play during the Shield tenure and Geoff Martin, Peter Hobdell, Nick Smith, Richard Robinson, Mike O’Malley and Dave Selby who all warmed the bench at one time or another.

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Although all the Bay’s ‘big guns’ were missing, the Bush union must have taken heart from their 15-6 victory, with their own Shield challenge now only three weeks away. The small province bordering the Wairarapa, Southern Hawkes Bay and the Manawatu had only played in five challenges in the sixty year history of the trophy and had never been anywhere near parity with the respective holder.

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The ‘A’ team match in Hastings against Wairarapa was won by the home side by 17-6. Tom Johnson and Gary Condon scored tries for the Bay, with Ian Bishop adding a conversion and two penalties. Blair Furlong dropped a goal in an overall rusty, cobweb-blowing performance by the Magpies.

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The Wairarapa team was a shadow of the side which had challenged for the shield almost twelve months prior, especially in the back division, with only winger Tom Wilkinson and half-back Waihaere Mason (second five-eighth during the shield match) still present in the lineup. 

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The squad contained no fewer than four 19 year olds; full-back, Les Wallace (ex-St Pats College Silverstream), Howard Sims on the right wing (a top track sprinter), utility back Roy Couch (son of the boss, Ben) and hooker Graeme Falconer. Couch and Falconer were the first former puplis of Kuranui College in Greytown to play for the Wairarapa.

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The visitors line out was seriously depleted by the absence of Lochore (in Australia with the All Blacks) and Ian Turley, on duty with the New Zealand Juniors in Wellington. The newly appointed Wairarapa captain (in Lochore’s absence), Brent Elder and John Dougan – now officially listed as a Hawkes Bay player - also took part in the Juniors match, won by the touring Japanese national side by 23-19.

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With Lochore and Elder unavailable, former All Black trialist, Bob Meadows returned to the side as captain, after missing the last match against Bush. The Bush fixture was the only victory recorded by the Wairarapa to that point in 1968 (12-3 in Masterton), with losses against Horowhenua in Levin (6-11) and a mid week thumping on Athletic Park against Wellington, 3-27. Les Wallace was injured and replaced during the match and did not play for the Wairarapa again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On June 22nd, a week before the first challenge of the season by Bush, the Magpies recorded a narrow 15-14 victory over the Waikato in Hamilton. Gary Condon scored a try, while Ian Bishop was successful with four penalty goals.

 

With Davis and Tremain still away with the national side – as with the match against the Wairarapa – their replacements were Bruce Albert (on the cusp of transferring from the Tihoi club in Taupo to Napier Marist, almost certainly because of the training sessions involved in defending the log) and Jeff Brownlie of Wairoa Athletic. These two would be named in the reserves for all seven challenges of 1968, neither getting onto the field at any stage.

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The margin of victory did not install much faith in the general public back in Shield country. Waikato’s only previous outing in 1968 (on the same day as the Wairarapa-Hawkes Bay match) resulted in a 0-13 defeat in Hamilton to Auckland. Had they known that Waikato would only win two of its twelve fixtures for the year, that faith may have taken another dive. But the Bay had time to get things right and surely Bush couldn’t cause one of the biggest upsets in Shield history…could they?

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8th defence:

 BUSH 

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McLean Park, Napier. Saturday, June 29th, 1968

 

HAWKES BAY 36, BUSH 6 (Half-time: 22 - 6)

 

For Hawkes Bay: Bill Davis (3), Karaan Crawford, Kel Tremain and Mick Duncan tries. Ian Bishop, 3 conversions and 3 penalty goals. Blair Furlong, dropped goal.

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For Bush: Paul Goldsworthy, 2 penalty goals.

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

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Bush: Eddie Sinclair (Pahiatua), Clive Gowler (Konini), EricThrush (Mangatainoka), Joe Murphy (Mangatainoka), Mick Dennehy (Eketahuna), Ross Mills (Pahiatua/captain), Doug Harris (Konini), Paul Goldsworthy (Woodville), Gary McDonald (Tiraumea), Neil Richardson (Tiraumea), Murray Davey (Mangatainoka), Forbes Cameron (Weber), Brian Edmonds (Eketahuna), Ray 'Hoppy" Eglinton (Mangatainoka), Robin Carlyon (Weber)

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Referee: AR (Roy) Macey (Nelson)  

Crowd: 13,781  

Net profit to HBRFU: $5,763.56

 

The first challenger for the 1968 shield season was Hawkes Bay’s immediate southern neighbour, the province simply called Bush. Recent press criticism from outside of the Bay had eluded to the fact the Hawkes Bay had somewhat of a ‘powder-puff’ lineup of challengers, compared with 1967 and had further accused the HBRFU of ‘dodging’ games by bigger named unions (chiefly Canterbury, who had applied – unsuccessfully - for a ‘special’ challenge).

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The Otago Union had started a furore the previous season, when Hawkes Bay were originally unwilling to work in a shield challenge, while the southerners were making a North Island tour. This lead to the Otago Union submitting a revised list of ‘Ranfurly Shield rules’ to a New Zealand Union meeting, a list that was never adopted. The shield holder is ‘number one’ and, as such, declares their fixture list for the season. Everyone else works in with it.

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And after the list has been compiled and accepted by the NZRFU, it’s up to the shield holder to devise tactics to ensure the trophy hangs around for a while. Lose it and you join the back of the queue again! Otago, Taranaki and Auckland, in the twenty years prior to 1968, had all approached the shields defence in a similar fashion; with formidable packs, a tactical genius behind the scrum and an accurate goal kicker.

 

Now it was Hawkes Bays turn for a second season, laying down the gauntlet to all: “If you want it, work out how to get it…we’re not going to give it to you!” It’s not like any other rep match where teams meet up for lunch on a Saturday, have a beer after the game and then go home. It took Colin Le Quesne all of one challenge the previous season to then adopt the Auckland routine of assembling players on the Friday night and staying in a hotel.

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For the defender, every shield game is a virtual test match. For the challenging union, the game is THE contest of the season and all preparation and planning goes into this one match. And as Le Quesne and squad were to discover again in 1968 – hot on the heels of ’67 – by the end of the season, everyone is physically and mentally exhausted. This was never more evident than during the days before the game of rugby turned professional.

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“We were obligated under the rules of the Ranfurly Shield to play the teams we did and there was no intention at any time to dodge any prospective challenger. It was possible, however, to plan the defences of the shield with each match becoming progressively harder.”                                                                                                                                                                                        Colin Le Quesne (Shield ’68)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That statement in itself indicates that the first up defence against Bush was deemed ‘the easiest’ challenge from the outset, the visitors given very little real chance of causing more than a ripple effect against the well oiled juggernaut of Hawkes Bay, the current powerhouse of New Zealand rugby.  

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The geographically vast but population light province of Bush formed its original rugby union in 1890 in Pahiatua, representing the Pahiatua, Woodville and Eketahuna clubs. The original plan was to include Dannevirke and name the team ‘70 Mile Bush’, but the Dannevirke club opted to remain part of Hawkes Bay.

 

There was a special place in New Zealand rugby history for Atholstan ‘Tonk’ Mahoney, he had been and would remain the only All Black from the tiny Bush union. The loose forward - who was known to all in sundry as ‘Tonk’ - played 26 matches for his country between 1929-1936.

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He suffered a leg injury in the 1935-36 All Blacks tour opener against Devon and Cornwall and was not fit again until the 10th match against Glasgow and Edinburgh. But his form was such that he played in the four tests against the home unions on the tour to the Northern Hemisphere.

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His cousin, Mick Dennehy would line-up against the 1968 Magpies as the eighth challengers most experienced back, having played 32 games for Wellington between 1959 and 1964. As a schoolboy with the Eastbourne club, Dennehy had represented the Hutt Valley and was then in the St. Patricks College Silverstream 1st XV in 1956 and '57.

 

In his debut for Wellington 'A' in 1959, a 40-9 victory on Athletic Park, he ran in three first half tries, but was injured in scoring the last and sat out the rest of the season. The performance earned him significant recognition by being named as one of the season's '5 most promising players' in the 1960 Rugby Almanack. 

 

He was a new arrival in the Bush province in 1968, the side two thirds farmers (of mainly sheep). Big, physically strong men, but relatively light on rugby experience. Captain and first five-eighth, Ross Mills had made over ninety appearances for the Union since 1959, making his debut as a 17 year old against Hawkes Bay in Pahiatua. He had also played for the combined Wairarapa-Bush sides against the Springboks of 1965 and the British Lions the following season.

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The Mills family had been a ‘strong force’ in Bush rugby through the years. Ross’ father (also a former Chairman of the Union) played from 1929-1936 as a second five-eighths and an uncle had represented on the wing during the 1930’s.

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Hooker, Ray 'Hoppy' Eglinton had also played against the Lions, whilst prop forward, Robin Carlyon, had been a reserve for the combined West Coast-Buller unions against the tourists, making five appearances for Buller in 1966. He played for the Wairarapa in 1964.

 

Amid the speculation from the home faithful was whether or not the recently returned Davis and Tremain would take the field. The pair had only arrived back in the country on the Thursday before kick-off and were both recovering from leg injuries received while on the All Black tour. Eventually it was announced that both would play. Hawkes Bay were near full strength.

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Hepa Paewai was out with injury, but Aidan Thomas was a replacement of almost equivocal abilities. Likewise, Myles Reddy had not returned to the fray from an early season injury, but in Gus Meech, an admirable replacement was instantly available to step into the breach without any team disruption.

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A week out from the first challenge – exactly eleven months since the inaugural challenge of 1967 – the first pangs of ‘shield fever’ were returning to roost. The highs and highs of the past season were recalled to memory and the valiant deeds of many heralded. Spoken of were those moments of doubt and angst, continually replaced by glorious triumph’s, in the sunshine of a balmy winter, in the coliseum of McLean Park!

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If there was to be a first sign that this was going to be a different campaign entirely, it occurred on the preceding Saturday when it rained continually and so hard it caused surface flooding in the streets and suburbs of Napier and Hastings. But the bad weather cleared early in the week and by the Friday before kickoff, fortress McLean was once again in perfect order.

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*****

 

Interest in the match had fared better than was expected and the improvement in the weather was slowly mirrored at the ticket sales office. It was still to be the smallest crowd to have attended a shield match during the current tenure and with the ground hard once more, Bush were given not even a bolters chance of getting within a bulls roar of the Bay. Less than three hours before kickoff it started to rain again and continued to fall heavily throughout the match.

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The gathered crowd huddled beneath umbrellas or whatever form of shelter they could find and as large puddles formed on the ground, talk switched to the distinct possibility of the underdog reveling in the sloppy conditions.

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But Hawkes Bay swept onto attack right from the outset and after less than 60 seconds, led by 3-0, Blair Furlong flicking over a neat dropped goal to open the holders account for 1968. Four minutes later Ian Bishop added his first points of the campaign with a penalty and soon after, Paul Goldsworthy replied for Bush. Hawkes Bay were seemingly more in control than the 6-3 scoreline read and right from the restart, scored their first try of the shield season.

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Blair Furlong put up a huge up-and-under, which ended up in the challengers goal mouth and Bill Davis dashed through to score the try, converted by Ian Bishop, 11-3. The young back row forward, Goldsworthy, landed another penalty goal from a difficult angle, in trying conditions, to keep Bush in the hunt mid way through the first half.

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McLean Park became darker by the minute and as the heavens opened up, Bush’s challenge sunk into the even larger puddles that now made up vast sections of the flooded pitch. The scoreboard continued to mount in the holders favour.

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Another Bishop penalty and tries to Tremain and Duncan (the first converted by Bishop) saw Hawkes Bay bolt out to a 22-6 half time lead. If the Bush players weren’t demoralized enough by the break, the dejected look on faces told all as they witnessed the home side return to the field in fresh, clean jerseys.

Davis added another couple and Kaaran Crawford – the most popular of the day, the big lock brushing aside several would-be Bush tacklers – scored tries during the second spell, Bishop adding a conversion and a third penalty to give him 15 points for the match.

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The 36-6 win was made all the more grandeur by the fact that the Bay had mastered the conditions and gave a fine example to all of how to play attacking wet weather rugby. The ball handling had been sublime at times, although many – including Mick Duncan, in one embarrassing moment - discovered it not a good idea to let the ball bounce, or rather not bounce as it simply ‘splashed down’ in a large puddle.

 

The Bush coach, Ron Hoskins, was known to be an advocate of open, running rugby and at times it looked as though the challenger’s were prepared to chance their arm. But with the poor conditions and in the face of the mid-field combination of MacRae and Davis, there was little chance of any real success. Bill Davis, with his three tries, had made a bit of a monkey out of rugby journalist, Bob Howitt, who had recently speculated that the Bay centre was likely for the ‘chop’ when it came time to name the All Blacks for the forthcoming series against the French.

 

*****

 

The Bush side went on to win two of their last five first class fixtures, post their challenge in 1968, with meritorious victories over Wairarapa (12-5) in Eketahuna and Horowhenua (9-6) in Woodville. Of the twenty two challenges Hawkes Bay would face until September, 1969, this would be the only game played in the rain.

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The only two other representative matches played in New Zealand on this day were confined to the top of the South Island, where in Nelson, the home side were defeated 0-19 by Marlborough, the perfect preparation for the latter's fixture with France, only days away. Just down the road in Motueka, the combined Golden Bay-Motueka side were also beaten on their home patch, going down to the West Coast by 6-21.

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*****

 

Had the unthinkable occurred and Bush got up and lifted the shield from the Magpies, their Ranfurly Shield season would have looked like this; v Wairarapa at Eketahuna, won 12-5. v Wanganui at Pahiatua, lost 9-16.

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In turn, Wanganui would then have had to defend the shield in the following matches; v Nelson at Wanganui, won 16-11. v Canterbury at Wanganui, lost 3-19.

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Canterbury would have had a busy September defending the log; v Buller at Lancaster Park, won 20-6. v Otago at Lancaster Park, won 9-6. v North Auckland at Lancaster Park, won 5-3. v West Coast at Lancaster Park, won 25-9. v Southland at Lancaster Park, won 25-6. v Wellington at Lancaster Park, lost 12-16.

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This would have been an unprecedented season in which for the first time in Ranfurly Shield history, there would have been 10 matches in a calendar season, the trophy changing hands on four occasions.

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*****

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#1 song in New Zealand: Lazy Sunday by the Small Faces 

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