I'm a Hawkeye Guy
There's Something About a Magpie
Eden Park, Auckland. Saturday, August 30th, 1975.
AUCKLAND 19, HAWKE'S BAY 6 (Half-time 6-6)
For Auckland: Colin Farrell and Jon McLachlan tries. Steve Watt, conversion and three penalties.
For Hawke's Bay: Kevin Bracewell, 2 penalties.
Auckland: Colin Farrell (Suburbs), Jon McLachlan (College Rifles), Bryan Williams (Ponsonby), Dave Palmer University), Perry Parlane (North Shore), Mike Richards (Marist), Lin Colling (Ponsonby/Captain), Dave Webb (North Shore), Denis Thorn (University), Chris Kennings (Takapuna), Maurice Trapp (Ponsonby), Barry Ashworth (Otahuhu), Steve Watt (Otahahu), Ben Hathaway (Ponsonby), Brad Johnstone (North Shore).
Hawkes Bay: Kevin Bracewell (Colenso-Pirates), Robbie Hunter (Porangahau), Vince Costello (Celtic), Peter Durham (Taradale), Jock Eddy (NHSOB), Graham Lewis (Taradale), Alan Dickson (HHSOB), Zuk Marinkovich (Marist/Captain), Tim Carter (Taupo), Robbie Stuart (Waipuk OB), Paul McGarva (Havelock North), Jim Clare (Taradale), Ian Grant (Taradale), Richard Hunt (HHSOB).
Crowd: 22,000. Weather: Overcast, then rain. Ground: soft and slippery. Referee: Keith Lawrence (Bay of Plenty)
"As the game develops under the new laws, we will see more attacking rugby. The game has become more fluid and for this reason, I consider that the Ranfurly Shield will change hands more frequently in the future. It may be that Hawke's Bay is the last of the teams to hold the shield for any great length of time."
Colin Le Quesne, following Hawke's Bay's loss to Canterbury, September 27th, 1969.
Towards the end of the 1968, when it became clear that the kick-into-touch law would be amended for the following rugby season, there were a great many theories put forward as to how best Hawke's Bay would set about defending the shield the following year.
The tight defensive pattern, which was employed under the 'current' law, would no longer possible. This style of play, reminiscent of the great Taranaki sides of the late 50's and mid 60's, once adapted and established by the Magpies, was paramount to their success in being able to hold onto the Ranfurly Shield throughout 1967 and 1968.
Early in 1969, there were frenzied efforts by club sides around the country to adjust to the new law. Like all provinces around the traps, Hawke's Bay deemed the winning of the forward confrontation essential, but under Le Quesne, always had an attack minded philosophy to begin with.
Although some distance from the sophisticated attacking from depth, with width, as developed and exhibited by the 1971 Lions, when they toured this country, Canterbury and Wellington, possibly Auckland too, had correctly interpreted and implicated strategies for the change, and during the early 1970's, all had brief tenures with the Ranfurly Shield. North Auckland, Marlborough (unexpectedly) and South Canterbury (who relieved the Red Devil's of the trophy), also benefitted from the relatively quick change over of the holder. Le Quesne's theory had proved correct.
Having lost it to Canterbury in the final challenge of 1969, the Bay had to wait until 1975 to get a chance of recapturing the famous 'log o' wood'. In that five year period, player wise, they'd lost all of the valiant and famous heroes, whose deeds on McLean Park in defending the shield were almost 'Arthurian' and already written into folklore.
Only Robbie Stuart and Richard Hunt from that era were in the 1975 Hawkes Bay squad and - as a provincial outfit - the fortunes of the mid to late 60's had all but dried up and the team were struggling to get anywhere near those dizzy heights. Even home town support had become chastising at times, much as former teams had suffered throughout the 1930's-50's from unfair comparison to the original champion side of the 1920's.
A bitter row had also blown up between Napier and Hastings regarding the splitting of the senior championship, which didn't help matters of parochiality in any way at all.
It wasn't that this was a poor Hawkes Bay outfit, by any stretch of the imagination. There was enough by way of experience and some very good individual skill. The trouble was, collectively, they seldom put it all together.
Former North Island Universities fullback, Jim Francis, had scored 122 points for the Bay in 1974 and was renowned for his good conversion rate and sound defensive play. Although an inconsistency in both departments had cost him his place, following a narrow 7-6 win over the New Zealand Colts (and after the 30-0 drubbing by Scotland).
The Magpie ranks contained a Maori All Black in Tim Carter, three former Junior's, Ian Grant (captain) Robbie Hunter and the ex-North Auckland representative, Zuk Marinkovich. Robbie Stuart and Pat Ryan would be All Blacks in the future.
Yet the side contained no North Island representatives and only Pat Ryan, John O'Connor and Vince Costello had trialled for the 1975 All Blacks (and then all in the early trial).
Zuk Marinkovich was a reserve, designated as they were, for all four trial teams on show. He'd also taken over the captaincy of the Bay representative side from Robbie Stuart. He was a fine leader, a tireless, hard-driving forward, with an intelligent rugby brain.
Following the NZ Colts match, selector, Ross Smith, brought fullback, Kevin Bracewell of Colenso-Pirates into the line-up. The 24 year old, round-the-corner goal kicker, who'd scored 31 points in four appearances in 1973, acquitted himself well in home wins against Waikato (27-3, Napier) and Wellington (22-16, Hastings)
Although the Ranfurly Shield dress rehearsal was a 3-4 loss to Otago in Hastings, Bracewell and the whole team's performance was deemed one of much merit, and the side remained unchanged for their challenge the following Saturday, with the exception - and a critical one - of prop, John O'Connor, who was on duty for the New Zealand Juniors against Romania, in Wellington.
Winger, Peter Durham had also been brought back into the fray following the Colts match, at the expense of Clive's Rob Turner, who'd scored three tries in his seven appearances in 1974. Showing considerable ability, speed and determination, Durham, from the Taradale club, ran in a try in each of his first three appearances and looked impressive.
Ross Smith, having initially selected the promising 19 year old from the Celtic club, Mark Donaldson, brought Alan Dickson of HHSOB in at halfback for the Otago match and he successfully deposed future All Black Donaldson for the remainder of the season.
Those who had witnessed the touring Scottish forwards rudely push the Hawkeye guys all around McLean Park earlier in June, were fairly certain that this was one area where Hawkes Bay would have problems, when it came time for their shield challenge against Auckland. The Bay had also been cleaned out by 22-11 in the line-outs, more than half the wins attributed to the lock from the West of Scotland, Alastair McHarg, in a 'man of the match' performance.
After the Scottish debacle, Ross Smith had acquired the tutelage of Hilton Meech as co-coach and performances by the forward pack had advanced dramatically henceforth. 'Half a ton' became a 'ton and a half', the improvement on the scrum machine alone, that was.
The Eden Park faithful were left with jaws a-gaping then, when in the first two scrums, the Magpies heaved Auckland off the ball, with former New Zealand Junior captain, Ian Grant, claiming two tight-heads. From one of these mighty shoves, Graham Lewis, was only a whisker away with a dropped goal attempt and a points reward for their opening efforts.
The Auk supporters were genuinely fearful that that shield might be on it's way, following those first ten minutes or so. But following a quick consultation among the holder's forwards as to how to overcome the Bay's big push, Auckland eventually took control of the scrums and in the final quarter, it was Hawkes Bay who were being shoved backward. In fact, Auckland's veteran hooker, Ben Hathaway, didn't concede another tight-head, claiming six himself.
But the Magpie team of experienced players more than held it's own during the first half at least and as such, playing at it's best, looked likely to succeed, if only briefly, in their quest to capture the shield. Without John O'Connor, the loss of Pat Ryan at half-time was another blow for the already diminished power of the pack and they allowed Auckland to take command after the interval.
It seemed that part of the Magpies tactic's were to disrupt the holders, by involving them in incidental, off the ball scraps. Specially deployed for this purpose was Maori All Black flanker, Tim Carter. He had a run-in's with about half the Auckland pack and at one stage featured in a lengthy wrestling contest with Dave Thorn, while the main action was all of 50 metres upfield.
Former Junior All Black, Zuk Marinkovich, leads the charge for the Magpies, ably supported by lock, Paul McGarva, during the 1975 Ranfurly Shield challenge against Auckland. The holders won by 19-6.
The 'niggly' stuff didn't achieve any great purpose and only encouraged referee Lawrence to blow away on his already over-worked whistle. He handed out 42 penalties throughout the match, as many as the next three shield matches put together.
Hawkes Bay received 25 and at least six of them within reasonable goal-kicking range. But Kevin Bracwell, having one of his lesser days with the boot, only succeeded in raising the flags twice. But his successes did see the Bay out to a six-nil lead, until Auckland manufactured a great try from a set scrum.
Hawkes Bay naturally anticipated a dropped goal attempt from Auckland flyhalf, Mike Richards, as the scrum went down near the Bay posts. But No. 8, Dave Webb detached himself and fed Lin Colling, who scuttled across field, parallel with the goal-line, lobbing out a high pass to Colin Farrell, who had sneaked up wide from fullback.
The Bay defenders were helpless to stop Farrell, who would become an All Black two years later, from crossing in the corner. Steve Watts conversion saw both sides go the break in stalemate.
With the initial zest gone from the forwards and with the backs unable to pull out anything special, Hawkes Bay was a beaten team for most of the second spell. Watt kicked penalties in the first and fourth minutes of the half to take Auckland out to 12-6 and there never seemed much eminent danger of the shield being wrested after that.
The Auckland forwards were dynamic throughout the second half, with Chris Kennings, Brad Johnstone and Dave Webb all in great form.
The Bay's hopes were firmly extinguished when Jon McLachlan, also an AB later in the 1970's, snuck his way across 16 minutes from time, Lin Colling having capitalised on another Hathaway tight-head.
Jon McLachlan scores in the tackle of Alan Dickson, with Zuk Marinkovich arriving a moment too late.
By this stage torrential rain was falling, quickly flooding the surface and making handling difficult.
Eden Park had already housed one of the more bizarre test matches in the history of the game on June 14th, the All Blacks defeating Scotland by 24-0.
There was so much water laying in great pools all around the ground, that serious consideration was given to abandoning the test, prompting a Fleet Street journalist, John Reason of the Daily Mirror, to claim that finances meant more to the NZRFU than the safety of the players involved. The fire brigade began furiously pumping water an hour before kick off, but it made little difference.
Co-incidentally, it would remain Auckland's wettest day of 1975, when 120mm fell in a 24 hour period. City streets became rivers, houses were flooded. The rain which began on the Friday night, kept up all night, all morning and didn't ease until the famous test was over.
Two months later, the Hawkes Bay side - who had set such a formidable standard during their own shield reign during the late 60's - went soberly home to Napier, Hastings and all the rural townships, aware that this Auckland side possessed all the necessary qualities to turn back all but the sternest of challenges. A powerful pack with ball winning strength, a clever captain and tactician at halfback, try scoring moves up its sleeves and a deadly accurate goal kicker.
In fact, this Auckland side put up a stern argument against the Le Quesne prophecy. While not quite the duration of the great shield sides of the past, they did repel ten challenges and during that process, hold on to the amulet throughout the entire 1975 season.
Having lifted the shield from Wellington the previous year and defending it once against Waikato (17-13), they knocked back all comers in 1975; Thames Valley (22-0), Hawke's Bay (19-6), Wellington (19-15), Counties (7-6), North Auckland (22-16), Waikato (17-13) and Marlborough (13-4).
After defeating Wanganui (16-9) and drawing with Southland (9-9) in the first two challenges of 1976, the Manawatu - a team on a noticeable ascend - scored a dramatic 12-10 victory over the holders and in so doing, captured the prized trophy for the first time in their history.
Manawatu had one of the strongest forward packs on the provincial circuit, rugged central North Island farmers. But they too, were known to favour the attacking game, whenever possible. The supporters also had confidence that Manawatu was about to break their shield drought and 2,500 Pegasus fans made the trip to Auckland for a chance to witness history. They set up camp in the old Eden Park northern stand.
"It was basically full of Manawatu people. It was like a amphitheatre and the Manawatu chant just boomed out of there. A lot of teams with a pack that strong would have been looking to play 10-man rugby, but we looked to play the wider game as much as we could. We did not have any big team talks. We had no major plan. We just got on with it. It was just let's get stuck in and see how it turns out."
Doug Rollerson (Stuff, 2016) Shaun Eade.
By virtue of this historic win, Hawkes Bay had the good fortune to be playing Manawatu on September 12th and thus, under shield rules and regulations, the new holder would have to defend the shield in all previously designated home fixtures for the remainder of that season.
Providing Manawatu could beat the largely un-fancied Horowhenua outfit on September 4th (which they did by 36-16), Hawkes 's Bay would be the challenger the following Saturday, the final challenge of 1976.
Read about the 1976 Hawkeye challenge against Manawatu in Manawatu; 1976
Watch the full match here on YouTube
Following the defeat by Counties on the way home, with the losses to Scotland and Auckland, the Hawkes's Bay season could have gone either of two ways.
But the team rallied and rounded out the season by playing some magnificent rugby. South Canterbury (34-6, Napier), Southland (24-9, Napier) and Manawatu (16-7, Hastings) were all defeated in successive weekends.
Robbie Stuart, in the tackle of Doug Rollerson (10), looks for Jock Eddy, with support looming from Ian Grant and Tim Carter. Kent Lambert and Garth Thelin are the other Manawatu men.
Their final outing for the season, was an 18-18 draw with Taranaki, under the McLean Park floodlights, on September 29th.
Jim rancis finished the top point scorer with 52 points in his 9 appearances (1T, 12C, 8P).
Robbie Hunter topped the try scoring with 10, followed by fellow winger, Peter Durham, with eight. Pat Ryan, Zuk Marinkovich and Jock Eddy scored three apiece.
Hunter was also the only player to participate in all 'official' 16 fixtures for the season (match 5 against East Coast in Tokomaru Bay being a 'Hawkes Bay XV', with players chosen from only the sub-unions of Dannevirke, Taupo, Wairoa and Central Hawke's Bay). Eddy, Marinkovich, Tim Carter, Paul McGarva, Robbie Stuart and Richard Hunt missed just one match each.
Kevin Bracewell didn't play for Hawkes Bay again following the Counties match. Likewise, Jim Francis played his final match for the Magpies in the Taranaki game, under lights.
Mark Donaldson returned to Manawatu, where he'd played one match in 1974 and was a New Zealand Colt the same year. He was in the side which lifted the log from Auckland and played a major role in the 13 successful defences of the Pegasus era of 1976-1978.