2. The Rest of '69
A week later, back home in Wellington, I successfully drove my father, with incessant whinging, into taking me to Athletic Park for the inter-provincial fixture between Wellington and Otago. It turned out to be an amazing game. We were up 30-0 at half-time, only for the southerners to come back and score 17 unanswered points in the second spell.
I say we, because somewhere between Hastings and Hataitai, I had decided that I quite liked the city slickers, even though they’d been beaten by the Bay. Upon closer investigation, there was just something unique about the gold monogram on the black jersey. Although, against Otago, I was stunned to see Wellington in yellow and black hooped jerseys, so as to avoid a close colour clash.
Other than a changed strip, the Wellington side was identical to the team which had fronted in Napier the preceding week; Gerald Kember, Michael Knight, Bruce Hill, Owen Stephens, Mark Sayers, Mattie Blackburn, Ian Stevens, Andy Leslie, Graham Williams, Paul Delaney, Barry Guy, Wayne Nicholls, Gareth Head, Pat Abraham and Ken Gray.
Wayne Nicholls (in changed jersey) was devastating during the first half of the Wellington-Otago match. Support from Delaney, Abraham, Head, Blackburn and Ken Gray. Number 13 for Otago is future All Black, Bruce Hunter.
The Otago side were not a bad one at all, Wellington simply had a spell that most teams and coaches dream about. Their ranks included All Black’s in Earle Kirton (playing in his 100th game for Otago) and Tony Kreft at loose head prop and no fewer than six others who would gain the ultimate honour; Laurie Mains, Bruce Hunter, Duncan Robertson, George Lindsay Colling (27/08/1946-13/07/2003), Lindsay Allan Clark (01/05/1944-) and the prop to end all front row forwards, Keith Murdoch (09/09/1943-27/02/2018).
That meant an absolute cracker of a match-up in the front row, which as an adult I would have relished the opportunity of watching, but at six years of age, was largely wasted on me; The battle between my Valhalla XV props, Ken Gray of Wellington and Keith Murdoch of Otago.
‘Keefy’ will be discussed in more detail later in the book, his infamy gained on the seventh All Blacks tour to the UK in 1972 is arguably the most legendary episode in All Black folklore.
But on this particular day, Ken Gray proved his greatness to the much vaunted Murdoch. Further, Delaney, Guy and Head had their opposition buckled in all phases of the tight and Williams, Leslie and Nicholls were devastating in the loose.
‘Nectar’ sparked the backs off with a long passing service and right through the line there was efficiency plus, with ‘Twig’ Sayers especially, now looking more like the man who won North Island honours the season before.
Michael Knight, sent away by ‘Nectar’ and Bruce Hill, showed pace and swerve on his 45 yard burst to the try line. Andy Leslie had waltzed over at the end of a chain of forward inter-passing. Wayne Nicholls and Pat Abraham had also scored tries.
Mattie Blackburn had chimed in with yet another left footed dropped goal and with extras through the boot of Kember (15), Wellington were mounting a cricket score.
Leo the Lion was looking very happy, patrolling the touch line, waving out as he always did, a roaring lion (recorded nearby at the city Zoo) would be played over the ground’s intercom system following a Wellington score.
Otago’s ‘no show’ during the first forty minutes was a little surprising. Were they receiving the backlash from the unsuccessful shield challenge by Wellington? Were they tired? It was also the fourth match in eleven days for the players, the last of their northern tour.
To their credit, the dark blues gave it everything in the second forty, although as a moot point, the home side, with their huge lead, had slackened and taken their foot off the pedal. But with the breeze now behind them, Otago rallied and put on 17 unanswered points of their own.
The forwards played with much more heart in the second half, led most effectively by flanker, Warren Townsend. In the backs, Earle Kirton was trying any and everything and Bruce Hunter went close to scoring on a couple of occasions.
For all that, play in the second spell was generally scrappy and the Otago effort was largely for a lost cause, coming close to parity about the best they could hope for. But enough movement was generated to keep the small crowd entertained.
A try by Kirton gave the half it’s moment of gloss, with Laurie Mains almost matching Kember’s effort in adding 14 points, the balance as scored by his team. In fact, all 47 points scored in the match were scored at the southern end of the ground.
With 18 minutes to play, Gerald Kember retired with a hamstring injury, enabling 17 year old Joe Karam to make his Wellington debut. Of Lebanese descent, Joe was born at Taumarunui on November 21st, 1951. As a pupil at St Patrick's College, Silverstream, he had been a member of the 1st XV from 1966-68.
In 1967, a year when he scored more than 130 points for Stream, he was a North Island secondary schoolboys representative. The following season he toured Fiji with the Centurion Club Colts side, before joining the Marist Club in Wellington in 1969.
Having been named in the team, the injury prevented Kember from playing in the following weekend’s North v South fixture, in fact, he didn’t play another first class match in 1969. Which left him stranded on 94 points for the season in all first class matches, the ton certainly attainable, with the Lions having five further games to play.
As consolation though, he was bestowed with Victoria University’s Sportsman of the Year award.
There was a certain irony that Hawkes Bay and Wellington aside, the third province I saw in a live context was Otago, but more on that in a season or two. I’d be back at Athletic Park the following Saturday (with father) for another twist in the tail, this time a match up between the powerhouse North Island and their southern counterparts.
I cried all the way home as I had witnessed the rare horror of the North being beaten. Ken Gray, the only player to have appeared in all four fixtures I’d attended, was up against Murdoch again in the Inter-island clash and this time Keefy and his mate Hoppy from Canterbury, had the wood on Ken and Taranaki’s Brian ‘Jazz’ Muller.
As mentioned, Gerald Kember was originally selected for the North Island, but selectors Christian, Walsh and Paterson had picked him at second five-eighth. It must have annoyed Ged to have gotten himself injured, as he couldn’t get a run in this, his preferred position, at provincial level, with Freeman preferring the Twig.
Twig was ironically also the incumbent North Island second five, having played in the 34-17 win in Christchurch in 1968. But a year later, when Kember pulled out of the team, he was replaced with the incumbent All Black in the position, Hawkes Bay’s Ian MacRae.
The annual match was played in atrocious conditions. A howling nor'wester was blowing and the driving rain left large pools of water on the grounds surface, which ultimately became a mud bath once the game commenced. Actually, the Park was in good puggy order, before a final shattering downpour which started an hour or so before the match.
On August 23rd, a match between the New Zealand Juniors and Tonga had been played in identical conditions on the same ground and following the game, advice received that ‘the match should never have been played in the first instance’ was largely ignored by the New Zealand Council, the games administrators.
Three weeks later, when two talented line-ups took the field for the Inter-Island clash, TP was moved to write that Athletic Park was once again ‘horrible’ and the match conditions ‘dreadful’.
The winter of ’69 had been overtly wet throughout much of New Zealand and Athletic Park was certainly no stranger to this sort of occurrence. It had been the venue for one of the more extraordinary matches between these two ‘geographically selected’ sides in 1956, when in equally appalling conditions with ‘all the rain in Christendom falling’, the game was called off after only 25 minutes of the second spell. The 8-3 scoreline in favour of the North at the time of cancellation stood.
North Island 1969
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South Island 1969
Once again, the current state of affairs threatened to mar one of the most eagerly awaited and contested matches of the annual New Zealand rugby calendar. The North versus South fixture had its own rich and full rugby history, a tapestry of great battles and atmosphere, of characters and colour.
In the past - and indeed with an eye on the upcoming South African tour in 1970 - the match had been used as an ‘unofficial’ All Black trial, when it was meant to be anything but. Surprise selections had at times failed dismally or equally launched glittering careers, but overall, more than any other fixture, it had brought ‘pound for pound’ fantastic and enjoyable rugby for players and followers of the game.
Of the 61 previous clashes (dating back to 1897) the North had won 36 and the South 22, with three matches having ended in draws. The South Island had not won since 1963 in Christchurch, when T.N.McAra - an ‘unknown’ from the West Coast – with time up on the clock - gathered in a kick to score and record a dramatic 14-13 win, against one of the most vaunted North Island teams in their history.
The North – having won the last five (and 15 of the last 20) – therefore stepped out onto Athletic Park in the knowledge that a win on this day would see them equal the record of six consecutive victories, as set by the South between 1937-1945 (although matches were not played, 1940-1942). With six All Blacks in their pack, including three of the games absolute legends in Colin Meads, Ken Gray and captain, Brian Lochore - and Sid Going behind the scrum - the job at hand looked largely a routine one.
The South had no right to came within ‘cooee’ of their ‘heavyweight’ opponents, but had in store, according to TP, a superior amount of unyielding earnestness on defence and an undying determination on attack, which is implied in that simple and expressive word, ‘spirit’.
So against the odds, the South Island players themselves by not buying into any theory that the North would simply march on to yet another triumph - by out-thinking them before and during the game - turned the tables on their more favoured opponents, carving out a most meritorious 13-3 victory.
Their rugby was good, winning rugby in the conditions. Whether or not they were more at home and adept in the wind and mud and rain, or whether they were rather arrogantly underestimated by the North, the South Island surged on to glory, caning their counterparts on the field and more painfully for them, in reputation. However desirable an objective it may have been to run and pass for the North, there were occasions when the realities of life should come first.
With first use of the howling Nor’wester, the South went to the break ahead by 8-3, the margin considered ‘manifestly too small’, if the North – with their rack of talent - were too use the wind in the second spell to their advantage. A try to Ian Kirkpatrick, converted by McCormick, who also added a penalty, played the North Islands solitary score, a try to winger, Mick O’Callaghan.
In the end, the wind counted for exactly nothing and soon after the recommencement of play, the game was well and truly sealed by Derek ‘Bluey’ Arnold, who came on in the storm to replace Earle Kirton and promptly put through a kick for centre, Philip Gard, to score a try. Ahead by 13-3, a shock win was on the cards and worse than that for the North Island, they had absolutely no combative answers.
on his way to a second half try for the South Island.
sets his backs away, Wyllie, McNaughton and Townsend follow the action.
North v South 1969
on his way to a second half try for the South Island.
Check out all the photographs from the North v South match at left
It was widely expected that the transfer in 1968 of All Black half-back Chris Laidlaw to Canterbury, would be a tremendous blow for the ‘dark blues’ of Otago. Much of their tactics and fortunes had been based around the pairing of Laidlaw with his University and All Black team-mate, Earle Kirton. But his replacement, Cromwell born Lin Colling, filled the void with such promise and distinction that he found himself the South Island’s number one rated half-back in 1969. Cantabrian’s, of course, believed this to be outrageous.
Their own contingent in the South Island side had all been inspirational and dynamic. Wayne Cottrell, the All Black second five-eighths did nothing spectacular but – like Colling – was consistently efficient.
Ian Kirkpatrick, Alexander John Wyllie (30/08/1944-) and Alistair Hopkinson – revelling in the conditions – were clinical and mercenary in their dismantling of the Northern scrum and the former two, along with Tom Lister – made up a most effective loose trio which was in essence, where the match was won (and lost). Kirkpatrick’s leadership was exceptional and caused no visible weakening of his swift, driving play.
In the 23rd minute of the second spell, the three loose forwards, who so effectively stifled the North, combined magnificently in a flourish that set the seal on their performance. Alex Wyllie broke away from a most dangerous situation and linked up with Kirkpatrick, who really turned on the pace. He in turn found Lister and the three of them had taken play from inside their own twenty-five to twenty metres into enemy territory.
Critics were left wondering why Hopkinson was initially omitted after his performance, as he and Keith Murdoch exerted such pressure on All Black counterparts Gray and Muller that Gary Bacon was able to take three tight-heads off the test hooker, Bruce McLeod, which led to enthusiastic prophecies and speculation that he would be in South Africa the following year also. As far as anyone could recall, McLeod had never conceded three tight-heads in a single match ever before in his first-class career.
The final shattering downpour that started an hour or so before kick-off did little to dissuade Fergi McCormick, who exhibited another outstanding display of full back play, his footwork in evading defenders even more impressive than his goal kicking.
Mick Duncan and Ian MacRae must surely have returned to Napier that evening with tales to tell of the men of Canterbury, heading their way in fourteen days time. One hell of a showdown was brewing. If Hawkes Bay – unbeaten themselves in 1969 – could get past Taranaki, it was most certainly ‘game on’.
Three days after the North/South match, the Cantabs began the run in to their own Ranfurly Shield challenge, by putting a hapless Wellington against the whipping post. Ken Gray posted Wellington’s only points with a try in a 3-23 hiding at Lancaster Park. Canterbury scored four tries and of course, Fergi couldn’t help but convert them all.
The following weekend though, they were surprisingly beaten 17-20 by Otago, also at Lancaster. Perhaps with one eye already strayed toward the probability of a shield challenge, focus may not have been all there on the players behalf.
Even so, the loss did the Canterbury squad and management a huge favour, forcing them to re-assess, galvanize and become fully attentive toward the challenge which lay ahead. Hawkes Bay, by putting Taranaki away in the penultimate shield challenge on the same afternoon, looked to have the pendulum swing back their way, when gambling on a possible winner of the grand show down looming the following weekend.
The 21-8 victory was meritorious. Hawkes Bay piled on four tries in the 21st defence of their three year tenure, to record one of it’s most convincing shield wins of the season. This meant that on the final Saturday of the 1969 representative season, while Canterbury were challenging the Magpies for the log of wood, Wellington and Taranaki would be playing the B(eaten) final on Athletic Park.
Mick Duncan on his way to a try for Hawkes Bay during their 21-8 Ranfurly Shield victory against Taranaki.
Wellington had been within fifteen minutes of a second consecutive drubbing on September 20 (while HB were defending the shield against the Naki and Canty were being upset by Otago), but a spirited fightback saw them score 11 points in the last quarter of an hour, in losing to Auckland by 19-24.
Action from the match against Auckland (from left) Graham Williams has Michael Knight in support. Aucklander's are Neil Cowley and Grahame Thorne. (Centre) Bruce Hill, confronted by his opposite Thorne. (Right) Nectar has his pass spoiled by Cowley.
The erratic performance was erased from memory the following Saturday, when - with some sublime skill - Wellington swamped Taranaki on the Park, by 34-14.
Wellington scored six tries to one, most of them from breathtaking movements and - in other equally breathtaking moments - came within an ace of several others.
To its credit, Wellington (under Bill Freeman) had always tried to play and exhilarating brand of football, but had often done itself an injustice by committing all manner of fundamental errors. Freeman had himself been under pressure over his selection issues, but the performance must have given him considerable satisfaction.
His much-maligned backline operated with dash and efficiency and the biggest kick of all for Freeman was that Twig and Mattie Blackburn were two of the most efficient and spectacular. Returned to centre, Robert Gray gave the line an attacking impetus. It was a grand return for him, serving the requirements of his wingers in admirable fashion.
But again, the stars of the Wellington team were the magnificent loose forward trio of Leslie, Williams and Nicholls. They were devastating in the open, swift to the breakdowns and altogether too much of a handful for the sorely-pressed Taranaki defence.
Whispers echoed around the ground that Graham Williams, in this form, must be a good bet to tour South Africa in 1970. Alan McNaughton of Bay of Plenty (whose performance in the shocking conditions exhibited throughout the North/South match) seemed to be his main rival, with Ian Kirkpatrick a certainty to grab one of the loose forward positions.
Williams and McNaughton were both fine examples of the new breed of tear-away flanker, now deemed necessary to take full advantage of law changes, which promoted a more attacking approach to the game. Speed to the loose ball was paramount and this required a lighter, faster, more dynamic type of flanker to play on the open side of the scrum and usually directly off the back of the line-out.
Alan McNaughton of Bay of Plenty and Wellington’s Graham Williams (seen here during their unions fixture at the Park in 1969), appeared to be squaring off for an open side berth on the following years tour to South Africa. In the end, neither were selected, probably because management felt a heavy pack was required to beat the Springboks.
Others who excelled in what was essentially a team performance were ‘Nectar ‘ Stevens (even if he had a few problems with his passing) and Owen Stephens, who, after a brief period in the doldrums, was back to his zippy best.
Kerry McDonald, who had come in at the last minute for an ill Barry Guy, made a good fist of locking the scrum with Paul Delaney.
Commendably, Taranaki tried gamely and ran the ball as often as they could.
They just lacked that all important ingredient, speed. There were notable contributions from Alan Smith, a hefty ‘Jazz’ Muller, Ash Gardiner and Murray Wills in the forwards. Kerry Hurley, Bill Currey and the ever-popular Neil Wolfe, offered enterprising spurts from the back division.
But largely, it was all academic. Up the line in Napier, the big Hawkes Bay-Canterbury showdown was going on the same afternoon. The Ranfurly Shield was at stake and Canterbury hadn’t had their hands on the beast since 1956.
The poor weather that had affected most of the country in recent weeks continued leading up to September 27th. Three days of rain in Napier and a strong Easterly wind that swept in from the sea, seriously threatened to mar the final defence of the Ranfurly Shield for 1969.
Several airports were closed in the Lower North Island as the Canterbury team embarked on their quest and their plane was diverted to Palmerston North. From there the team travelled by bus, a three hour journey, which meant that only an abbreviated training run was possible on the Friday afternoon, in pouring rain.
But Saturday dawned and right on cue, the rain stopped, the clouds cleared and McLean Park looked to be once again in its statutory, pristine condition.
Canterbury, given the use of the stiff breeze in the first spell, began the game with a hiss and a roar. The red and blacks hammered and hammered at Hawkes Bay in an endless barrage, with player after player having a dab for the line. Several try scoring opportunities were missed and only the Bay’s instinctive defence mechanism held them out.
From the very first whistle, things that usually ran in the Magpies favour were going against them. Mick Duncan intercepted a pass as was scampering away, only to be called back for a knock on. Ian MacRae was penalised for an alleged high tackle on ‘Bluey’ Arnold that did seem relatively innocuous. Alister Hopkinson was winning all the ball at the front of the line-out where Hilton Meech’s experience and expertise in this department was sorely missed.
In the 14th, 18th and 35th minutes of the first half, Fergie McCormick – who had kicked the Welsh off Eden Park in June – successfully landed penalty goals, threatening to do the same to the beleaguered Magpies. The challengers were out to a comprehensive 9-0 lead. This had not happened during the twenty two shield matches played during this tenure.
Even given the quality of the opposition, Le Quesne did not believe the task was insurmountable as during the second half, Hawkes Bay would have the advantage of the wind over their right shoulders. A thought crossed his mind however, that eight defences in a season was possibly one too many.
After numerous failed Ranfurly shield challenges with Canterbury, Fergi McCormick finally got his hands on the prized amulet on Saturday, September 27th, when the red and blacks ended the glorious Hawkes Bay reign of 1966-1969, with an 18-11 win in Napier. Fergi - seen here about to kick ahead - played a blinder, epitomising his 1969 season, the finest of his career. From left; Gary Bacon, Hamish MacDonald, Doug Curtis, McCormick, Gus Meech, Jake Burns, Alister Hopkinson.
Coaches, Stewart, Dixon and captain, Ian Penrose, had a clear message for the rest of their team at the break; ‘We are not going to sit on our lead’. The great man Le Quesne himself, had always endorsed this pro-active theory that in order to win the shield, the challenger must remain positive and attack.
The Canterbury forwards resumed where they had left off and exhibited one of the finest pack displays seen on McLean Park for many a year. Their line out – which had been troublesome throughout much of the season – was magnificent. Their rucking skills were superb and their speed and anticipation in the loose was sublime. Kirkpatrick and Wyllie – following up the Inter-Island game in Wellington – fought with vigour for every scrap of possession and were everywhere all afternoon.
Five minutes into the second half, Lyn Davis darted wide from a scrum on the blind side and fed Alex Wyllie, on his inside, who took the pass to score. McCormick missed the conversion, but Canterbury were out to 12-0.
Stung into severe action – do-or die, now-or-never – the Bay rallied and it was perhaps fitting that one of the true heroes of the shield tenure, Blair Furlong went over for a try near the posts. Equally as fitting was that the successful conversion by Ian Bishop, put him within three points of claiming the Ranfurly Shield record for most points in all matches all to himself.
Only seven points adrift, the Bay seemingly were still in the hunt and it wasn’t as if they hadn’t been in this position before. In 1967 they had trailed Otago by 3-8 in similar fashion, the southerners giving away weight for mobility in the pack. But an onslaught toward the finish, spurred on by the sheer noise of the faithful crowd, got the Bay home by 9-8.
A week later they were 6-12 behind against Wellington with only nine minutes to go, yet got up in the final seconds to earn a draw and hang on to the shield. Same story of course exactly one year later, when the Bay found themselves behind to Auckland by 6-9 with time almost up on the clock. The shattering roar from the crowd was deafening and spurred on the tired Magpies, who came storming back at Auckland. Although right in front of the posts, young Paul Carney had found the metal required to kick the goal and draw the match.
Could Hawkes Bay rally and do it yet again?
Time ticked on and with only ten minutes to go, the score remained the same, Canterbury 12, Hawkes Bay 5. The challengers were hot on attack. From a line-out near the Bay line, the holders worst fears were realised when hooker Gary Bacon crashed through for a try from a line out, followed quickly by a fourth Fergi McCormick penalty and at 18-5, only the blind faithful did not have that sinking realisation that – after three glorious seasons - the shield was on its way south.
Down by 8-18, with any chance of saving the shield now gone, the Magpies – as if the gods had given them the prospect of saying goodbye to the trophy in the most grandeur style possible – launched one final assault at Canterbury. With an apt flourish, they swept downfield from their own goal line – magnificent stuff – eventuating in Blair Furlong darting across the line for his second try.
Moments later, referee Pat Murphy of North Auckland blew his whistle to signal time and with that final act, brought down the curtain on one of the greatest of all era’s with the Ranfurly Shield.
Certainly, to this day, folk often recall this particular Magpie reign as the most romantic of all shield tenure’s. As some of the players exchanged jerseys, a tired band of Hawkes Bay players moved toward the stand, defeated, but reflecting on memories of a truly magnificent three seasons.
Ian Kirkpatrick, another in dynamic form, heads for Ian Bishop (15), with Blair Furlong (10) coming to assist his fullback. Mick Duncan is the other Magpie and Gary Bacon the closest Cantab.
And in the stand, the trophy went from the hands of the mightiest of leaders, Kel Tremain to those of the most respected leader of Canterbury, Ian Penrose. And fittingly, Penrose had draped around his shoulders, the jersey of his great adversary. What a fortnight it had been for South Island rugby!
“When a mighty Ranfurly Shield team goes down, it brings a touch of sadness – like some noble forest giant tumbling to earth, or some proud ship on its way to the breakers yard. I felt this sadness when Hawkes Bay lost to Canterbury.”
D J Cameron (NZ Weekly News)
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Sunday, September 28th, 1969 became a pivotal moment in my young life. After reading the Sunday paper’s sports section, I informed my Wellington-based Grandmother, herself born in Timaru, that Canterbury had won the Ranfurly Shield from Hawkes Bay.
She already knew and the fact that she was from South Canterbury and my mothers side of the family spread right throughout Hawkes Bay, she only perceived it as a good thing. In truth, I was a little mortified.
Bored, as I often was when staying with Grandad and Granny McRae, I cut out from that newspaper, the figurines of the players contained within the photographs. My sister had cardboard cut-out dolls, which came with a selection of clothes that one could adorn them with.
I cut out the players - and a ball - and entertained myself by inventing a game within a game. And I could make whoever I wanted to win, win. It was magnificent. My Grandmother thought it a grand idea. If I was entertained - and I was an expert at entertaining myself - she’d be freed up to sly grog.
So she pointed me in the direction of the outside wash house and the stack of old newspapers (and I mean they were stacked from floor to ceiling), god knows how many years the pile had been growing. They had certainly added to it, but I believe it may have been inherited when they purchased the property.
So, I went back through all the Saturday, Sunday and Monday papers that I could find and cut out all the rugby photo’s and built teams. As they were Dominion, Evening Post and Sunday Times - all Wellington papers - I soon had a very fine Wellington side (who were invincible), but also Hawkes Bay, Canterbury, Auckland, plus sprinklings of players from other provinces such as Taranaki and Otago. I also had All Blacks, Frenchmen and Welshmen.
It was the start of a dynasty which would last for a decade, as by 1974, a dice system had been introduced by my great friend Euan McCabe, which levelled the playing field (and one had to sometimes cheat to win). But we’ll get to that in 1974.
I introduced the game to a few friends at Firth House, the old boarding establishment at Wellington College, in 1976. As it was the first year that New Zealand had an official ‘National Championship’ competition, we soon had our own league going.
But it was always difficult getting players, as, being reliant on obtaining them from newspapers (including the Rugby News and Sports Digest publications, match programmes), they came in all manner of shapes and sizes. So at Firth House, we made teams on small pieces of hand-painted and numbered rectangular card and made an official playing board, with a white lined, green felt surface.
This was the golden age of what my mother termed ‘rugby men’.
She’d say; “He’s playing with his rugby men.” Or; “Aren’t you too old for rugby men?”
But as adults, Euan and I invented a cricket game called Test Captain, which we sent over to a friend in England who had a marketing background. The idea was for him to play a few games with friends and fellow cricketers, to gauge some sort of response as to how popular in might be.
“Most people enjoyed it,” he said, “but as it took a few hours to complete a game, most lost a bit of interest. I’d say though, that’s it’s possibly a little too eccentric for England!”
Too eccentric for England! That is quite possibly the greatest compliment ever paid me (and Euan). I have also, through the years, invented a football game, golf, horse-racing and grand prix.
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Spring sunshine can’t mask the drying mud bath patches of Athletic Park and concentration on the faces of all players makes it look anything but a festive match, as Wellington play out the season with a match against the Centurions club. Identifiable from left; Alan McNaughton, Frank Oliver, Ron Craig, Andy Leslie, Gary Bacon, Barry Guy, Paul Delaney, Ken Gray and Pat Abraham.
But back to 1969, the rugby season for Wellington representatives concluded on October 4th, with the end-of-year festive match against the Centurions club. The club itself, formed in 1939, has always been (and continues to be) about youth focus and it was a fitting finale to the rep calendar that the ’69 Centurions were actually the New Zealand Juniors side in disguise.
It gave the Wellington public another viewing of some of the games best young players, pitted against a seasoned provincial outfit. The under 23 side had so impressed against the Tongan’s - on another awful Wellington day at the Park in August - that they were given another opportunity to parade their talent.
Their 43-3 dismantling of the touring side, the first from the ‘Friendly Isles’, in such terrible conditions, was somewhat of a revelation for the elder and grumpier rugby folk gathered in the main stand on Rintoul Street.
It gladdened their hearts to see young forwards driving with such aggressive force, alleviating some of their concerns that an increasing abundance of the new generation knew only the loose game.
But more than that, they had used their ball beautifully, the backline handling and running with enterprise and purpose. And those same discerners who believed that there were no props or locks coming through in the tradition of the senior talismen, were proved wrong. This was possibly the most encouraging divulgence of the whole season and an endorsement of the country’s strength in the sport.
The Tongans themselves were trapped in the Athletic Park ‘sticky dog’, to their utter confusion and consternation.
The October 4th match was also an opportunity for the home side to show how thoroughly it had absorbed the conceptions of Bill Freeman. Indications the preceding Saturday against Taranaki were that the players were now thoroughly at grips with the selector/coaches requirements.
Injury and examinations prevented four of the Juniors from taking the field in the famous black, yellow, green, white, blue and red alternate hooped jersey of the Centurions, their places, to maintain the status quo, filled by a quartet who had all participated in the Under-23 trials.
Eight of their number, would go on to become full All Blacks during the decade ahead; Bob Lendrum (Counties), Mick Duncan (Hawkes Bay), Phil Gard (North Otago), Bevan Holmes (07/04/1946-) (North Auckland), Robbie Stuart (Hawkes Bay), Frank Oliver (Southland), Alan McNaughton (Bay of Plenty) and Graham John Whiting (04/06/1946-) (King Country).
Wellington were too cohesive after a season together and had too much ability all round, running up a substantial score of 20-8 to take the games honours.
Footnote on Centurions club:
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In the early part of the 1939 Wellington rugby season two well known Capital rugby personalities, James Prendeville and Gerald ‘Sandy’ Weir, discussed the formation of a rugby club along the lines of the Auckland Barbarians.
Jim Prendeville - then the Crown Solicitor in Wellington - was elected a life member of the Wellington Rugby Football Union in 1937 and served on the NZRFU executive from 1937-47, was President of the NZ Union in 1948 and honoured with life membership in the same year.
The initial meeting was held at the office of the Rugby Union on July 5th, 1939 and members were elected at a meeting held later in July. Prendeville was elected the inaugural president and the original committee comprised former All Black, Beet Algar, former Wellington captain and Rhodes Scholar, ‘Mac’ Cooper, leading referee Alex Gilchrist and Jim Parker (1924-25 All Black and 1949 manager of the All Blacks to South Africa).
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1969 Loxene Golden Disc Awards
Shane Hales (pictured left) took out the Solo Award at the 1969 Loxene Golden Disc Awards, held on October 15th at the Intercontinental Hotel in Auckland, hosted by Peter Sinclair.
His smash #1 hit, "Saint Paul" won the 1969 Loxene Golden Disc Award, for which he (eventually) received $500.
"Saint Paul" was an obscure Terry Knight song based on the "Paul McCartney is dead" rumours that were circulating at the time.
The song was also entered into the 1969 Loxene Gold Disc Awards and - as expected - had no trouble taking out the title of 'best local record of the year'.
The Hi-Revving Tongues were the recipient of the group award for their epic ballad, "Rain and Tears".
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The Top 10 finalists for 1969 were;
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THE HI-REVVING TONGUES - Rain & Tears
SHANE - Saint Paul
LARRY MORRIS - The Hunt
THE REBELS - My Son John
DEDIKATION - Wait For Me Mary-Anne
MIKE DURNEY - Why Can't I Cry?
THE AVENGERS - Out of Sight, Out of Mind
THE CHICKS - Miss You Baby
HAMILTON COUNTRY BLUEGRASS BAND - Barefoot Nellie
THE SIMPLE IMAGE - Michael and the Slipper Tree
29 November, 1969 - New Zealand General Election
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The second National Government, led by Prime Minister Keith Holyoke (pictured at right), were returned to office for a fourth consecutive term, although the results were more knife-edged than had been anticipated.
Holyoke's government had been in charge since 1957, but a 2.8% swing toward the Labour Party, led by the popular Norman Kirk, saw National hang on by the barest of margins, with just 1% more of the popular vote than the opposition.
Relations with the Federation of Labour and the unions were not good and many believe that had it not been for a seamen's strike during the election period, Labour may well have won.
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National won 45 seats and obtained 45.2% of the country's vote. Labour claimed 39 seats and 44.2%. Social Credit lost its only seat in parliament when Vern Cracknell was defeated in Hobson.
