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5. Ories, Lions Smash Leo

  As usual, Christmas 1970 and the summer holidays were spent  in Hastings. Pre-Xmas it was the Sherwood’s (the former name of Hawkes Bay Farmers Transport) Christmas Party, where, to my sheer delight (not!) as can be seen, I got to sit on a horse.

 

Sherwood’s staff and family Christmas party, December 1970.

 

  Sometime during early January of 1971, I started going to the sale yards with my grandfather, Bruce. Initially I went to Stortford Lodge, Hawkes Bay’s biggest ewe fairs, on a Monday and Wednesday. Dannevirke, Waipukurau and Wairoa were added into the mix before long.

  As mentioned in the introduction, I loved it. Firstly, it got me out of the house and away from my mother and grandmother, who were both on my case 24/7 about absolutely any and everything. This was actually Bruce’s primary drive for taking me with him.

  Secondly, I was good at whatever I was asked to do; brand cattle with orange paint, move a pen of ewe’s to the transport holding pens, run a memo to the auctioneer, making sure that every gate I opened was closed behind me. I was about to turn eight.

  Third, the old ladies in their aprons in the kitchen were quite fond of me and when I ventured in around mid-day, hot and grubby from all the hard work, I was rewarded with extra helpings of steak and kidney pie and a bottle of orange crush. I felt important and valued.

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  Occasionally, I’d get to go with the truck driver and deliver a couple of hundred Southdown two-tooth ewes to some farm out Puketapu way, or something else which would break up the day and routine nicely. But mostly, I loved it. There was little to do by way of alternative, so a day at the sale yards was always entertaining in some form. Also a good way to meet real rugby players. 

  On January 16th, the first round of the forty-second series of the Five Nations Championship was held. In Cardiff, Wales destroyed the English by 22-6. On the left wing, John Bevan celebrated his debut, scoring a try. Good Kiwi’s would have noted that.

  As always, my mother, sister and I returned to Wellington sometime during the last week of January, just in time for the start of the New Zealand school year, which commences in early February. What I didn’t know was, that everything in or about life was about to upsurge. 1971 was going to be a really exciting year.

  In rugby terms, New Zealanders were gearing up for a visit by the British Lions. We’d smashed them in 1966 (and won 3-1 in 1959) and just the tonic to remove the sour taste of defeat by the ‘Boks, would be to smash ‘em again. Whinging poms.

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 The cover of the Great Moscow Circus 1971 programme, featuring the clown Oleg Popov.

 

  But rugby would have to sit out a couple of major events before resuming it’s place at the top of my entertainment chain. In early February, against all expectation, I found myself and family at Hutt Park on a wet and windy evening, to attend a performance by the Great Moscow Circus.

  Wow! This was fairly big and grandeur and awfully exciting. The 190’ x 190’ tent, 55’ to the top of the centre dome, was impressive and the razzle dazzle of lights and action pulsating. Surely my father must have been given tickets, I thought. He hates Russian’s, communism and has little interest in performing animals.

  The show featured Oleg Popov, billed as the world’s greatest clown. He was fantastic, very funny, everywhere all night like an open side flanker. On a unicycle, the slack-wire, juggling, I thought he was brilliant.

  There was 21 year old lion tamer, Boris Denisov, who was performing a solo act at the age of 15 with a dozen wild beasts. The Luigi Bezano bear circus, acrobatic comedy featuring bears balancing on boards of wood and walking the tightrope.

  You got Troupe’s of acrobats and stilt jumpers, hand balancers, cosmic flyers, equilibrists on a monocycle, dagger and sword throwers, tight-wire artists, air gymnasts and jugglers. This folks, was not the usual stuff dished up in the good, safe and balanced New Zealand diet. 

  One of my favourite acts was Ignartovi, musical eccentrics and masters of many instruments. This would be in keeping with my junior school progress report, dated 4/7/69, where my teacher (Marie Bollinger, mother of Listener columnist and noted bass guitarist, Nick) noted; “He participates with enthusiasm in all class activities and enjoys art and craft work, particularly drama and music.”

  The show was also opened with and Overture of the national anthems of New Zealand and the U.S.S.R, under musical director, Boris Tatishvili.

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  Good Kiwi’s would have made a note themselves, that on February 6th, at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Wales turned an 8-6 half-time advantage into a 19-18 victory over the Scots. Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, Barry John and John Taylor scored tries for the Welsh, with Sandy Carmichael and Chris Rea replying for Scotland.

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   One of the greatest events I remember from 1971 was my class at Kilbirnie School going to the Embassy Theatre on Courtenay Place, to see a movie called This is New Zealand. I was totally engrossed in it. It was fantastically unbelievable. In fact, I must have raved about it enormously at home, as eventually the parents took Sindy and I both to see it.

  The short film had been made to promote the country at Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan which ran from March 15th to September 13th, 1970. The theme was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind.” Two million people saw it in Osaka, and over 350,000 Kiwi’s saw on its homecoming theatrical release.

 

Queues for This is New Zealand screening

  The awesome concept showed iconic New Zealand imagery throughout; panoramas, nature, Māori culture, sport and industry. There were vertiginous swooping shots across alps, rivers and farmland. There are bustling crowds going about their business. Misty mornings and majestic mountains.

  Using then ground-breaking technology, the film required three separate, but synchronised, 35mm film projectors, to project their images onto an extra-wide screen. Breathtaking images coming at you thick and fast, all to the rousing orchestral score of Sibelius's Karelia Suite.

  To my absolute delight, amongst the sport section were quick snippets from Wellington’s match against Wales from the previous season.

  This is New Zealand had its first public New Zealand screening on Friday, 19th March, 1971, at the Embassy theatre in Wellington. Preceded by This is Expo, a 20 minute documentary on Expo ’70 and the New Zealand presence there. 

  The film was initially set down for a one week run to gauge interest. It was screened six times a day Monday to Friday, and three times a day on Saturday. Interest was huge – within the first week 10,000 people had seen it. A month later the total was up to 75,000. In the end, the season was extended twice to the end of May. By that time the total was in excess of 100,000.

  Courtenay Place was not to experience so much fuss about a film until the Lord of the Rings premiere 32 years later. We’d never seen so much attention given to a film not only made in New Zealand, but about New Zealand.

 

“What made 2,000 Wellingtonians mill around on the roadway in mid-city Courtenay Place at midday on Easter Monday, causing the manager of a nearby cinema to summon the police and traffic officers to clear the throng away? An accident? Civil unrest? Free beer at the pub on the corner? None of these things. The crowd was trying to get into the cinema where a little-advertised, locally made film, ‘This is New Zealand’, which runs for only 19 minutes, was showing.”

Warwick Roger (Weekly News of 3rd May, 1971)

 

“This film reaches right inside people. It’s the only film in all my experience where the audience has applauded after every screening, and people have come up to me with tears streaming down their faces, and said; “aren't you proud you live in New Zealand? ”  

Les Solon, then manager of the Embassy theatre.

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   A week before This is New Zealand opened, learn-ed New Zealander’s with more than a passing interest in rugby would have noted that Wales had beaten the Irish by 23-9 at the Arms Park. Gerald Davies and Gareth Edwards grabbed a couple of tries each and Barry John, who hadn’t been in the greatest kicking form, converted just one, but banged over a couple of penalties and a dropped goal. 

   Ireland were kept try-less, their points coming via three penalty goals to Mike Gibson. Thus, Wales had achieved the triple-crown by defeating the other three home unions. 

  A fortnight later they completed the grand-slam, coming back from 3-5 at half-time to defeat the French by 9-5 in Paris. Gareth Edwards and Barry John scored tries, with John adding a penalty.

  The intelligentsia of the Kiwi rugby fraternity, like Southland farmers attending a stock sale in Lorneville, would not have been surprised then, when 12 of the touring party of 30 British Lions, when named, were from Wales. A private school teacher from South Wales, Carwyn James, would coach the side. He and the flyhalf, Barry John, were from the same coal-mining town of Cefneithin, near Llanelli.

(Left) Queues for This is New Zealand screenings in Wellington often stretched a block-and-a-half down Kent Terrace. (Below) Watch excerpts from the film, courtesy of NZ Onscreen.

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  To the blind-faithted supporter, largely from round the provincial traps, but not necessarily so, that was only good news, as the Welsh (who were friends of the soft Poms) had been walloped by the AB’s only 24 months ago. The recovery road to rugby glory must surely be in the whopping them (and their mates this time) again.

  But the All Blacks, or the selector’s at least, had bigger problems than that to deal with. The British Lions tour began on May 22nd, meaning that national trials were hastened and held from May 12th-15th, regional at first, which was earlier than normal in the rugby season to be talking of anything above club level.

  Post South Africa, many senior players, including captain Lochore, had called it quits at international level, provincial level or retired from the game completely. It would be four years before British rock band, Supertramp, would call their fourth album 'Crisis? What Crisis?', but that perhaps aptly fits where New Zealand rugby was at the time.

  Surely the AB selector’s would have learnt from their South African experience that lumberjack forwards were a thing of the past. At least one terrier-type loosie was required for the modern game and they had been reluctant to take one to the republic the previous season and paid the price. 

  That aside, we were well served by tight loose forwards in Kirkpatrick, Sutherland, Wyllie, Lister, the uncapped Bevan Holmes. Thankfully, the final trial would include Graham Williams and Alan McNaughton squaring off for that open-side role, with Alistair Ian Scown (21/08/1948-) of Taranaki in the reserves.

  But there were many other areas of concern; prop, lock, stand-off, the three-quarters. And then there was the issue of hair length and the collar encroachment thereof, which again, had most former All Black’s using language only fit for the shearing shed.

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   It certainly wasn’t fit for the ears of the Oriental-Rongotai 5th Graders. As with the year before, kids arrived at school with information from a parent (dad usually) that the rugby season was about to commence and they were on the scout for players.

 

Ories 5th Grader’s, 1971. Me, 4th from left standing. Two to my left is Paul ‘Doc’ Campbell, to his left, Peter Gunn and Joe Koopa on the end at right.

 

  As it was my second season, I felt like somewhat of a veteran and actually, I brought in two new recruits myself from standard two at Kilbirnie School; my classmate Paul ‘Doc’ Campbell and my best friend from three doors down on Hamilton Road, Tzano Pitsiladis.

  And as a veteran, I was able to convince the coach, Mr. Brown (whose son was the half-back), that I should be moved into the backline, preferably second five-eighth. Wish granted. I was fast for my age and felt I needed space in which to weave my magic. 

  During the recent Xmas hols, Sindy and I had gone along to an Athletic’s meeting at Nelson Park in Hastings and - in short - won (or were placed in) everything we entered, or were entered in. We returned home to the grandparents place with an enormous bag full of chocolate fish.

  First match of the season against the Wellington club, won 15-3, scored two tries. First registering of outside backs complaining of me not passing.

  But I felt that if, outside me, the centre and wingers were actually slower than I was, why pass and give the cover - which generally I could out strip myself - the opportunity of thwarting our scoring chances?

  Mr. Brown had somewhat of a contrary opinion to that, which was based around the unimportance of winning and losing so much, as opposed to playing a game which involved everyone else in the team.

  I was at odds with his rationale, as only myself (23), Peter Gunn (20) and Joe Koopa (19), would score tries for this team and none of us - not one - was going to pass the ball to someone who wasn’t going to pass it on either, especially as they rarely got it in the first place.

  My Greek mate, Tzano (pronounced Zarno) was quite useful, sort of, but he broke his arm one lunch-time at school and missed three-quarters of the season. Joe’s little brother, whose name escapes me, was quite good too, but Joe told me that if I passed the ball to him he’d ‘knock my block off’. ‘Doc’ Campbell was one of those annoying bastards who could simply run all day.

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  When the senior season commenced on April 3rd, I was surprised to note that the two Catholic clubs had merged to become Marist-St. Pats (or Marist Old Boys-St. Pats Old Boys, in the Rugby Almanac of NZ, 1972). They would play in green and blue striped jerseys, separated by a narrow  band of white in between, a bit like Wanganui. 

  Grant Batty had joined the new club from University. Not so ‘Clock’ Karam, who was to spend the season of 1971 in the Horowhenua, playing for the Horowhenua Old Boys club. He was the star of the provincial side also, although they won but a single game, scoring 42 of 62 points registered in total in the unions five outings.

   The newly amalgamated Marist-St. Pats side were in Easter action on Athletic Park, in the annual Spillane Cup tournament, beaten in the final by Napier Marist by 14-17. 

 ‘Batts’ Batty - sporting the colours of the new Marist St. Pats club, throwing into a line-out against Petone at Athletic Park, the southern embankment and hills of Berhampore behind.

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   Easter rugby tournaments were pretty big around NZ at the time and many clubs - bandied under a common umbrella (Old Boys, Marist’s, Pirates, Universities etc) met regularly come Easter weekend for varying trophies.

  One thing was for certain this particular Easter; Ian MacRae, although he had retired from top-class rugby after returning from South Africa, was still ‘sizzling’ at club level and at only 28, could still potentially bring a wealth of badly needed experience to a possible young All Black backline, come the series against the Lions.

  He was the difference between the two teams, in a win that really flattered the home-side more than their Napier counterparts. He only ran twice in the game, both times resulted in tries and his tidying up work, at a conservative estimate, saved his team at least three scores.

  Napier took the wind, but led by only 11-6 at half-time. Unfortunately, in the second half, MSP faded, mainly due to the disintegration of Grant Batty’s game. In the first spell he had played well, running in Salvi DellaBarca for a try and serving his outsides well. But his game was affected by the roughing up he took at the bottom of a few second half rucks.

  The Gray brothers, Robert and John, continued to threaten Napier’s dominance, but the visitors, led in the forwards by the aggressive Mike O’Malley, asserted the greater pressure and MSP weakened as the game progressed.

  Wellington teams faired little better in other Easter fixtures. Victoria University were unlucky not to make the final of the North Island Universities tournament, drawing 11-11 with Waikato, in a remarkable match which saw both sides making every possible use of their backlines on attack.

  It was a tribute to the defence of both sides that only one try apiece was scored (Victoria’s by Paul Barrett) and at the games completion, officials were left with the problem of working out who should play the final against Massey. Victoria took the view that the host should be in the final, so it was.

  Victoria’s strong forward play in the second half was built around the strength of John Kirkby, John Gibbons and Kerry McDonald, although no forward on the park was more outstanding than Waikato’s Paul Anderson. Graham Wallis showed plenty of dash on the wing and Paul Mora had an outstanding battle at centre against 1969 All Black, George Rupuha Skudder (10/02/1948-08/05/2021)

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  George Skudder. An All Black in 1969, but could only make the first North Island trial in 1970. He would have been a valuable asset to the New Zealand tourists. Was there a secret Maori quota?

 

  In Palmerston North, Dannervirke Old Boys required ten minutes of extra time to come out on top by 16-14 over Wellington College Old Boys. With the scores tied at 11-11, five minutes each way was ordered and after three minutes, a kick through saw WCOB winger, C Buck scoop up and score his second try in the corner. Grant Smith’s conversion attempt hit the upright.

  After the change around, Dannevirke took a short kick-off and took play to within five metres of the WCOB line. From the line-out, the hooker, C Gainey, came around the front to take a pass and score wide out. R Chatfield, almost certainly related to Black Cap legend, Ewen, kicked the winning points with a beautiful conversion from the sideline. 

  As the club season got into full swing, the early rounds of the Swindle Shield competition faired well for the new Marist-St Pats club, who registered their maiden senior rugby win by beating Upper Hutt by 23-9. Led by an inspired ‘Batts’, they mounted up the wins, including a 17-6 victory over Poneke on May 8th. Playing at centre, Batty scored a try himself, but was also noted for his tenacious cover defending.

 The Petone machine swung into gear, given an early fright by long-time rivals, Poneke, holding on to win by 11-8 and retaining the Fred Tilyard Shield. 

  Poneke flanker, Wayne Nicholls, was the standout. John Dougan was in great form during the early rounds and I was excited to see the name M Sayers back in the green of University. He looked sharp during a May 8th win over Hutt Old Boys, scoring a brilliant try and often breaking through the mid-field defence, unfortunately having to slow to find support.

  Twig and Gerald Kember starred again for the students in a 25-14 win over Onslow on May 22nd. It was feared the worst when ‘Batts’ left for MSP, but Kember’s commitment to club rugby for the season and the return from the UK of Twig, had reinvigorated the Varsity backline, now an incisive attacking unit.

  On the same day, Dick Cleland and Darcy again) starred for Petone in a 31-8 win over Eastbourne. Cleland’s form was of such, that once again villager’s were claiming him to be the most  under-rated second five-eighths, possibly in the country, let alone Wellington. 

  The Wellington club clawed their way to an 8-6 win over mid-table Taita. ‘Batts’ again featured with a brace of tries as MSP stayed in touch with the competition leaders by beating Athletic 17-14 in the early game on the Park.

  After eight rounds, MSP were just a point adrift of co-leaders, Petone and Wellington. Both had been beaten just once; Petone by Onslow (14-15, Jim Gregg kicking five penalties) and Wellington going down to University (11-12).

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University senior side of 1971. Mark Sayers (vice-captain) beside the captain, Kerry McDonald. Ged Kember in the middle of the back row.

  Club rugby was going to be a little disrupted this season owing to the much anticipated tour by the British Lions, as the Wellington side were due to face them in tour match five on June 5th. The absolute greatest possible news for me personally was that I knew early in the piece that I’d be going to the game.

  My father’s company, Northern Building Society, sponsored the broadcasting box right at the top of the Millard Stand and this meant that he always had the pick of the seats. For the Lions/Wellington match, they were smack bang in the middle of the main stand.

  Wellington’s representative preparation therefore, began earlier than usual. An outing against Wanganui on April 20th resulted in a 9-9 draw. This was followed four days later by a 22-15 win over Waikato in Hamilton.

  New selector-coach, Frank Ryan, had stated at the start of the season that there was nothing in rugby like opportunity. His comment was in reference to the fact that practically the entire backline from 1970 had moved on and there were opportunities galore for budding replacements.

  With Nectar on the injury list, University and NZ Universities scrum-half, Rhys Barlow was given the nod against Wanganui, but the miserable game he had saw a 23 year old advertising copywriter from the Wellington club, David John Henderson, chosen ahead of him for the Waikato fixture.

  The second performance was indeed a pleasing one for the new coach. Wellington had scored five tries, two of them to ‘Batts’ Batty. Ryan had chosen James Gregg as his new fullback to replace ‘Clock’ Karam, but the Onslow man hadn’t been all that convincing, converting only two of the six tries posted (+ a penalty goal) in the first two games.

  His conversion rate improved in the following two matches, enough for him to retain his spot for the match against the Lions.

  Ryan seemed to favour the Dougan-Cleland Petone combination in the five-eighths and (once he’d returned from injury) Grant Batty at centre. Although he was back from the UK and in fine fettle, there was no sign yet of him including the creative and enterprising Mark Sayers.

  The pack were performing well enough in these early matches too, with Frank Ryan following his predecessors policy of consistency of selection; McDonald, Barrett, Head, Keown, Waller, Nicholls, Williams and Leslie. That was a powerful pack and one which on the day, could have the measure of the British.

  But Wayne Nicholls was injured during the Waikato match and - although not dramatically so - decided enough was enough and promptly retired from the game for the season. It also coincided with him, a school teacher, studying for his masters degree and - ironically only a couple of days before Brian Lochore announced his own retirement - Nicholl’s told his peers and the press of his decision.

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   It was indeed a shame. Wayne Nicholls, a hard working tyrant who never shirked responsibility, would have been a great servant to the All Blacks in South Africa in 1970. His versatility as a middle or back row forward, hardness and durability would have been ideal.

  It was common knowledge that - following some serious deliberation by the AB selector’s - he was to be the next cab off the rank, so to speak, shortlisted as a replacement should any loose forward be injured.

 

Wayne Nicholls in action during the Wellington-Wales match in 1969. Nicholls would be a big loss to Wellington in 1971.

 

“I’ve always held that silver fern as a high ambition, but I’m not after a degree in rugby.”

Wayne Nicholls, Evening Post newspaper (Hedley Mortlock)

 

  Speculation as to Ken Gray and his possible availability for 1971 was fuelled by his appearance on April 25th at Eden Park, for the Barbarians against a national teachers side.

  But the 32 year old AB legend told the press that he was adamant that he had no plans to make any sort of comeback, other than turning out, as he would, the following Sunday for Petone (for which he was assistant coach) against the giants of Auckland club rugby, Ponsonby.

  He told the press further that he was tired of the publicity given to his coming out of retirement (this was his fourth ‘friendly’ match of the season) and any speculation that he was returning to the first class scene was far from factual.

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  The 1971 British Lions left Heathrow Airport in London on May 7th, bound for Brisbane (via Hong Kong). Still jet-lagged and having to play in the intense heat of an early Queensland spring afternoon, the Lions suffered an 11-15 defeat in their tour opener against that State’s representatives.

  On the same day, the South Island All Black hopefuls met in Christchurch and the top 30 players, as chosen by the selection panel, fought out a 20-20 draw. The following day it was the North Island’s turn, with two back-to-back trials containing 60 optimists with equal designs on wearing the silver fern.

    It could rightly be assumed that the defeat of the Lions by Queensland could only have been viewed at the time by all 90 trialists, selectors and the NZ rugby fraternity at large as; “here we go again, the soft poms are on their way”.

  Wellingtonian’s were once again aggrieved when it came trial time, for the selectors had only chosen from those nominated by the WRFU (with ‘Nectar’ injured and unable to take his part), Dick Cleland, Vernon Winitana and Andy Leslie for the early trial (Leslie was later shifted to the main trial to replace the injured Bevan Holmes and Al Keown was added at prop for the also injured John McEldowney of Taranaki) and Graham Williams to captain the Possibles (beaten by 9-22) in the main trial. Robert Gray and Gareth Head were reserves for both teams in both fixtures.

  Two days later, on May 15th, only Graham Williams (Possibles) and John Dougan (Probables) took part in the final All Black trial, with Richard Cleland  getting onto the hallowed Eden Park turf for but one minute, replacing 1970 AB, Buff Milner. Times appeared grim for Wellington rugby. But the darkest hour was yet to come.

   Back across the Tasman, the Lions struggled to overcome New South Wales in their second tour match, eventually scraping home by 14-12. My father predicted that they were in for a good old fashioned hiding when they arrived on our shores in a few days time. This was on the back of his idol, Colin Meads, being named as new All Black captain the same day.

  Again, Wellington rugby folk were left bitterly disappointed. Not one All Black. Not even a reserve. The player everyone felt most sorry for was Graham Williams. The selectors had opted for Alan McNaughton in the new tearaway open-side role. Williams wealth of experience (over 100 first class matches played) gave way to a man four years his junior, two inches taller and almost a stone heavier. The selectors were having a 'bob each way' on that one. They wanted the speed, but also - out of fear - the extra weight.

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 New All Black named for the first test squad against the touring British Lions, Alan McNaughton of the Bay of Plenty.

 

 The following day, the Lions left Sydney aboard an Air New Zealand DC-8, bound for Auckland. Former All Black and Australian half-back, Des Connor, then coach of the Aussie test team, had witnessed both games in Oz and had purported them to be ‘the worst major touring team he had seen in either Australia or New Zealand’.

  Unperturbed, training in earnest began on the Monday morning, the Lions noticing instantly that the smell of the air in the autumn sunshine was just to their liking, very reminiscent of Britain in October. The morning dew on the grass was also similar and favourable. The Lions enjoyed a perfect week - weather wise - for training in the City of Sails and under Carwyn James tutelage, set about an imaginative and varied set of skills and drills to prepare for their tour opener against Counties-Thames Valley the coming Saturday.

  On Tuesday, May 18th, Wellington’s rep woes continued with an 8-16 loss to Taranaki in Hawera. Grant Bracefield - having come on as a replacement for Robert Gray - scored Wellington’s only try.

 Having bused the hour or so down the road from Auckland to Pukekohe - the Lions despatched the combined side by 25-3, in perfect conditions and in front of a record crowd at their brand new stadium.

  The touring party then flew down to Wanganui for their first head to head with ‘Pinetree’ Meads, defeating the Wanganui-King Country side (who had beaten the 1966 Lions) by 22-6. 

Check out all the photographs of the British Lions early tour matches; Counties/Thames Valley, Wanganui/King Country, Waikato & NZ Maori at right.

  ‘Piney' had mentioned, that in his opinion, the Lions had gotten away with "bloody murder” during the match. He identified instances of Lions obstructing opposing jumpers in the line-out, also barging and blocking, and killing the loose ball by laying all over it. He had warned/advised that the Canterbury pack would not be so intimidated.

  On the same afternoon, Wellington’s preparation for their own matchup with the Lions continued with a match against Wairarapa-Bush in Masterton. Eventually, they got home by 29-22, Mick Cull (whom Ryan had favoured over Bracefield) scoring three tries. But Dave Henderson was lost to injury during the course of the match, which meant a timely return to rep duty for Nectar.

  Back up to Hamilton, the Lions roadshow put Waikato away, scoring five tries in the process. The Mooloo men’s only try was scored by George Skudder, but the Lions were deserved winners by 35-14.

  A record midweek crowd (48,000) turned up at Eden Park for the clash against NZ Maori in tour match four. This was the Lions dress rehearsal for the Wellington game, up next, the first of coach, Carwyn James’ ‘target’ matches, where he’d play what was likely to be a test combination against what he proposed would be an impressionable provincial outfit.

  The Lions sent the Maori packing (23-12), but the match itself was largely disappointing. Referee, Dave Millar, had been all too whistle happy throughout and the Lions encountered their first real taste of ‘biff’, at which the average New Zealand rugby follower would have noted that they were prepared to give back as good as they received. John Bevan scored the only try of the match, with Barry John (6) and Butch Pickrang (4) scoring 30 of the games 35 points, with penalty kicks.

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  At last, the Lions were heading for Wellington. On Thursday evening (June 3rd), they flew down from Auckland and were greeted by a brass band at the airport and were further welcomed to the capital by former NZRFU Chairman, Tom Morrison.

  Every Monday, I asked my mother to spend 15c on the NZ Weekly News (which was in actual fact nearing it’s final edition) as the weekly pictorial/editorial of life in Aotearoa was full of colour photographs of the Lions matches…and this meant kodak coloured rugby men, a very rare find. In only a matter of weeks I had a fully coloured Lions side, that were also unbeatable as they played against whatever provinces I had collected from the pile of old newspapers at my grandparents house in Constable Street, Newtown. 

  The weather was grey and calm on the Friday, as the Lions headed off to the Park for a practice session. Ray ‘Chico’ Hopkins, the Welsh second-string half-back was intently practicing his new spin pass. He wasn’t playing the following day. He’d sit on the reserve bench, although he still has the match ball from the Wellington-Wales match almost two years prior, where he had been adjudged ‘man of the match’.

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British Lions Ian 'Mighty Mouse' McLachlan and Sean Lynch attend a reception at St. Pat's College in Silverstream during their time in Wellington. 

  The weather in Wellington did not change overnight and a grey and calm carbon-copy of the previous day, greeted the tens of thousands who had turned up (including myself and family) to attend the pre-match parade on Saturday morning. I can only assume that junior rugby was not held on this day and the excitement of a parade would have taken precedence in any case.     

  I was ecstatic to see Leo the Lion again, proud and erudite mascot of Wellington rugby, waving and engaging with us kids on the streets of Welly. I laughed at the Lions lion, which I thought hardly a lion at all. Leo was far more classy and most certainly Wellington would have the measure of him and his team this coming afternoon.

  My father told me of 1966, when the Lions weren’t lions either, more like pussies, he said and Wellington had given them a right royal going over. All his mates had been playing, Mick Williment and big Nev (by now co-owners of a travel company in the same block as the Northern Building Society, Williment & MacEwan World Travel), Tom Lister, Ken Gray and Graham Williams.

Check out photo's at left from the street parade on the morning of the Wellington-Lions fixture, July 5th, 1971. Courtesy of the National Library of NZ.

  I was only eight, but scouring the current press following the Lions around, looking at history books and listening to those in the know speak of the times of yesteryear, I (which I naturally assumed to be a common perception), knew that this Lions side was just starting to look a little formidable. Their forwards weren’t backing away from all the whoopee, but Canterbury would sort ‘em out in a fortnight’s time.

  By this stage, when attending a big rugby match at the Park, it was easiest to park near my grandparents place and walk from there. That meant down Constable Street to Riddiford and then taking the alleyway across the road from Newtown Ave, which was a bunch of steps that led up to Millward Street. 

  I loved that alleyway (still there). On match day it was surging, a herd of foot traffic shoe shuffling their way up (or down) in unison. Anyone caught going in the other direction were as unwelcome as the mental deficients in the psychiatric ward in that scene from the film, Midnight Express.

  The alleyway then joined onto Rintoul Street, like a smaller vein leading into a major artery and the throbbing army continued it’s journey up to the gates at the north end (or the members entrance, located roadside at the back of the main stand). 

   The advantage of the northern gates, which I would experience in coming years as I went to the Park by myself or with mates, was the proximity to a carefully positioned hot dog cart. But today, it was the main stand, where the fodder on offer was generally confined to pies and hot soup. We took our seats, brilliantly positioned as mentioned, in time to watch the second half of the curtain-raiser between the Centurion Colts and the Wellington 2nd & 3rd’s.

   A few spits of rain greeted the two sides as they ran out onto Athletic Park, of which the surface was perfect for running rugby. The Lions had won four from four thus far, but most felt that this would be the first true test of their New Zealand tour. It would also be somewhat of a test for new Wellington coach, Ray Dellabarca and his new look side from the capital. Most predicted that it would be a closish match and that the team which took their chances would probably win.

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Try for Lions prop, Sandy Carmichael. The Lions would run in eight more, four of them to John Bevan. One of the blackest days in Wellington rugby history, but one which became a catalyst for the rebirth of capital running rugby.

   What transpired over the next 80 minutes was completely breath-taking and has often been regarded as the greatest display by a British team touring abroad. The 45,000 strong crowd could only watch on and admire as the Lions literally tore Wellington a new one. I’d never witnessed such devastation and carnage.

 

 “This is the greatest team I have ever played against. At times I was just standing their applauding.”

Graham Williams (The Mighty Lions) John Reason

 

  In hindsight, it is hard to believe that 30 minutes in, the home side only trailed by 3-5, but when John Taylor scored the visitors second try a moment later, after a lilting counter-attack, an absolute avalanche of scoring was about to unfold.

  In total, the Lions ran in nine tries; John Bevan (4), Mike Gibson (2), John Taylor, Barry John and Alexander Bennett Carmichael (1944-2021). Barry John converted five and kicked two penalties. JPR Williams and Gibson added a conversion apiece. For Wellington, Onslow full-back, Jim Gregg, could only successfully convert three penalties. 

  I didn’t know what to make of it. Wellington had been completely smashed. Poor ‘Nectar’ had spent the entire day going backwards with his forwards, who were monster-ed right from the get go by the Lions pack.

 Anticipating a stern challenge, the Lions had named a near test strength pack. Even so, the capitulation of the home forward pack was not anticipated and it drove home to local fans how important Ken Gray, Paul Delaney and Wayne Nicholls had been in the engine room and how difficult it’d been to replace them all, their experience and power.

  The Lions forwards laid a solid foundation by absolutely destroying the Wellington scrum, with Sandy Carmichael boring in on Wellington  hooker, Paul Barrett, almost at will.

  The Lions were simply magnificent and amongst all the backline stars on parade for them that day, in a master-class of his own was Cameron Michael Henderson Gibson. Although racking up nineteen points and offing up a supremely ‘King-ly’ performance of efficiency and insinuation, Barry John seemed content to mainly conduct the orchestra and did so with equally fastidious precision.

  But Mike Gibson gave the backline momentum of pace and strength, his articulate performance based around running off John, whose tactical position was static and deep enough to receive Gareth Edwards long pass.

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Mike Gibson was sensational against Wellington, receiving this pass outside Wellington winger, Ben Koopu, thereby freeing up the main benefactor, John Bevan, who helped himself to four tries in the match

  The years stripped away, Gibson ghosted through the often flimsy Wellington defence, grabbing a couple of tries for himself, but creating so much for others. The chief benefactor being John Bevan, who ran with such determination and pace, as uncompromising as you’d expect from the son of a Welsh coal miner.

  Wellington had been mismatched and hopelessly outclassed in the three-quarters. While first time British Lions as such, Sydney John Dawes (1940-2021) (22), JPR Williams (16), David John Duckham (1946-2023) (15) and John Bevan (4) were seasoned internationals for their respective countries.

  19 year old, Grant Batty, was playing his 11th representative fixture and while already one of the biggest draw cards in Wellington rugby, was up against Dawes, the Lions captain.

  Jim Gregg at full-back had played six times for Wellington. Ben Koopu and Mick Cull on the wings, had only played for Wellington XV’s against minor unions.

  With all respect to those as listed - and accounting for the young Batty going on to be a real superstar of the game - they were all good club players, but didn’t stand a chance, up against such formidable talent and experience. If we add Mike Gibson into the mix (35 tests for Ireland and 8 for the Lions on two previous tours) against Dick Cleland (27 games for Welly), we can see further the conundrum.

  Furthermore, a thumping of that magnitude wasn’t good for morale, team spirit or practically anything of any pertinent use. Next opponent, seven days away was Canterbury (of course!) at the Park. Already itching to get amongst the poms, the Wellington match was the Cantab’s dress rehearsal, their date with the Lions would be the following Saturday, 19th June.

  Bejasus! What were Canterbury going to do to Wellington this time round? Should an obituary for Wellington rugby be placed in the Evening Post newspaper? If ever Wellington rugby needed a saviour to appear from the  smouldering ashes, now was the time!

  As for the 1971 British Lions, through all eternity they’d remain the greatest rugby side I’d ever have the pleasure of watching live. And I’d get a second look on this tour.

Check out all the photographs from the Wellington-Lions match at right.

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THE 1971 BRITISH LIONS TEAM, NEW ZEALAND TOUR

(photographed at Eastbourne, Sussex before departure)

 

Back row: Dr. Douglas Smith (Manager), CMH Gibson MBE (North of Ireland/IRE), 

CWW Rea (West of Scotland/SCO), J ‘Ian’ McLauchlan (Jordanhill College/SCO), 

JF Slattery (University College of Dublin/IRE), AB Carmichael MBE (West of Scotland/SCO),

DL Quinnell (Llanelli), MG Roberts (London Welsh/WAL), JS Spencer (Headingley/ENG),

JF Lynch (St. Mary’s College/IRE), WD Thomas (Llanelli/WAL), ML Hipwell (Terenure College/IRE),

PJ Dixon (Harlequins/ENG), Mr. Carwyn James (coach).

Seated: AJL Lewis (Ebbw Vale/WAL), WJ McBride CBE (Ballymena/IRE), 

TM Davies (London Welsh/WAL), GL Brown (West of Scotland/SCO), 

SJ Dawes OBE (London Welsh/WAL-Captain), R Hiller (Harlequins/ENG), 

JC Bevan (Cardiff/WAL), R Arneil (Leicester/SCO), J Taylor (London Welsh/WAL).

In front: RJ McLoughlin (Blackrock College/IRE), R Hopkins (Maesteg/WAL), 

JV Pullin (Bristol/ENG), Sir Gareth Edwards CBE (Cardiff/WAL), B John (Cardiff/WAL),

FAL Laidlaw (Melrose/SCO), TGR Davies CBE DL (London Welsh/WAL), 

JPR Williams MBE FRCS (London Welsh/WAL), DJ Duckham (Coventry/ENG).

 

  • Chris Wardlow (Northampton/ENG) was an original selection but withdrew due to injury. His place was taken by Chris Rea.

  • Derek Quinnell later played for Wales but had not been capped at the time of the 1971 tour.

  • Peter Dixon had not played for England at the time of his selection for the 1971 tour, but then won his first cap against the President's Overseas XV on 17 April 1971, three weeks prior to the squad's departure for Australia.

  • CB ‘Stack’ Stevens (Harlequins/ENG) and TG Evans (London Welsh/WAL) were called upon as replacements for Ray McLoughlin and Sandy Carmichael, following the Canterbury match.

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