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9 August 2014
GOOD NEWS AT LAST FOR OUR 'PINETREE!'
With the merging of the two previously rival Rugby Halls of Fame it now means that the oversight (well that's been my view for eight years or so) of Colin Meads of New Zealand not being recognised by the International Rugby Board has been corrected.
When the privately-owned International Rugby Hall of Fame started in 1997 Meads was one of the 'First XV' inducted in London. But when the IRB began their own Hall of Fame nine years later, there was seemingly no place anywhere for Meads. That was even though he was voted New Zealand's 'Player of the Century' by the New Zealand public in 1999 and had been Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2009.
In the meantime well over 100 other individual players, officials, coaches, teams and media from all over the world had been inducted. But no Meads!
Though no one was ever given a reason it has now been rectified, albeit at a late time in the great New Zealander's life.
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Born in Stratford, Taranaki and All Black prop Mark Allen was forever known as 'Bull' (named after an American TV character). He became so popular Rugby Park in Taranaki was re-named the 'Bull Ring' for a time.
After an unauthorised tour to South Africa in 1986 by senior All Blacks (the ‘Cavaliers’), players who toured were banned for two test matches. The New Zealand selectors therefore had to cast further afield for a team to play a test against France in Christchurch and in a following game against Australia at Wellington. They opted in choosing from younger or second-string players who were active around New Zealand.
The relative youth and inexperience of the new team soon earned it the affectionate nickname ‘Baby All Blacks’. The team’s popularity was ensured when it beat France, 18–9 and lost narrowly, 12–13, to Australia.
The Baby Blacks included a number of players who were to become seasoned All Blacks: David Kirk was their captain, while Joe Stanley, Sean Fitzpatrick, John Kirwan, Frano Botica, Terry Wright, Mike Brewer and Andy Earl all represented New Zealand for years.
In 1987 and 2011 the All Blacks were the first rugby nation to win the World Cup twice; but which country was the first to win the World Cup's THIRD place match twice?
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