The euphoria in Otago
when they lifted the Ranfurly shield from Waikato was short-lived. They say a
week is a long time in politics, but it is agonizingly short when you parade
your heroes down Dunedin’s main street on Monday only to watch them lose the “Log’o’Wood”
the next Sunday. Pity too because the Forsyth Barr Stadium is a great venue to
defend the shield in any weather.
Hawkes Bay
waited 44 years to have the shield back in their trophy cabinet thanks to their
narrow win against Otago, but kept it for just six days when Counties Manakau
lifted it in a spirited contest at Napier’s picturesque McLean Park last
Saturday. Hawkes Bay Rugby Union’s CEO said the shield had the potential to
boost their coffers by more than a million dollars if only they could have
retained ownership.
Wairarapa had
the shield for twice as long as Otago and Hawkes Bay when they won a famous victory
over Canterbury in 1950.
As a
ten-year-old rugby-mad kid I can clearly recall the occasion. Wairarapa were
more than odds-on favourites to lose the game. I had watched them play at Queen
Elizabeth Park a few weeks previous when Poverty Bay beat them
convincingly. Man of the match for me
was that day “Tiny” White; the huge lock forward and legendary All Black.
Unfortunately he played for Poverty Bay. So too did Brian Fitzpatrick, another
All Black and later to father Sean.
The Wairarapa
team left that evening for their South Island tour which was to culminate in a
challenge for the coveted Ranfurly Shield against mighty Canterbury at
Lancaster Park. Their record in their tour lead-up games was not too impressive
either. Otago beat them 16 nil. At Invercargill Southland won 17 to 6. South Canterbury drew with them 3 all.
Despite not
being given much chance against Canterbury, the side did have some wonderful
players. They were captained by the superb Maori All Black, and member of the
legendary Kiwi team Alan “Kiwi” Blake, although he was concussed midway through
the game and had to be replaced on the side of the scrum by Noel Desmond.
Hooking was another great Maori All Black, Kingi Matthews and propping him were
Neville Humphries and Les Sciascia. Hugh Mathieson and Bruce McPhee locked the
scrum and Jack Ryan was the other flanker; though we called them “breakaways”
back then. Wattie Waaka was at number eight.
Garth Parker was
second-five-eighth outside the great Ben Couch at first-five. Couch was an All
Black and a Maori All Black. He had a nifty swerve which was to later serve him
well in politics. He took over the captaincy when Blake left the field.
Half back was
Steve Walsh; Brian Desmond was at centre, with Bernie Patrick and John Geary on
the wings. On the bench were Alan “Blue” Corlett, Keith Parker, - brother of
Garth - Horrie Thompson, Martin Garrity, Bobbie Lister and Ivan Dale.
Second-five-eighth
for Canterbury was Jules Houghton, later to settle here as the much respected
manager of Wright Stephenson’s Stock and Station Agency.
Undoubtedly star
of the day though was Wairarapa fullback Alf Mahupuka, whose dropped goal,
urged on by Ben Couch when passing seemed the sensible option, slotted through
the goalpost’s from halfway, just before half-time.
The second half
was a torrid affair with Wairarapa desperately hanging on to their slender lead
with a sterling performance from the forwards. I had my ear glued to the
crackly radio at home and I vividly recall my hero for the day, my cousin John
Geary, who had been a record breaking sprinter at Wairarapa College, chasing
and catching Canterbury front rower Alan Couling just inches short of the try
line in the last minutes of the game. This was Canterbury’s final opportunity
to save the day and the underdogs came out the winners by three points to nil.
The Christchurch Press
said the Wairarapa forwards won the game and “especially outstanding were J.
Ryan, L. Sciascia and K. Matthew’s who frequently broke though the Canterbury
forwards, hunting relentlessly with ball at toe.” The Press voted Couch, Walsh
and Geary as the stand-out backs.
The citizens of
Wairarapa were over the moon with the win. So too were the team They poured
themselves on to the Lyttleton ferry that night and set sail for Wellington and
then home to glory and a civic welcome at the Masterton Post Office. I and hundreds of others waited for some time
for our first glimpse of the shield. The
team knew how to party. Legend has it that on the bus trip home from the ferry
terminal they got the publican of the Central Hotel in Petone, Ian Harvey, out
of bed at about 8 o’clock on Sunday morning, demanding that he “shout.”
Harvey, an ex
All-Black who had played for Wairarapa was, I gather, more than happy to
oblige.
The victors
arrived quite late for the reception because they were stopped by coteries of
delighted supporters all the way up the valley. Fair enough; a great many of
the players were from the highly rated Carterton and Greytown sides. The rugby
team that finally held up the shield for the expectant Post Office crowd didn’t
look as though they could win a good feed, but we understood their celebrations
and excused their resultant demeanor.
Norm Faulkner,
who with his brother Bob owned a sports shop directly opposite the Post Office
was the team manager and the shield was proudly displayed in their window for
the delighted populous to view. I’m sure the whole Wairarapa took the
opportunity to glimpse the trophy. I recall going and staring at it most days.
But the display
was short-lived.
Although the
Wairarapa season was officially over, through some legal loophole and sleight
of hand, still unexplained to the rank and file to this day, they were obliged
to face a challenge from South Canterbury which they had to accept. The game
was scheduled just two weeks after the shield had been won.
The South
Canterbury challenge was held at the Solway Showground’s. I’ll never forget the
trauma we all felt when we lost the contest in the dying minutes, 17 - 14. Man
of the match on that day was the visitor’s captain and 1949 All Black, L. A.
Grant. He kicked a penalty goal from halfway and scored two tries, one right on
full time to give his side the victory. I despised him with all the hate a
ten-year-old could muster.
Small rugby
provinces have few chances to bask in glory and we were shortchanged on this
occasion, but it was a fabulous fortnight. It is not generally remembered, but
Canterbury also only had the shield for a two week stint, having won it off
Otago on August the 16th 1950 and then lost it to Wairarapa on the 2nd of
September.
sportswriter!
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