All Black pivot Dan Carter is widely regarded as the finest five-eighth playing rugby today. But the New Zealand template pre-Carter for athleticism, fluid place-kicking and ability to exploit a gap was created, not by Grant Fox, Andrew Mehrtens or the mercurial Carlos Spencer, but by a little-known rugby player called Nicky Allen.
Nicky who?
First, some history.
Born in Auckland in 1958, Nicky Allen proved a handy cricket player when growing up, but as a teenager he turned his hand increasingly towards rugby, representing the New Zealand Colts and Auckland in 1978.
Two years later he made his way into the All Blacks, touring Australia and featuring in the final losing test against the Wallabies. Having played little rugby on his return to New Zealand, Allen was included in the short tour late in 1980 to Wales, which was celebrating the centenary of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
As your typical rugby-mad, All Blacks-obsessed teenager, I’d heard bugger all about Allen. The brief footage I’d seen of him on TV had also left me weary and unimpressed – elfin-like, long-ish hair, a bit too posh for my punky/skinhead leanings.
But the All Blacks coach must have seen something, because he was picked to play the final game of the tour – the test against Wales, which was good enough to have won the Five Nations tournament the previous year.
I was understandably nervous for Allen and the All Blacks. Here they were, playing an historically dangerous opposition at a packed Cardiff Arms Park. It was also a centenary year, and player and supporter passions – not to mention expectations – would be fiendishly high.
What unfolded, however, changed the way I thought about five-eighth play and the game of rugby in general.
Wales were literally belted from the first whistle.
In their terrific captain Graham Mourie, Mark “Cowboy” Shaw, Graham Higginson and Hika Reid, the All Blacks had muscular forwards willing to go the biff or run eighty metres to latch onto a pass for a last-minute try.
Behind such a staunch and skilled pack, menacing backs like Stu Wilson, Bernie Fraser and Dave Loveridge were finding holes and placing unbearable strain on a badly tiring Welsh defence, which was only propped up, it seemed, by their ageless fullback J.P.R. Williams and the nuggetty halfback Terry Holmes.
And guess what – pulling the strings and orchestrating much of the carnage was Nicky Allen.
All class and composure, Allen ably directed the team around the field. If he wasn’t running beautiful lines, he was passing sweetly, tackling solidly, even bobbing up for a try (though there was a suspicion he dropped the ball as he was forcing it over the line).
Phwoar! What a performance!
New Zealand’s domination was reflected on the scoreboard, with the All Blacks winning 23-3, four tries to zip. Allen was a bona fide All Black hero.
Inexplicably, Allen then disappeared off my – and New Zealand’s – rugby radar. Having stayed on in the UK after the Welsh tour ended, he injured a knee playing club rugby in England, so was ruled out for all of the 1981 season.
After that, he flitted about in Australia and New Zealand rugby competitions, suffering several injuries that seemed to dull his exceptional rugby-playing gifts.
And then in 1984, seemingly out of nowhere, came the tragic news that he had died from head injuries after being heavily tackled in a club match in Australia.
Allen’s involvement at both representative and international levels was so brief and sporadic that he managed just 35 first-class matches and two Tests for the All Blacks. He was 26 years of age.
Little by little, the news filtered back from Australia. The accumulation of injuries had taken their toll. He was prone to concussion. The tackle was one of those freak events.
Allen’s death marked the end of one of rugby’s most promising careers.
Even today, I’m gutted that the world never saw the best of what was a diamond talent – perhaps a talent even rarer than Dan Carter.
Stephen Townshend is the author of The Last Word – Rugby World Cup 2011
Douglas James Aldred
Guest
Hey Rose ,Nicky and I were rugby mates in Auckland he was then and still remains the best 1st 5/8 ever produced in NZ rugby
stojo01
Guest
I remember seeing Nicky Allen mucking around in the Auckland university gym in the early 80s. He was kicking a rugby ball from foot to foot like soccer ball and he finished off by kicking it through a basketball hoop. He was with another NZ sports legend, Mark Nua whose NFL opportunities were curtailed by heart murmur discovered in college.
Greg Robertson
Guest
I knew Nicky from Primary school through till he played for College Rifles in 1983. I was in that team coached by Pat Walsh, his old coach at Counties. He was so far ahead of anyone else in terms of skill level, but broke his hand early in the season after being picked for Auckland and didn't finish the season. I attended his funeral the next year, very sad.
Richard Godwin
Guest
Nicky suffered from his first head injury just after leaving school in 1976 i977 he played up in North Auckland and thats when problems started for him. He played for Auckland the following two seasons and in 1980 played for counties with his good friend Tim Burcher both overlooked for playing with Auckland. Made the All Blacks played two tests stayed over at the United Kingdom and played for the Wasp club before damaging his knee. Came back to Auckland in 1983 and played a few matches at second five outside Foxey but was never the same player and played club rugby for College Rifles that year. Went to Australia he loved the lifestyle over there and unfortunately lost his life in a rugby game. Great talent prone to injury the James Dean of rugby rest in peace Nicky.
Rose
Guest
I met Nick socially as a teenager, my boyfriend told me that there were rumours of his skill as a first five. The first time I saw Nick play was at Eden Park and it took my breath away. He was an absolute joy to watch . . . pure class! He was on his toes and moved like a big cat. I was amazed at the way he took control of the back line (not nearly that assertive and decisive in his personal life). We were living in Sydney when Nick died and we were told that the week before the fatal game he had a bad knock and sufferered severe headaches and was told to take disprin by his coach. We were told that he had a brain hemorrhage that clotted and the clot was dislodged in the fatal game sending him straight into a coma. He died the next day. In those days players were encouraged to toughen up. I was extremely proud that he was my friend, not only for his rugby prowess but he was the nicest, kindest person I ever met. PS When Nick was in Sydney he did not like being called Nicky preferring Nick. He was the first of a new breed in that he launched himself as a brand and issued press releases about what himself. His death was a shocking and unnecessary loss and the world is a poorer place for it - I would have loved to see him play to his potential as an All Black but he was always injury prone.
Dave Pope
Guest
I saw Nicky play just once, a club game in Remuera. He was unbelievably brilliant. Sorry, I love Dan Carters play, but he's really still not in the same class as Allen. Criticism at the time said he could only kick of his right foot. Andy Haden loves to tell the story how Nicky went out to practise on Eden Park, and drop kicked a goal from halfway and the right hand touchline with his right foot, went across to the left touchline and drop kicked a goal with his left foot, then walked to the centre and kicked a goal with his heel! It is always difficult comparing players from different eras as the game itself has changed, but as a player with amazing passing and kicking skills, a wonderful sidestep off either foot, genuine pace and very quick from a standing start Nicky is quite probably the best player in NZ rugby history. If he had been playing in an era of professional sport, he would have played more games, been better looked after from the head injuries, and be much more widely known.
Bob
Guest
i went to school with Nicky Allen and he also boarded at the samre time I did so I knew him (although i wouldnt say we were mates). That was at the time that Auckland Grammar XV dominated the fAkl competition or several years. I remember Allen as the pivot to the side and certainly an exceptional player with no real weaknesses and good "generalship". Off the field he was pretty laid back. I certainly think the potential was there for him to have gone a lot further and I was shocked when I heard how he died. Like a candle in the wind.
Tui
Guest
Nick Evans is good but he is not the once in a generation player Carter is
jus de couchon
Guest
As a Harlequin I would say Nick Evans is the best fly half Ive ever seen.
sheek
Guest
I was at the SCG in 1980 for the 3rd test won easily by the Wallabies 26-10. Nicky Allen was in the ABs lineup but obviously he didn't get too many opportunities that day.It was his test debut. From memory, Allen was chosen as the flyhalf in NZ's alltime XV to celebrate 80 years of test matches in 1983. It was a huge call, considering some of the talent that had preceded him. He only played 2-3 tests (also from memory). I think it says something about the influence of Mark Ella at the time, that Kiwis wanted their own hero who could play like Ella. I think there was a romanticism attached to Allen, that he could be the ABs' answer to Ella. Of course, it never happened. I also think it is drawing an extremely long bow to suggest Allen was better than Carter, or one of the greatest ABs no.10s on the strength of basically one short tour. All the 1980 tour (to Wales) reveals is his potential, but we will never know if he could have sustained the heights he reached on that tour. Unlike Carter, who has the form on the board.....
Sam Taulelei
Roar Guru
Nicky Allen was my favourite All Black first five until the emergence of Frano Botica. I remember that 1980 centenary test well and the quality of Nicky's performance. Tragically his career with the All Blacks was far too short and I was gutted when he died as he was planning to return to NZ and resume his career. Nicky was a free spirit compared to the types of first fives in vogue in NZ at the time, he wasn't overly brilliant at any particular aspect however he didn't have any great weaknesses either which set him apart from his peers. For someone so young he played with great maturity on that end of season tour in 1980. Difficult and unfair to speculate or make comparisons between Allen and Carter, they are both great talents.
Rich
Guest
I too remember Nicky Allen and recall that great Wales v NZ clash match that ended up 23-3 to the ABs. I probably wouldn't go that far to say Nicky Allen was a better talent than Dan Carter. I really didn't see that much of him at the top level to make a comparison. But he certainly had the talent and potentially may have done some Carter-ish-type feats.
ionz
Guest
Like you I was a rugby mad teen ager an remember that Welsh Centenary tour/Game very strong All Black team playing the welsh "Provences" leading up to the test match and it was one of the great AB games of all time, the try to Mourie and Hika reid were beaties ...and I do recall Nicky Allen and was a huge fan, he had extraordinary talent ahead of his time I would put him on a par with Carter for the era...and BTW the try he scored in that test was a beauty!
Bruce Ross
Roar Pro
I was at the game where Nicky died. It was at the Wollongong showground where St George now play their Illawarra games. It was the Grand Final of the Illawarra competition played on October 7, 1984. As I remember it Nicky was one of a number of Kiwis who had been brought over to play for Port Kembla who had a wealthy sponsor determined to buy a premiership. According to a 2008 report on the stuff.co.nz website his brother stated that he had been prone to concussion and had suffered side-effects of this prior to his death.
Mike
Guest
I've seen them both in action and while a good player Nicky Allen was no match for Carter's skills. Mertens and Fox would be two better 1st fives than Allen, but still behind Carter.
PkD
Guest
I am obviously a tragic, I teared up a little at the end of that. I do remember the name, but little else. No doubt I would have watched that game live with Dad and the rest of his team, but heroes were harder to make on tours without the replays, post game analysis and Jockey commercials that we get today. It is sad to hear of anyone dying playing rugby, let alone a former All Black.. Was it reported much in New Zealand at the time? Kudos for telling the story.