Inspired by Harry Jones’ great rugby travelogue based around the 2011 quarter-final in Wellington, I thought I’d tell you all about the first Test I ever attended.
Like many New Zealand school boys I began rugby aged five and was hooked for life. In my first two years, I hardly touched the ball, to the extent that my oldest brother offered me 2/6 if I scored a try.
At the risk of being branded a professional retrospectively, the day I scored my first I got three more!
Then 1959 came along, my school offered a lucky student a ticket to the Test in Wellington and I prayed to everybody who may be in heaven to get me that ticket. Alas that was not to be but the whole family went along to Athletic Park anyway, and this seven-year-old was in seventh heaven.
The Lions had been robbed in Dunedin, with the mighty Don Clarke kicking six penalties to claim victory. The Lions scored four tries in an 18-17 scoreline.
What would happen in the second Test in Wellington? I was one of 50,000 at Athletic Park, jammed on the Western Bank where the Millard Stand was to rise two years later.
A local boy, Ralph Caulton, had been brought into the All Blacks to try and bring some zip into their backplay, and to the amazement and delight of all the Wellingtonians there he raced in and scored two tries in what was to become Bernie’s Corner. Then the Lions worked their way back into the game, to the extent that they led 8-6 into the second half.
The seven-year-old on the Western Bank was not on tenterhooks as he would be later in life whenever the All Blacks looked like they could lose, but the tension gripped the ground regardless. Then in the last minute, the All Blacks attacked near the Lions’ 25, Don Clarke came in from fullback, and with a huge dive he stole another Test from the Lions.
I saw him come into the backline but then the huge crowd on the Bank jumped to their feet and that was the last that seven-year-old saw. But what came next was a sight that has remained with me ever since.
Because conditions on the Bank were very basic, they hired out cushions for people to sit on. As Clarke dived over the line thousands of cushions sailed over my head like a fleet of flying saucers, and when I close my eyes I can still see them.
It’s days like that which make a rugby addict and so it did with me.
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