Brandon Going just wrote a good article on Jonah Lomu and reading it got my thoughts going, pardon the pun.
I grew up in the 1980s in Auckland and Jonah was not what you knew a winger was.
Wings were always the skinny guys who could not play so they got stuck out there to do no harm, except for guys like Terry Wright, who looked about 12, but boy could he play.
Jonah was big and fast for the time, plus he scored tries that made a huge difference in how wings were viewed. This enhanced his impact on the game.
(AFP PHOTO / FILES / LEON NEAL)
I think back to when I played, it was hard to come up with a back over 80 kilograms. World Cup All Black Warwick Taylor, one of my favourites, was only 79 kilos when he won the tournament at inside centre in 1987.
Most of the guys playing in that era were not the big muscled dudes you see playing today. A lot of backs nowadays are pushing 100 kilograms.
I had the misfortune to play against Buck Shelford, who was in a particularly bad mood that day. I was No.12 and he was No.8.
I was around 80 kilograms and he must have been close to 100. He was a PT instructor in the navy at the time, so he had lots of time to get big, strong and fast.
He would break off the back of the scrum and look around for people to hurt. He would look at the No.10, who was very well groomed but about 60 kilos, ignore him as there was no fun in that, then charge at me and use me as a speed bump no matter what my efforts were like.
After about five of these I was getting pretty pissed, so I tried a tactic of grabbing him high and attempting to pull him down in a sling tackle. All I got was a free ten-metre trip down the paddock until a couple of other dudes jumped on him.
In the aftermath function, I had a beer with him and he said: “You did well, but a good big guy will always beat a good little guy.”
That stuck with me
I think Jonah was remarkable, but he was the good big guy at the time.
I don’t think we will see another Jonah. Everyone today is massive. I saw the Sharks play and they need a cargo plane like a C-17 to carry that lot around.
The game has changed. It is fast with flat back lines – we used to stand so deep we were nearly perpendicular – plus awesome forward plays and strength.
Lets celebrate what it was, watch him smash Mike Catt on YouTube and enjoy.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes he was a gutsy player man. Saw him take an up and under at Eden park after following up a high ball. Leapt so high his knees were above the defenders head. Defender clipped him and he cartwheeled and crashed on the other side but still held on to the ball and tried to get up and carry on. Scored untold tries for Auckland on the end of that backline. You could swear he had no bodyfat, or even muscle! :-)
Uriah Heep
Roar Rookie
Apparently one of the Whettons wondered out loud how long it would take Wright to get injured in his first year. He'd get smashed and shake himself off as if made of rubber. By the end of the year he was the only one not to have been subbed for injury.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes I was wondering on that one.Short career really given he was a 19 year old in his debut in 70. But somehow he seemed to be there for ages.
Ben
Guest
Na. Beegee played his last test 1978.
PJRatpatrol
Roar Rookie
Hi T Man. He did play for North Shore. I played for Takapuna it was also before they split off North Habour Agree with your comments on JK and Tui
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Agree T/man, as I will always remember Jonah, as the "Lord of the Wings"!
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Sorry a minor slip of the finger, as it was on that tour, but he wasn't capped til the touring party went across the channel to France when he displaced Kevin Briscoe, in the French test. So it wasn't GB, that he got his first test cap. Mind you a certain coach did say to him, on one occasion that he would never score between the posts, due to his head being too bloody big, & knowing of him, in his school days, he was pretty right.
taylorman
Roar Guru
??? Going scored that test with the multiple dummies, as I think brad Johnstone did off the penalty?
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yep, remember that, and pole’s massive cover tackle to prevent the try. That Lions first test was kinda surreal and the series represented the end of an era... not a very good one either from 70 onwards. Batty, Going, Kirky, Beegee, all gone by the third test.
taylorman
Roar Guru
That buck match must have been against North shore with the green hoops? He played for them rather than Navy didn’t he? From memory I recall him in those colours. 80’s Auckland rugby did have JK and Tuigamala ten years before Jonah so although I agree the Terry Wright’s etc, they really took the wingers game to new levels of physicality. Jonah merely emphasised the point... rather emphatically. Auckland rugby early to mid 80’s really was based on speedsters out wide hence Wright picking up a lot of overlap tries. Then the weight started to put on in all positions into the 90’s.
Ben
Guest
"Well as it was Laidlaw capped for 20 Internationals, from 1960 to 1970,". No thats not right...Laidlaw didnt get his first cap until 1963 on the tour to GB.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Well as it was Laidlaw capped for 20 Internationals, from 1960 to 1970, Going capped 29 Internationals from 1967 to 1977. Yeh but during the time Laidlaw was there, before he went to Oxford, Going was always on the bench. It was after the 1970 tour of the Republic, when Laidlaw was injured, that he went off shore. Yes & true, regarding running rugby, that did favour Sid, with the AB's, it was virtually 10 man rugby. Also, Laidlaw was no lightweight either.
Ben
Guest
When you say "but as far as halfbacks, were at that time, ...." , Laidlaw had retired 7 years earlier in 1970. From 70 to 77 Sid was really unchallenged. There was only a 3 year overlap of their careers from 67_70 when Going had just come on the scene. Going was big for a halfback in those days at over 80kgs and a lot more robust. He was a 4th loosie and complemented that big AB pack. No doubt Laidlaw had the better pass but in those days there wasnt the same amount of running rugby as these days.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yep "Batt's", always said, that he was never ever, afraid of anyone carrying the ball, in a tackle situation, except Keith Murdoch, as with the ball in hand, he reckoned Keith was like a raging bull.Lol.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yep I remember that also Ben, but as far as halfbacks, were at that time, Chris Laidlaw, was without doubt the better of the two. Sid was a terrible passer of the ball, but was, behind the AB scrum, a better running halfback. As most know Laidlaw always got the nod ahead of Going at the time, when he was available. It's funny that, in saying Sid was the better running half back behind the AB scrum, I can remember him being completely outplayed by Laidlaw, in the Inter Island match, at Lancaster Park I think it was. That game Laidlaw ran with the ball, bumping off Sid,on more than one occasion. Two great Half backs though.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
I remember Grant combining with Sid Going down the blind-side. They had a great rapport. Batty was a good winger as as you say with a heart to match Phar Lap's; it always amazed me he got through so many big fellas back then. And the porno mo and mullet; now, that's style!
Olly
Roar Rookie
I agree. Rugby is a team sport not an individuals game (Lomu the exception :P) All body types can play with the right balance across the team.
Olly
Roar Rookie
Doing the old schoolyard I pick you pick rule...Lomu would be picked first.
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Professionalism has aided players to get bigger, stronger, faster. I think the Wallabies backline in 1999 from 12 outwards were all over 100 kgs. There is still a place for the little man. I look at Cheslin Kolbe. He is electric. It is the beauty of rugby there is a position for all shapes and sizes.
Jwhakamana
Guest
I remember Batty trying to tackle Morné du Plessis. Batty was a fierce tackler but when the big guy planted and stopped; Batty bounced. That may have been the game of the Kirpatrick flying miss. Had he made that tackle the guy would have just been waking up now.