The 1959 All Blacks and Canterbury Heros to Reunite in ChristchurchThe 1959 season is set to be recalled in the next two and a half months with a reunion of the Canterbury and All Black players still It is easy to recall such seasons 50 years on with the nostalgia and the fondness that comes from the passing of time, although this season was very special for a number of political and sporting reasons. Most certainly part of the reason is due to time and place. New Zealand post World War II was going through a terrific period. Economically things were good. The country was largely at peace. Life was to be enjoyed, especially through sport. That season the Lions toured. They may not have been the greatest team to tour New Zealand for sheer results, but they played the game the way that it should be played. In other words, they were prepared to throw the ball about, use their elegant backs and they were not scared to take on the might of the All Blacks. With such talented individuals as Tony O’Reilly, Peter Jackson and Ken Scotland in their squad, they were certainly one of the most entertaining teams ever to tour New Zealand. They were also enormously popular. The 1959 Lions lost the Test series 3-1 to New Zealand (Don Clarke kicking six penalties to defeat the tourists who scored three tries. in the first Test in Dunedin), although they wowed the rugby public and they certainly deserved to win the fourth Test in Auckland. Canterbury also beat the Lions 20-14, although the visitors were not helped by losing two players to injury and having to play a large portion of the game with only 13 (replacements were not allowed in those days). The match was the first real entry on to the big stage for a promising young full-back by the name of Fergie McCormick. Captaining Canterbury that day was Tiny Hill (Pictured), who also played in those Tests. He says the idea to reunite the Canterbury and All Blacks who played in that series came at a recent funeral and it has gone from there. “You have got to do these things,” he says. “We had a reunion in 2006 to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1956 series against the Springboks and we want to do it again.” Therefore on the Thursday evening of the weekend the Italians play the All Blacks in Christchurch in late June the players will fly in from around the country. A function will be held at the Hornby Workingmen’s Club on the Friday, while on the Saturday a cocktail party will be held and the players will attend the match. There will be a lunch on the Sunday before the players return home. “We are all looking forward to the reunion,” Tiny Hill says. “Sadly Kevin Briscoe went and died on us recently, although we hope that we will get between 20 and 25 along.” No doubt the spirit and camaraderie of that wonderful series and tour will be relived by the players, many of whom have become legends and household names in the folklore of Canterbury and New Zealand rugby. Locationhttp://www.canterburycommunityrugby.co.nz/main/index.cfm/1,607,2969,0,html Copyright © CRFU 2012 |
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alive who played against the visiting Lions side.Site by Orbital Ltd