NZ Rugby World

COLIN MEADS

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THE ENGLAND TEAM CAN’T BE DENIED. THERE WILL BE A BIG PERCENTAGE OF THEM IN THE SIDE. THEY ARE HUGE, THEIR FORWARDS, BUT THEY MIGHT BE A BIT SOFT. THEY’RE GYM FIT, PUT IT THAT WAY.’ SIR COLIN MEADS

Sir Colin Meads played 11 tests against the Lions but the game he remembers the most is the match he watched from the grandstand at Carisbrook in 1959. Meads was part of the All Blacks, but not picked to start, watching instead as the Lions scored four tries yet still lost 18-17.

Don Clarke kicked the All Blacks to victory; with the Star Sports newspaper’s headline declaring the result was ‘Clarke 18, Lions 17’. Had that game been played with today’s scoring, the Lions would have won 25-18.

“We were done in a lot of department­s and they had a terrific backline,” recalls Meads, who had to wait a month for the second test when he would wear the No 7 jersey in a match they won 11-8, the All Blacks this time crossing for three tries.

From there he didn’t miss a test against the Lions until he retired in 1972 having captained the All Blacks to a series defeat against them a year earlier.

“I had a car crash in December [1971] and cracked a few vertebrae. I didn’t return to rugby till May or June and was at the end of my tether a bit. One of the All Blacks selectors told me I was guaranteed a trial, but there was no guarantee I’d get picked. I knew they were thinking I was a bit old and past it, so I called it quits.”

Meads was part of the 1966 All Blacks who beat the Lions 4-0. “Collective­ly they didn’t play well as a team that tour. They were poorly led [ by perhaps the most maligned Lions captain ever, Scotland’s Mike Campbell-Lamerton]. He was too nice a guy and was out on a limb really. They were not a good side.”

Meads says how Warren Gatland blends the four countries into his test side will be the key to their success, but he has reservatio­ns over the Lions pack.

“The England team can’t be denied. There will be a big percentage of them in the side. They are huge, their forwards, but they might be a bit soft. They’re gym fit, put it that way.”

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