Mates ensure Murdoch has a worthy headstone

Thanks to his mates, infamous All Black Keith Murdoch now has a headstone on his grave, in a tiny Western Australia seaside town.

Murdoch was buried in March on the outskirts of coastal Carnarvon, north of Perth, but his grave had gone without a headstone until a few old mates chipped in to get one.

A group from as far away as Thailand got together to purchase the headstone, which has the epitaph: ‘‘Here lies a man some called a legend, a mystery man, but to his family and friends he was a very much loved big man with a kind heart, who loved a beer with his mates and found his peace in the solitude of The Outback.’’

Murdoch’s sister Barbara, who lives in Invercargill, and friends co-ordinated the fundraising, Perth Now reported. His All Black jersey and cap rest on top of his grave, dug into the red Australian soil.

Murdoch, infamously sent home from the 1972-1973 All Blacks tour of Britain and France after punching a security guard in Cardiff, died in March, aged 74.

In December 1972, hours after scoring the winning try in a 19-16 victory over Wales at Cardiff Arms Park, Murdoch turned up in the Angel Hotel after hours.

Refused entry to the closed bar, Murdoch punched security guard Peter Grant, knocking him to the ground.

Sent home from the tour by All Blacks management, he was never seen on a rugby field again and remains the only All Black dismissed from a tour.

Rather than come back to New Zealand, Murdoch jumped on an Australia-bound plane and did a disappearing act.

Murdoch, a powerful prop, played three tests and 21 matches for the All Blacks between 1970-72, and played for Otago, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland.

Murdoch’s life story since that fateful tour was largely a mystery. He disappeared into the Australian outback and was rarely sighted, but is now known to have visited New Zealand over the years, including a few work stints.

In April his family was finally gifted his All Black test cap.