Selfless All Black’s cunning plan
A former team-mate of the late Terry Lineen will always be grateful he had the courage to hatch a daring plan that launched his All Blacks’ test career in such spectacular fashion.
On Monday NZ Rugby confirmed that Lineen, who played 12 tests and 23 games for the All Blacks between 1957 and 1960, had died in Auckland aged 84.
Former All Blacks wing Ralph Caulton played alongside second five-eighth Lineen in three of the four tests against the touring British and Irish Lions in 1959, and two of the tests against South Africa in the republic the following year.
Caulton, who kept in touch with Lineen until he passed away, said that whenever the pair met the latter would joke he had been instrumental in ensuring his test debut against the Lions at Athletic Park in Wellington was memorable.
‘‘Every time I used to see him he would say ‘I made you’ and I used to say ‘you are right, you did’,’’ Caulton said.
Had it not been for Lineen, Caulton may not have become the first All Black to score two tries in his debut test since Wally Argus in 1946.
The All Blacks, having had to rely on Don Clarke to kick six penalties to beat the Lions 18-17 in the first test in Dunedin, desperately needed to add variety to their attack ahead of the next test.
The Lions had reason to feel robbed after the first test, given they had scored four tries which were worth only three points at the time.
So Lineen took Caulton aside in the days prior to the second test to cook up a strategy to score a try.
‘‘In those days the marking was very intense because they [the defending team’s backline] used to line up at the back of the lineout,’’ Caulton said.
‘‘So it was very hard to get the ball to the wings, let alone the centres. You had no show because you wouldn’t have enough time.
‘‘He [Lineen] said ‘you go out wide on your wing and what I will do is grubber kick the ball through towards the line down towards the corner.
‘‘There was a lot of scheming going on, as you can imagine. And sure enough, he put one through.
‘‘I thought the ball was going to go out, but wouldn’t you know it, the blasted thing stopped and bounced up and I grabbed it to score the try.’’
A couple of minutes later Caulton scored his second try, and it was Lineen who made a fine run that led to an attacking scrum ahead of that effort.
Caulton also scored a brace in the third test in Christchurch.
Despite the fact the pair weren’t friends before the All Blacks gathered ahead of the second test – they were arch-rivals whenever they lined up for Auckland and Wellington – Caulton appreciated Lineen sharing his ideas with him. ‘‘He gave me the opportunity to show my abilities. When I shifted to Auckland [from Wellington] in the early 1980s, we got to see more of each other.
‘‘Terry was a pretty reserved kind of guy. He was very fit, and never carried any weight. And he was quick.’’
Caulton noted Lineen was proud that his son Sean later played for Scotland and earned 29 test caps for his adopted country.
Had it not been for a shoulder injury the midfielder suffered during the tour of South Africa in 1960, which later forced him to retire at 24, Lineen would almost certainly have been selected to represent the All Blacks again.
With his speed and gifted attacking abilities, Caulton believed Lineen, who was listed at 79kg during his playing days, would have enjoyed the modern style of play in the professional era.
‘‘I think he could have adapted, no problem,’’ Caulton said.