1974 Shield winning coach dies
The innovative thinker behind South Canterbury rugby team’s surprise 1974 Ranfurly Shield win has died.
A former Timaru detective sergeant, Jim Dawson has passed away in Christchurch aged 80.
Dawson started coaching South Canterbury in 1971 and by 1974 had a solid core of players, who went on to write themselves into local folklore.
The New Zealand Rugby Almanack wrote: ‘‘There was little in South Canterbury’s earlier displays to suggest they would capture the Ranfurly Shield ... on the day, the defeat of Marlborough was well merited.’’
Thousands flocked to Timaru airport to great the team.
South Canterbury went on to defend the shield against North Otago 9-3 before they lost it three days later to Wellington by the same score, after they were forced to accept their challenge by the New Zealand Rugby Union.
The players spoken to credit Dawson as a huge part of the victory.
Murray Roberts, who played on the wing against Marlborough, said Dawson was a great thinker of the game. ‘‘He had a great rugby brain and was very articulate. Above all he was a team man.’’
Roberts said Dawson managed to bring out the best in all the players, which was a big reason for their success.
‘‘Absolutely bugger.’’ he was a good
Roberts said Dawson had played representative rugby for Southland at halfback.
Prop Peter Walsh said Dawson was a great analyst of the game.
‘‘There was no ego, he just commanded respect. He had the ability to thrash you at training but you still liked him. He had a fantastic way with people.’’
Walsh said if you got dropped from the team, there was no arguments.
‘‘He was right and you had to pull finger out to get back in.’’
Walsh said Canterbury teams didn’t enjoy coming to Timaru knowing Dawson in charge. 1974 South Canterbury team: Doug Nicol (fullback) lives in Christchurch Murray Roberts (wing) semi-retired and lives in Timaru Larni Palmer (wing) lives in Auckland Gene Thomson (centre) roading contractor in Bay of Plenty Alan McLaren (second five) - lives in Nelson Rod Dorgan (first five) - deceased Ken Tarrant (halfback) - living in Temuka Dave Cochrane (No 8) - lives in Auckland Tom Lister (flanker) - farmer in South Canterbury Noel Glass (flanker) - farmer in Albury Noel Dennison (lock) - deceased Bill Anderson (lock) - farmer in Albury Peter Walsh (prop) - owns a livestock company Ken Milne (hooker, captain) - deceased Mick Lindsay (prop) - farming in Twizel Brian Wilton (replacement for Glass) - works in WairarapaCoach: Jim Dawson Selectors: Des Mulcahy, Stuie Sutherland
‘‘We beat them a couple of times and they didn’t like it much.’’
Noel Glass, the self declared baby of the Ranfurly Shield team at 18, said Dawson was ahead of his time with coaching.
‘‘We did a lot of skills training, which wasn’t the usual thing at the time.’’
Glass said Dawson also spent a lot of time with senior players, like captain Ken Milne and Tom Lister, working out game plans.
‘‘He also created a great team spirit with his demeanour with people. It was one in, all in.’’
A flanker, Glass remembered a game against Canterbury where they faced an all All Black front row of Kerry Tanner, Tane Norton and Billy Bush.
‘‘Kenny Milne wasn’t going to be intimidated and had a word with Lister early and next thing, there was a punch and an all-in brawl.
‘‘I thought ‘what the heck’ but that was the way it was.’’
Glass said his abiding memory of Dawson was a tremendous guy, very astute and thoughtful.
‘‘He was well thought of outside South Canterbury. Jim also coached the combined (Mid- South Canterbury and North Otago) side against the Lions in 1977.’’
Mid-South Canterbury area commander inspector Dave Gaskin said he remembered Dawson when he first arrived in Timaru and he was in charge of the small CIB (Criminal Investigation Branch),
‘‘Jim was a extremely well respected member of the staff. That was in the days when there were very few detectives.’’
Gaskin said one of Dawson’s biggest skills was his ability to get on with and handle people on both sides of the law.
‘‘He was well liked by his colleagues and the criminal fraternity.’’
Dawson left Timaru in 1978 and retired four years later.
The two 1974 victories were also the last time a South Canterbury captain held the ‘Log o’ Wood’ aloft.
Dawson’s funeral is at 10am at the Westpark Chapel, 467 Wairakei Rd, Christchurch on Saturday.