Kevin Skinner: The All Black who bashed Boks

1928-2014

KEVIN Skinner, who became the instrument for one of the most cynical acts of brutality in a rugby test match, has died. He was 86 years old.

Skinner, an All Black prop forward, was selected with the specific task of “taking out” two South African opponents in a test match in Christchurch in August 1956.

Skinner had made his rugby test debut as a 21-year-old in 1949, against the Springboks in South Africa. This was two years after he had won the New Zealand heavyweight boxing title.

The All Blacks lost all four tests and were desperate for revenge when the Boks toured New Zealand six years later. The All Blacks won the first test of the 1956 series, but lost the second and were desperate to win the third.

The New Zealand selectors had identified a Springbok strength in the front row of the scrum where Chris Koch, a Boland farmer, and Jaap Bekker were formidable opponents.

The Kiwi selectors recalled Skinner, who had not played in the two earlier test matches.

During the test in Christchurch, he warned Koch about barging through the lineout and then punched the Springbok prop. MUSCLE: New Zealand heavyweight boxer Kevin Skinner, who was also a prop forward

He then swapped to the opposite side of the scrum’s front row to take out Bekker.

A famous photograph from the match shows Bekker, his face a mask of blood, leaving the field for treatment.

The All Blacks won the match 1710 and also the fourth test, played in Auckland, to take the series 3-1.

It was South Africa’s first series defeat since 1896.

Skinner’s career ended against the Boks in that series.

He had played 20 tests and 63 games for the All Blacks.

After the infamous Christchurch test, Skinner was portrayed as a hero in New Zealand and a villain in South Africa. — Archie Henderson