No 146: Eleven Otago players in All Blacks (1949)
Most Otago people regard the 1949 All Black tour of South Africa as a complete failure.
The All Blacks lost all four tests for a start. And some south of the Waitaki viewed that as sort of karmic revenge for the overlooking of Vic Cavanagh, the legendary Otago rugby brain.
Cavanagh was widely regarded as the best coach in New Zealand and was the presumed favourite to guide the All Blacks to the republic before the politics of the day blocked his path.
Still, Otago was to have a massive presence on the tour.
No fewer than 11 Otago men made the trip. Newcomers Jack McNab, Lester Harvey and Kevin Skinner joined Charlie Willocks, Ron Elvidge, Jimmy Kearney, Bill Meates, Ian Botting, Peter Johnstone, Ray Dalton and Norm Wilson.
Midfielder Elvidge, prop Skinner and lock Harvey played all four tests, with Elvidge captaining the All Blacks in the final two tests.
First five-eighth Kearney, flanker McNab, lock Willocks and winger Meates played three tests in the series, which was dominated by goal-kicking and some parochial refereeing.
Not until the John Mitchell era, when the national side was labelled the "Canter-blacks", would one province so dominate an All Black squad again.
