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Stu Piddington/Stuff
All Blacks all, pictured at Timaru in 2005, from left, are Ian ‘Spookie’ Smith, Tom Lister, Tom Coughlan, Tane Norton and Tom Lynch.
Acclaimed former All Blacks captain Tane Norton was laid to rest in Christchurch on Friday.
His passing marked an end also for South Canterbury’s link to All Blacks of the amateur era, which ended in late 1995 when the sport went professional.
Norton played several years for the Temuka club while working in the township at the BNZ Bank and remained committed to the area while pursuing the heady heights of rugby in Christchurch with the Linwood club, Canterbury, and in 27 tests for the All Blacks between 1971 and 1977.
His career fell before the pre-rugby academy, Super Rugby days when All Blacks worked on farms, in offices, as teachers, even doctors and played for their clubs each Saturday before moving on to play for provincial sides, and if given the nod, the famous All Blacks.
Norton’s regard for South Canterbury was shown in 2005 when as president of New Zealand Rugby he attended the unveiling of a gravestone in Timaru cemetery above the grave of Duncan McGregor, a famed wing three-quarter in the legendary “Original” 1905 All Blacks.
McGregor, who died in 1947 had been buried at the cemetery in an unmarked grave, a far cry from the days of his playing career when he was hailed as one of the world’s best wing three-quarters.
McGregor fell out with “amateur” rugby officialdom and was ostracised when he led the move to establish “professional” rugby league.
Although hampered by injury he was a member of the famous pioneering 1907 “All Golds” New Zealand professional league team to Britain.
At the gravestone unveiling former Timaru Herald sports editor Stu Piddington captured a piece of history taking a photograph of Norton with former All Blacks from those amateur days with strong ties to South Canterbury.
From left, they are Ian “Spooky” Smith, an All Black from 1963 to 1966, who at the time of this photograph was a farmer near Geraldine. Smith captained North Otago-South Canterbury-Mid-Canterbury Combined against the 1965 Springboks.
Next is Tom Lister, a brilliant flanker, who played for the All Blacks from 1968 to 1971 when turning out for the Timaru Old Boys club.
Beside Lister is Tom Coughlan, a Temuka club stalwart, who made his one All Black appearance in a test against Australia in 1958.
Next is Tane Norton, wearing a South Canterbury Rugby Union tie and finally, Tom “T.W.” Lynch, a 1951 All Black, and cousin of Coughlan’s.
Like McGregor, Lynch was shunned by rugby officialdom after he turned to professional rugby league in 1952. He had a successful career playing for the Halifax club in England. Lynch’s father, also Tom, and known as ‘Tiger’, was an All Black in 1913-14 when playing for Timaru’s Celtic club.
With Norton’s passing, all in this group of old All Blacks are now gone.
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