Murray MEXTED

Number 8 Murray Mexted burst on to the international scene in 1979, scoring a try against Scotland at Murrayfield so breathtaking that it is still talked about today. The score in question resulted from a short lineout deep in the opposition half and saw him snatch the ball from the throw and then dash for the line without a Scotsman laying a hand on him. It is no exaggeration to say that if Mexted had only played one test in his career he would have become a legend for that move alone. By becoming an All Black, Murray was following in the footsteps of his father Graham who had played for New Zealand in the early 1950s, and over the next six years he would go on to earn 34 caps for his country.

At 6' 5" Mexted was quite tall for a back row man and his cold eyes and jet black moustache made him a fearsome sight to opponents. His height, combined with a superbly athletic physique and salmon like jumping ability made him a great asset in the line out. In common with another legendary number 8, Englishman Andy Ripley, Mexted's huge size proved no hindrance to his ball playing ability. Indeed, at times it was difficult to distinguish Murray from those occupying the back line and he frequently played a key role in attacking moves. In rugby terms, the early 1980s were generally very successful for New Zealand, and Murray was able to enjoy several series wins, including a convincing triumph over South Africa in 1981. Unfortunately, as was the case in 1976, what should have been seen purely as a titanic clash of rugby's finest was overshadowed by the spectre of protest and politics. (Jon Collins)

The year of 1983 saw the arrival of Ciaran Fitzgerald's British Lions team on New Zealand soil. The series was won easily by a margin of 4-0, and completely dissipated any lingering inferiority the New Zealanders may have felt towards the British side since the 1971 series defeat. Given the historical significance of the fixture, being part of the side that humbled the best of Britain and Ireland so completely was one of the great moments of Murray Mexted's career. Later that year a relatively inexperienced New Zealand squad found life much more difficult when they undertook a tour of England and Scotland. In the absence of incumbent skipper Andy Dalton, Murray was seriously considered for the captaincy, but was eventually overlooked in favour of veteran winger Stu Wilson. Wide men rarely make good captains and the decision proved to be a poor one.

In a difficult tour the All Blacks struggled in many of their games, drawing with Scotland and losing to England at Twickenham. Mexted carried on playing until 1985, retiring after the rebel Cavalier tour to South Africa. Murray was a huge personality, a joker in the pack whose enormous passion for the game was matched only by his thirst for life off the field. Indeed, Mexted related anecdotes proliferate of many a past New Zealand tour, one such being the time he had to dive into a swimming pool in Fiji to rescue the All Black coach Eric Watson. The dunking that the new boss had been subjected to signified his acceptance amongst the All Black brethren, yet they had forgotten that the poor man could not swim! In keeping with his extrovert personality, Murray married a Miss Universe and became a commentator, enlivening matches with his controversial opinions and hilarious if (mostly) unintentional "double entendres". (Jon Collins)

1979 v England (Twickenham) W 10-9

1980 v Wales (Cardiff) W 23-3

1981 v France (Toulouse) W 13-9

1983 v Scotland (Murrayfield) D 25-25

1983 v England (Twickenham) L 15-9

1984 v Australia (Brisbane) W 19-15