Bruce ROBERTSON

Bruce Robertson made his All Black debut at the age of twenty and won 34 caps in a nine year career stretching between 1972 and 1981. Standing 6ft and weighing 13 stone 7 lbs, Robertson brought size, strength and speed to the New Zealand midfield and went on to form an outstanding partnership with Bill Osborne who arrived on the scene three years later. The two became great friends off the field and combined their knowledge of the game to produce a coaching manual, published in 1984. Bruce took his bow in the first test of the 1972 Bledisloe Cup series, a 29-6 drilling of the Aussies in Wellington, and also appeared in the third match in Auckland which was won by a record 38-3 margin. Australian rugby was almost at its lowest ever ebb at this point and that particular side were handed the shameful tag "The Woeful Wallabies", a taunt that would ring very hollow by the time Bruce played his last game against the old foe in 1980.

Bruce then toured the UK in 1972/73 and despite being hampered by injury, played in three of the four tests against the Home Unions. In 1974 he visited Australia for the first time and took part in a hard fought series victory. The test against Ireland in Wellington two years later saw Bruce score the first of his four tries and he subsequently earned selection to go to South Africa. He scored another try in the third test defeat in Cape Town, but was denied a potential match winner in the fourth at Ellis Park when he chipped into the goal area only to be obstructed by his namesake, full-back Ian Robertson. Instead of awarding a penalty try, the home referee awarded a mere spot kick, a decision that proved crucial with the Blacks eventually going down 15-14. (Jon Collins)

1977 saw the Robertson-Osborne partnership come to fruition after glimpses of what it could achieve in South Africa the year before. Both men performed with distinction and their defensive solidity helped stifle a British backline which lacked its customary élan. The series was won 3-1 and in the third test Bruce showed off his all round skills and versatility by scoring a drop goal. In the autumn he travelled with the All Black party to France and played in both matches, landing another field goal in the first test defeat in Toulouse. Australia were vanquished the year after, though just as in 1974 the Wallabies demonstrated they were a team going places, winning the third test 30-16. Like several other of Jack Gleeson's All Blacks, Bruce would probably pick out the tour of Britain later in '78 as being the highlight of his career.

As with his previous visit to the UK, Robertson played in three of the four tests and scored a vital try in the Scotland match. The international season that followed was somewhat disappointing after the heights reached in '78 with New Zealand only able to draw a home series with France and losing the one off Bledisloe match in Sydney. Bruce was to experience more misery in 1980 when Australia consolidated their previous year's success with a 2-1 series triumph, their first against New Zealand since 1949. He had not originally been selected for that unhappy trip across the Tasman, but was called in as a replacement and played in the 2nd and 3rd tests. In 1981 he made his last appearance in a 40-15 defeat of Scotland in Auckland and marked the occasion with a try. Like skipper Graham Mourie he then declined selection for the series against South Africa and retired from international football that same year. (Jon Collins)

1972 v Scotland (Murrayfield) W 14-9

1973 v France (Paris) L 13-6

1974 v Ireland (Dublin) W 15-6

1976 v South Africa (Joburg) L 15-14

1978 v Scotland (Murrayfield) W 18-9

1979 v Australia (Sydney) L 12-6

1980 v Wales (Cardiff) W 23-3