World of Boxing and Rugby Union
Number 8
3. Wayne Shelford
Wayne 'Buck' Shelford captained the All Blacks in the late 1980s and was part of the squad which took the 1987 World Cup.
After impressing at provincial level, Shelford made his All Blacks bow against Club Atletico San Isidro in Buenos Aires on October 12 1985. However, he had to wait until 1986 to earn his first Test cap which came against France in a 19-7 victory in Toulouse. In the second Test - the 'Battle of Nantes' - Shelford went down in rugby folklore after ripping his scrotum and losing four teeth before asking the physio to stitch it back up and continuing to play. However, he was later forced to leave the field after being knocked out but it was his uncompromising attitude and lack of self-preservation which made him a fans favourite.
In 1987 Shelford won a World Cup winners medal having played in five of the six games during the tournament, including the final. Shelford then assumed the World Cup captacincy following the tournament and under his rein - 1987 to 1990 - the All Blacks did not lose a single game.
Shelford will also be remembered for teaching his team-mates the proper version of the 'Ka Mata' Haka which the All Blacks still perform to this day.
Shelford then led the All Blacks on one of their great periods of domination, going through unbeaten
from 1987 to 1990, with only a drawn test against Australia in 1988 to mar the perfect record. The Welsh aura was shattered with two hidings in New Zealand in 1988, followed by a tour of Australia, then in 1989 Argentina and France were dispatched, as were Wales and Ireland at the end of 1989.
By the beginning of 1990, however, Shelford's form was not as dominant as it had been and after two tests against Scotland he was dropped, prompting a public outcry. The criticism of the selectors intensified during the following series against Australia, when the All Blacks were beaten in the third test. "Bring Back Buck" signs appeared at grounds and talkback radio callers and writers of letters to editors created a groundswell of opinion, which was ignored by the New Zealand selectors.
A competitive and skilful No 8, he led by example, whether driving over the advantage line from scrums or rucks, defending or standing up against real and imagined slights. His quickness to take the law into his own hands would have been harshly judged in rugby's more recent years, but there was no question that he was one of the great forwards to play for New Zealand.