He knew his way around a rugby field pretty well, did Neil Thimbleby - one of the true stalwarts of the Magpies who played 158 games in the black and white stripes between 1959 and 1971 and who also pulled on the All Blacks jersey.
During those times there were 21 successful Ranfurly Shield defences, and as the Magpies of 2013 are set to take on Otago for the legendary shield, he recalled the day back in 1967 when Hawke's Bay were hosting log o' wood challengers Otago.
"I always felt we were at least 20 points better than them that day," he said, although when the final whistle blew (to the sighs of relief for the huge crowd at McLean Park) the scoreboard showed Hawke's Bay 9 Otago 8.
"Yeah, it was a bit close at the end but we didn't feel like we were going to lose it."
It was the same when they took on King Country, which saw another great name, Colin Meads, run out on to the park.
Mr Thimbleby said the Bay were pretty much in control, but shield games are funny old things, as is the reaction an opponent can have to a bit of lip.
"KR Tremain started giving Meads a bit of cheek and that sort of took the pressure off a bit, and they stepped up and ran in two quick tries."
All the magic of a shield game, he said.
"I remember them all - the challengers would all start off with a great hiss and a roar and you had to weather the storm."
He reckons that on paper, and from what he saw in their opening clash with Manawatu, the Bay looks to be "a good team".
His advice for the lads heading for Dunedin in one of the biggest games of their season?
"Attack, attack, attack."
Otago's defence, he said, looked sharp and needed to be tested from the start - the way teams tested the Bay hard from the opening whistle when they held it.
"You have to be positive and have plenty of confidence."
He said the last shield era was a memorable one.
"They were great days, marvellous days - and you know, back then it was always fine. We only had one wet game and that was against Bush."
Otago would put everything on the line for their first defence, given it is the first time they have lifted the shield in 56 years, but it had been 44 years since the Magpies held it and they would be fired up, Mr Thimbleby said.
"It's pretty special."
Shield dreams
As far as this writer is concerned, it would be a fine thing to hold the Ranfurly Shield aloft again.
As I did on several occasions during Hawke's Bay's previous three-season tenure back in the '60s when McLean Park was a sea of packed temporary stands and absolute clamour when the Magpies took the field.
My late father was the caretaker of the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union rooms at the park and as part of those duties, during that marvellous era, was the custodian of the shield.
The storage arrangements from Saturday to Saturday?
It was wrapped in a woollen blanket and would be slid under mum and dad's bed.
So of course me and my brothers had such easy access to it that we would dine out on the fact - inviting school friends home to see and touch the legendary log o' wood which, during those three fine years became a part of the family.
There was the odd occasion I'd cheekily charge mates 10 cents if they wanted to have their photo taken with it.
On game day Dad would get down on his hands and knees and slide it out from under the bed, keeping the blanket (the official protective case) around it as he loaded it into the back of the Morris Minor, or uncle Jack's Hillman Hunter (uncle Jack worked the Latham St gate so also no worries about admission).
From time to time we would have visitors.
The great Kelvin Tremain popped around once. As did Ian MacRae and Blair Furlong, and Tony Small - the latter being anything but and when he tried to get into our first car, a tiny Morris 8, he was terribly doubled over ... as we were with laughter.
Despite the fact that we shared a house with the greatest sporting prize in New Zealand provincial rugby for three years we never took it for granted.
Yes, we could haul it out and hold it any time we liked, but we treated it with reverence.
Just unfurling the woolly "official protective case" was always done with great care, and to see all those shining silver shields denoting the many holders through the years gave us a sense of awe.
The day Canterbury took it away was a terrible day.
And so, Hawke's Bay Rugby Union, if you need a new custodian then I'm your man.
I treated the shield with awe and respect 44 years ago and I will do so again. And we have a fine opal blue woolly blanket and a ton of room under the bed.