Rotorua'S David Edward helped heap the misery on the 1966 Lions in Dunedin.
A blindside dash by All Blacks Chris Laidlaw and Earl Kirton freed the big 94kg winger who rounded the Lions defence to score under the posts, the first try in Otago's memorable 17-9 victory over Mike Campbell-Lamberton's tourists.
It was Rotorua born and bred Edward's first touch of the game and the memory is as clear in his mind as though it were yesterday.
"History said it wasn't a great Lions team but it was still a good side, they had guys like Mike Gibson, if you were off your line in defence they were gone, they [Lions] were primed up for a typical Otago side," Edward told the Daily Post of that June 18 day, 39 years ago exactly.
Otago have one of the best provincial records against the Lions with five wins, five losses and one draw from their 11 meetings since 1888.
This weekend the Otago Rugby Union is holding a reunion for all former representatives who played against the Lions and Edward will be among the crowd, hoping a "home" win will tip the scales when the two old foes meet tonight.
Carisbrook was in top condition in 1966.
The day was fine and the surface firm.
About 35,000 spectators had crammed themselves in to the ground to watch a free running afternoon game.
An almighty eruption was the feature of the first scrum as both packs vented their nerves and aggression, Edward recalled.
The game then settled down with both sides making long range breaks before Otago earned a midfield scrum and lined the backs out left with Edward on the blindside.
"It was a set play from a scrum inside the Lions' 25. Laidlaw and Kirton ran blind and fullback John Hanley drew my winger and I was round," Edward said of the first of Otago's three tries that day.
The other two, in the tradition of Otago rugby at the time, went to left-winger Morry Collins.
"We had one golden rule - ruck ball must go to the wing - the whole game was to get quick ruck ball from halfback to winger," Edward said.
The rule and rucking style had been the set by Otago's great coach Vic Cavanagh who addressed Edward and his teammates the night before the game in the concrete underbelly of Carisbrook.
"It was so inspiring.
"He talked about the pride of wearing the jersey, I was talking to some of the forwards as we walked out and we were saying ... 'I wish we were playing now'," Edward said.
The 1966 Lions arrived in New Zealand with a top reputation, having swept through eight games unbeaten, including two tests in Australia, before arriving.
However the tour started in the worst possible fashion with a 14-8 loss to Southland in the opener and the Otago result sent the Lions in a spin from which they never recovered as they lost the test series four-nil and dropped provincial games against Wellington, Wanganui/King Country and British Columbia on the way home.
That 1966 loss to Otago was the third consecutive defeat they'd suffered at the hands of the Southern men who also beat them in 1950 and 1959.
In all, the Lions played 35 games in 1966, losing nine and drawing three, including a 6-6 thriller against Bay of Plenty in Rotorua.
Edward played for Rotorua Boys' High School 1st XV, going on the school's first overseas tour, to Australia, in 1962 before heading south to further his education.
He admitted to being somewhat of a reluctant winger, preferring the second five-eighth position he played regularly for his University Club in Dunedin.
But like anybody, he played anywhere he was selected in the team.
Edward made his Otago debut against Bay of Plenty in 1965 and in his second first class match was against the touring Springboks, marking John Gainsford.
He played for Otago until the end of the 1968 season and also turned out for West Coast.
During his career he was selected for the New Zealand Universities side, touring Japan in 1967 where he enjoyed the personal highlight of scoring five tries in one match before a leg injury cut his tour short.
He returned to live in Rotorua with his family about seven years ago. The sporting genes are still well and truly active with daughter Victoria a former Silver Ferns netballer playing National Bank Cup for Auckland Diamonds.
The 1966 Lion tamer operates the Ti Street Squash Centre.
Memories of 1966 revived for David
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