"Jeez you'll have a lot to live up to young fella following that old coot but good luck to you. I'm sure you know your stuff, just be honest about it and players will be alright."
So said Kel Tremain when we were first introduced about the time Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran with it. The 'coot ' Tremain referred to was TP McLean, as he began to make his way into the administrative areas of New Zealand rugby.
That journey was cut short by Tremain's sudden death, blighting hopes he would make an NZRU impact as powerfully as he had on the field.
Originally Tremain wanted to be a lock until he was reluctantly switched to the blindside. A year later he was an All Black. It was a tough start against the Lions but a few threats from Colin Meads helped to quell his rival loosie.
The pair tried to sort out Springbok loosie Martin Pelser on the tour the next year but this time they came off second best. One was to jump in the lineouts and the other had to whack Pelser.