Matt Te Pou went out on high against Lions

Matt Te Pou being carried off Waikato Stadium on the shoulders of Carl Hayman, left, and Greg Feek. Photo / Photosport

In the build-up to the Maori All Blacks match with the British and Irish Lions on Saturday June 17 in Rotorua PETER WHITE looks back at the famous victory by the Maori All Blacks over the British and Irish Lions in 2005.

It is one of New Zealand rugby's most iconic images.

Coach Matt Te Pou is perched on the shoulders of burly props Carl Hayman and Greg Feek as the victorious New Zealand Maori side do a lap of honour at Waikato Stadium after defeating the 2005 British and Irish Lions by 19-13.

It was Te Pou's final match after 11 years in charge and as farewells go it takes some beating.

Like all good humble men of rugby, the last thing Te Pou wanted was to be lifted high on the shoulders of his players and paraded around the stadium after the final whistle.

But Hayman and Feek were not the sort to take no for an answer.

"It was a hell of a surprise to be honest and quite embarrassing but the feeling I had being surrounded by the guys brought me to tears," Te Pou said.

"Now the Lions have landed all those feelings and emotions come back. It was a great feeling to be just part of it."

It was the least Te Pou deserved after fashioning a record that is unlikely to be matched in the modern era. Under his astute leadership the New Zealand Maori won 35 of their 40 matches and claimed the scalps of England, Ireland and Argentina.

But beating the Lions surpasses all others for the proud Eastern Bay of Plenty man. He is a life member and former coach of Bay of Plenty Rugby, assistant coach of the Chiefs and was made a member of the Order of Merit in the 2005 New Year's Honours list.

Te Pou felt confident something special was going to happen on that frosty, winter's night in Hamilton.

In the build-up to the match the New Zealand Maori side defeated Fiji in style and Te Pou had a full-strength side packed with All Blacks and future All Blacks.

There was Leon MacDonald, Rico Gear, Luke McAlister, Caleb Ralph, Carlos Spencer, Piri Weepu in the backs with Corey Flynn, Carl Hayman, Greg Feek, Daniel Braid, Marty Holah, Angus Macdonald plus inspirational captain Jono Gibbes in the forward pack.

"We were going to be at full strength for the first time in the 11 years I was coach. All players were available," Te Pou said.

"We had an understanding with the All Blacks selectors that we would help each other. What was best for New Zealand rugby was the approach which I thought was big of the All Blacks.

"Take the Bay of Plenty game. I was very keen on Wayne Ormond who was the Bay captain. When we flew out to Fiji I said to him 'you're in the team but you stay home and lead the Steamers'. Paul Tito was the same as he was captain of Taranaki."

Te Pou rates captain Gibbes' performance as a major reason his team beat the Lions.

"It was touch-and-go whether Jono was going to be available with a foot injury. His leadership without a doubt gave us a definite edge. Just the way he played that game and the way he spoke after the game.

"He was quite emotional. You could see that his whole heart was with the team."

It was Gibbes who made the decisive lineout steal off the Lions' throw late in the game that secured the win for New Zealand Maori.

"Just after Brian O'Driscoll had scored and with the conversion it took it to 19-13. That was a dangerous point. A converted try to them and the game was gone," Te Pou said.

"They got a penalty and kicked for the line as they do. They were 5m out and they had a strong maul. Jono just went up and contested the lineout which was against a whole lot of principles in rugby. You normally bar up and wait for them to take the ball and then front their maul.

"But he attacked the ball and we mauled up the field and Carlos [Spencer] kicked the ball into their half. As [Gibbes] walked up the field he kept signalling to the guys to lift themselves."

The match was as close to test match intensity as you could get. The victory gave the Maori All Blacks their first win over the Lions in eight attempts spread over 75 years.

"It was not that free-flowing; it was quite brutal," Te Pou noted.

"It was very physical and came down to the good kickers we had in the team [David Hill and Luke McAlister]. We got out in front but it was a test all the way through."

David Hill played a key role in helping the Maori All Blacks defeat the 2005 British and Irish Lions. Photo / Photosport

Former Waikato and All Blacks first-five David Hill, now assistant coach of the Bay of Plenty Steamers, played the first 43 minutes of the epic encounter against the Lions before Carlos Spencer finished the game.

"It was a master stroke by Matt as usual. I played the Fiji test and Matt said if I started that game I would start against the Lions. Carlos had gone to London to play in a Jonah Lomu testimonial game so missed the Fiji test," Hill said.

Hill remembers how a core group of senior players were determined that Te Pou would go out in style.

"Matt didn't want it to be about him. He wanted it to be about Maori rugby and putting on a good performance to represent the Maori people of New Zealand.

"But some of the guys who had been with him for four or five years, like Riko Gear, Leon Macdonald and Rua Tipoki, they wanted to send him out on a good note.

"Carrying him off at the end was appropriate for him. It was a great finish."

There was little socialising between the players after the game, with the Lions quickly scuttling back to their Auckland base by bus.

But Hill says it was a typical Maori All Blacks celebration back at their hotel.

"The guitars came out, a few beers, a lot of people around so it was pretty surreal. By the time we got back to the hotel it was quite late and town was pumping as well.

"It was a good night at the game and after the game."