He comes across a little like the old geezer in the Things Take Time series of a particular brand of cheese in this country.
But don't let that fool you. Akin to vintage gouda, Anthony Graham (AG Tony) Small's snippets on myriad sports excite the palate, leaving behind a hint of sweet and savoury flavours on a slice of life.
Underlying his consternation of how professionalism is slowing killing grassroots rugby is Small's passion for a sport that suffers from a similar affliction except it doesn't have any monetary frills.
Bowls, that is, as he gears up for the 68th annual Webber Shield tournament to be staged at Bowls Heretaunga's indoor complex in Hastings from tomorrow to Sunday.
The 74-year-old retired stock agent from Havelock North is a little unsure as to why he took up bowls but he attests to its benefits.
"It's the most enjoyable game but, like other sports, it's a thinking game," he tells SportToday.
Small should know. He is a former Hawke's Bay Magpie (1956-65, including four Ranfurly Shield challenges), former Central Districts cricketer and Dannevirke Golf Club's Greenwood Cup amateur representative.
"I played my last game against the Springboks at McLean Park [losing 30-12 on September 11]," says the former flanker who was predominantly in the equation for his prowess in kicking conversions and penalties.
He regards himself as semi-retired these days, doing some work in the village community "to keep fit and stay out of mischief".
The camaraderie bowls offers is another plus for those who roll out mats to skilfully curl shots to the jack or kitty.
"You don't get that in all sports. You not only make new friends but you bump into old mates and have a great laugh and catch up on the old days."
Small, who won the foursomes Webber Shield in consecutive years of 2000-01, says the game still pumps adrenalin through the veins when it comes down to the nitty-gritty side of the competition.
E X-Magpie Collin Harrison, Dave Haggerty and Mike Mabbett made up the foursome with Small as skip.
Having played two rep seasons for the Bay men's team, Small laments the dwindling numbers in the code, suspecting the shift from the traditional summer tourney to this time of the year is perhaps a contributing factor.
"It's a shame because a lot of greens were used in Hastings in those days and people from all over the country came to it," he says, adding he represented the Manawatu team too at a time when players such as Phil Skoglund, Kevin Wing and former national selector Peter Shaw dominated.
"It's a sign of times. It happens to all, though, look at Super 14 rugby," he says, reflecting on the good old sub-union days when he was part of the Southern Hawke's Bay team who played against Central Hawke's Bay, Hastings and Napier sides in what was seen as trial matches to select Magpies. "Now you only have one team from Waipukurau and the Dannevirke team play in the Manawatu competition," says Small, who once kicked six penalties for the Magpies against Manawatu, which he believes may be a record for a Magpie forward.
"I think I was the first forward to score more than 100 points in a season [1963-64]," said the man who went on to coach the Magpies in their first season of the National Provincial Championship and for three seasons in the first division.
H is sheepfarming parents, the late William and Winifried Small, of Dannevirke, sent him to Napier Boys' High School as a boarder and that's where he ignited his passion for sport. He even learned to shear sheep there.
Small fondly recalls playing a game of first XI cricket for NBHS against Gisborne Boys' High School in his senior years and taking six wickets for seven runs.
"We skittled Gisborne for 26 runs and the school had allowed all the students time out from studies for watching the game so I wasn't very popular that day," he says with a laugh.
Small only played two seasons for the CD men's team as a left-arm fast bowler, finding it difficult to get his hands on the ball with two New Zealand representative bowlers, Bob Blair and Don Baird, in the line-up. Consequently he didn't claim any wickets although he says his teammates did drop some catches off his bowling.
"When the ball looked like a cake of soap, they chucked it to me," he says, adding he gave up cricket to focus on rugby because he had to work as a stock agent in the summer.
He represented Wellington at provincial level for a longer time and took some "good wickets too".
Shield up for grabs:
The 68th annual Webber Shield bowls tournament has lured 16 invitation entries, including teams from Palmerston North and Gisborne, plus a few players from Wellington who will make up composite teams.
Teams will play two games a day of 25 ends between 8.30am to 6pm each day, from tomorrow to Sunday in a supreme test of concentration and endurance.
Among the competitors is octogenarian Bill McGavock whose team includes Jackie Andrews. Both players first won this event in 1979. Last year's winner Ces Bell and his team from Omarunui are not playing this year so new title holders are imminent.
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