All Blacks v Springboks: Fan Hal Lawry watched Springboks beat All Blacks at Eden Park in 1937

At the age of 10, Hal Lawry stood on a nail box on the sideline of Eden Park, watching South Africa claim a famous series win over the All Blacks for the first time in history.

The 1937 test was the last time the Springboks beat the All Blacks at their Auckland fortress.

Almost 88 years on from the 17-6 win, Lawry was back in Sandringham on Saturday night, watching the men in black extend their unbeaten Eden Park streak to 51 with a narrow victory over the Springboks in a Rugby Championship thriller.

“It was pretty cool for my dad to probably be the only person at the park who’d been there the last time that the Springboks had won,” Lawry’s daughter Julyan told the Herald.

“I take him to all the test matches at Eden Park. He probably hasn’t missed that many in the last 50-odd years.”

Hal Lawry sat in the Eden Park stands with his daughter Julyan on Saturday night, almost 88 years after he watched the Springboks beat the All Blacks in his youth.

She said her 98-year-old father vividly remembers being on the sidelines for the September 25, 1937 test – standing on a nail box on the 22m line on the south side of the ground at the eastern end.

“I asked him to show me where he was, and he showed me exactly where he was. And he could tell you who was playing and all that kind of stuff.”

Springboks vice-captain Danie Craven (left) and All Blacks winger Jack Sullivan during the historic 1937 test match at Eden Park in Auckland. Photo / NZ Herald Archives

Lawry said she and her brother had been studying images from the 1937 game, noting that in place of the now-world-class seating facilities were “Scotsman’s stands” – rickety wooden grandstands erected outside the ground in neighbouring yards.

“But most people just had their cars there, and it looks like people were just standing on the back of them... the ones that weren’t on the bank.”

Eden Park pictured in 1937 when the Springboks last beat the All Blacks there. Photo / Eden Park

Fast-forward 88 years, Lawry – along with his daughter – sat on the opposite 22 in the back row, watching as the final whistle blew with the All Blacks emerging victorious 24-17 over the Springboks.

“It was just really great to be there sitting next to him, and he was totally into the game. It was such a great game to watch at the end - it went down to the final minute,” Julyan said.

“He was absolutely thrilled. He thought it was a great game.”

She said as an avid rugby fan, Lawry had been in the Eden Park crowd for the All Blacks’ 1956 test against the Springboks – when New Zealand secured their first series win over South Africa.

He was also watching on as David Kirk lifted the Webb Ellis Cup after the All Blacks won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987 – and 24 years later, when Richie McCaw hoisted the same trophy in 2011 on the historic ground.

“It was a really special family occasion,” Julyan said.

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.