An All Blacks jersey originally worn by the legendary Don Clarke has been found in an attic in Yorkshire, England nearly 19,000km from home.
The No.1 fullback jersey was worn by Clarke in the Twickenham international against England in January 1964 a game in which Clarke helped to secure victoryfor the All Blacks. It was exchanged with opposite number that day John Willcox, who made 16 appearances for England and was also the leading points scorer on the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa in 1962.
“I don’t recall too much about the game,” says Willcox. “And when the family re-discovered the shirt in an old trunk full of rugby memorabilia, we initially assumed it was a prop forward’s. The thought occurred that it might have been a swap with Wilson Whineray, because he and I were the captains that day.”
The jersey is in remarkable condition.
Willcox said after some research he found that the New Zealand side were yet to make the swap from fullbacks wearing the No.1 jersey at the time and that it must be Clarke’s.
“But a bit of research thanks to the Pathe News clips of the match show Clarke kicking his goals with a No.1 on his back. England had already changed the fullback shirt to No.15 at that time but some fullbacks still wore the No.1 shirt until the later 1960s.”
DB Clarke, nicknamed “The Boot” for his kicking prowess both at goal and from the hand, was instrumental in the All Blacks’ victory over England in the 1964 game at Twickenham, knocking over two penalties and a conversion in a 14-0 win.
He played 89 times (31 test matches) as a New Zealand international from 1956 until 1964, scoring 781 points, a record that stood for 24 years until it was broken by Grant Fox in 1988. Clarke also played 27 first-class cricket matches as a right-arm opening bowler, mostly for Auckland and Northern Districts.
Moving to South Africa in 1977 with his family and setting up a tree-felling business he was diagnosed with melanoma in March 2001, from which he died on 29 December 2002.
Some fullbacks still wore the number one jersey in the 1960s.
News reports and annals from 1964 report that the All Blacks were much the better side on that winter afternoon. A 9-0 interval lead from two Clarke penalties and a Ralph Caulton try was never surrendered.
A second half try from Colin Meads, to which Clarke added the extras, put the All Blacks out of sight despite England’s best efforts.
The Canterbury-made All Black No.1 shirt match worn by Clarke is being auctioned later this April through leading UK auction house Mullock Jones as part of Willcox’s collection of international jerseys. “The Boot’s” socks from the game are also being auctioned.
Also included in the collection is a South Africa test match No.15 shirt and socks, which Willcox acquired from his exchange with Springbok full-back Lionel Wilson during the 1962 series against the British & Irish Lions.
Wilson appeared for the ‘Boks in 27 test matches, with his skilful handling and fielding, accurate line kicking and strong positional sense making him a classy fullback for the time.
