Rugby: Buck Shelford talks modern game, playing a French team ‘on drugs’ and who should play openside for the All Blacks

Wayne 'Buck' Shelford in action against Romania in 1991. Photosport

Sir Wayne ‘Buck’ Shelford is perhaps the only challenger to Richie McCaw when it comes to the most famous All Black. He joined Murray Deaker’s Sporting Lives to voice his opinion on the differences between his playing days and rugby today, elaborating on his most-famous moment as well as a positional change for the All Blacks’ loose forwards.

On the modern game

In Shelford’s rugby playing days, they didn’t lift weights.

The body you had was the body you played with and as a result, he told Deaker, that meant a more even playing field than you see in modern rugby.

“We didn’t pump the iron, we played with natural body weights. Some guys were bigger than others, but the small man could actually take on the big man quite easily.”

The demands of modern rugby stipulate that forwards are able to perform many of the same duties as backs. Quality ball skills, pace and fitness are all sought after qualities when selectors are picking sides, particularly at test level.

“They’re really, really fit today,” Shelford says of modern forwards, “That’s what they train for. To actually run around the field and defend - and attack, when needed.”

The Battle of Nantes

Shelford’s most famous moment came in a test against France - just his second for the All Blacks. ‘The Battle of Nantes’ has gone down in rugby folklore, with Shelford being on the receiving end of some French hospitality - trapped at the bottom of a ruck a French boot caught him between the legs, ripping his scrotum and leaving a testicle hanging free.

New Zealand had won the first test convincingly, but the Les Bleus “did a complete 360″ in the second and brought a ferocity Shelford had not seen previously. He has described that the French appeared to be ‘on drugs’ when they came out to face the All Blacks and told Deaker there was something different about his opposition that day.

“We stood facing them and you could see when they came out all the whites of their eyes were red, the whole lot of them. That’s not normal - and it wasn’t orange juice as I said on the day.”

The 48-time New Zealand representative said the French “bashed them physically” and that is was a completely different performance from the week before.

“It was a total 360 - they were like animals that day... I think there was more blood in that changing room than I’ve seen in any changing room.”

On the All Blacks’ loose forward trio

In terms of maximising All Black captain Sam Cane’s strengths and ensuring his career is as long as possible, Shelford feels a positional change is required.

“I’d like to see him play on the blindside to preserve his position as captain and be out of the frame of going to that first ruck - that’s where he normally gets bashed. I’d like him to be around for a little bit longer because he is a good footballer.”

He says Ardie Savea is a standout for the All Blacks and in his ideal loose forward trio he would move him to openside flanker to fill the spot vacated by Cane.

“I’d like to see him playing seven,” Deaker interjects to say he can’t believe he isn’t playing openside.

Shelford then leaves at least some work for the All Black selectors, saying there are “one or two or three number eights you could have out there.”

Aaron Smith or Sid Going for New Zealand’s best-ever?

Deaker asks Shelford straight up “Do you rate Aaron Smith as the best half back we’ve ever had?”

Shelford appears undecided, comparing the pass-orientated game of Smith to New Zealand’s greatest running halfback, ‘Super’ Sid Going.

“Well, I think that Aaron’s a very good halfback, he doesn’t challenge the line at all, not like some halfbacks did back in the day.

“Sid challenged all the time and he got through the gaps.”

Aaron Smith’s pass is regarded as the best in world rugby, many would say the best of all time, but Shelford’s perceived lack of a running game means he can’t say he’s New Zealand’s best-ever.

“I think he’s there for his passing more than anything else, but I think he actually needs to have a crack every now and then.”

He says he feels if Smith ran more, opposition defences would have to hold a little longer and the tactic of a rush defence to stifle the All Blacks expansive brand of rugby would be negated - that’s only his theory, he says.