A life of rugby for Hawke’s Bay legend

Media Release

4 April 2011

A life of rugby for Hawke’s Bay legend

The man who spent seven years as an All Blacks centre has been chosen as the Hawke's Bay rugby legend as part of the Living Legends project.

Napier's Ian MacRae, 64, who played 45 matches for the All Blacks between 1963 and 1970, said the appointment was flattering and close to his heart.

"I am excited to be part of it as I started my working career as a forest ranger. I trained in conservation in the back country, trying to prevent erosion, so it's quite fitting that now I am involved in this," says Ian.

Ian was born in Christchurch in 1943 and then schooled in Christchurch, Kowhiterangi (West Coast), Purakanui (Otago) before attending Rangiora High School in North Canterbury.

As an 18-year old he played for West Coast in 1961 and for Bay of Plenty in 1962 (seven games).

Ian made an early impact when he moved to Hawke's Bay, scoring three tries in the province's win over the touring England team. MacRae's promise for the Hawke’s Bay and in All Black trials was confirmed with his selection for the 1963-64 tour of Britain and France. Though he subsequently attended trials, and was in the national under 23 team which toured Australia in 1964, it was not until 1966 that he made his All Black test debut.

This was in the 1966 series against the touring British Lions where having moved to second five he was to prove an unqualified success. He remained a first choice through until the 1967 tour of Britain where he was made the All Black vice captain.

Injuries disrupted his 1968 season and meant he missed the tour of Australia and played in only the first two tests against the touring French. He was fully recovered by the time the Welsh toured in 1969 and was again a leading player on the 1970 tour of South Africa, after which he stepped down from international rugby.

In all, Ian MacRae played 45 matches for the All Blacks including 17 tests. Ian continued to play at provincial level for the Hawke’s Bay until the 1971 season, finishing with 85 matches for the union. He was a star of what was a golden period for Hawke’s Bay and among many notable feats he scored four tries in a 1967 Ranfurly Shield defence against Waikato.

In the late 70s Ian was the Hawke’s Bay representative side's assistant back coach and after a lengthy period on the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union executive served as chairman in the late 90s. He has also served on NZRU’s then Super 12 Judiciary Panel and is life member at Napier Marist, Napier Old Boys Marist, Saracens RFU and Hawke’s Bay RFU.

About Living Legends

Living Legends is a community conservation project that is coordinating 17 native tree planting projects throughout New Zealand during Rugby World Cup 2011.

Each planting is being run in conjunction with provincial rugby unions and will be dedicated to a regional ‘Rugby Legend’ who has been selected by the union.

These Rugby Legends are people who have made a significant contribution to rugby in New Zealand.

Living Legends will plant almost 80,000 trees nationwide in 2011, and is making a five year investment to plant a total of 150,000 trees by the end of the project in 2015.

The plantings all take place on public conservation land, and will encourage New Zealanders and overseas visitors to participate in the events.

Plantings will be held in Northland, North Harbour, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, Horowhenua-Kapiti, Wellington, Tasman, Buller/West Coast, Mid Canterbury, Christchurch, Otago and Southland.

Living Legends is a joint venture of Project Crimson, an environmental charity with 20 years experience in community-based native restoration projects and the Tindall Foundation. We are thrilled to have the support of our major sponsors the Department of Conservation and Meridian Energy.

About the Hawke’s Bay Living Legends planting project

The Ahuriri Estuary is a unique and valuable habitat that resulted from landform changes associated with the 1931 Napier earthquake. This important wetland is a sanctuary for a wide variety of wading birds including grey herons, royal spoonbills and pied stilts and offers a significant opportunity for revegetation and ecosystem enhancement. Its closeness to Napier city provides great potential for community use and involvement in its development.

The work already undertaken east of where Living Legends will plant provides a popular walking area and shows the value of native plantings in enhancing this environment.

On 24 September 2011, volunteers will plant 4000 additional native trees at this site as part of Living Legends programme of work.

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