Battling the Lions: 1966 tour groomed the All Blacks

The 1966 Lions did not realise it at the time, but they had served to provide the dress rehearsal for an outstanding All Black tour of 1967.

The Springbok tour of 1967 was postponed and instead the New Zealand Rugby Football Union arranged an 18-match tour, starting with two matches in Canada, four in France and 12 in Britain.

This included tests against the four Home Unions - a chance for the elusive Grand Slam - and one against France.

After the sweeping successes against the Lions, it was expected that Fred Allen would coach a team of similar method on tour.

There was, however, alarm that Mick Williment, the powerful fullback and goal-kicker in the Don Clarke mould, was not picked, and that Fergie McCormick, perhaps an inferior goal-kick, was preferred.

When the critics descended upon Allen seeking a reason he blithely announced: "You will see that this is a hell of a fine team. It will win by scoring tries, not kicking goals." The overseas critics scoffed at the idea of an All Black team which played 15-man running rugby rather than win-at-all-costs, but soon they were eating their bilious words.

Skillfully captained by Brian Lochore and with manager Charlie Saxton who had sewn the running-rugby seed in Allen's head during the famous Kiwi Army tour, the All Blacks swept the opposition aside - England beaten 21-14, Wales 13-6, France 21-15 and Scotland 14-3.

Allen's men scored 13 tries in the process.

Sadly, an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Britain prevented the All Blacks from traveling to Ireland, and so the test was cancelled, and the chance of the magical Grand Slam lost. Allen afterward said, privately, that he was sure the All Blacks would have won that test, too, and completed the clean sweep of five test wins.