Battling the Lions: The whistle blowers

Referee John Pring in 1971.

JP Murphy and JP Pring are grand old gentlemen from a bygone rugby era, who whistled to a different tune than the modern-day international referee.

Today's professional whistlers fly around the globe to mediate tests, kitted out with microphones, earpieces and sponsor's names on their shirts - celebrities in their own right.

But the men who controlled tests between the All Blacks and the Lions before the rugby revolution of the 1990s paid their own way, juggling business careers with their sporting responsibilities.

Pat Murphy, a referee in four tests between 1959 and 1966, remembers buying his own jersey, boots and whistle.

"We weren't paid any money, but that really didn't matter. It was an honour to referee teams like the Lions," says Murphy, a retired public accountant.

John Pring, who controlled five All Blacks-Lions tests in his 40-year career, was a manager with the ASB Bank, training at dawn and dusk for his "other life".

"You had to be fit then, but you have to be pretty fit today," he says. "The game is more expansive now - less tight-forward play, and the ball goes out along the backline quicker." Murphy laments the demise of the "glamour" in tours of the modern era.

The 81-year-old recalls how celebrations off the field were as significant as the games he refereed; when a sit-down dinner and dance followed every test.

"The games were very skilful, but the after-match functions were a thoroughly enjoyable part of it all," he says.

"Nowadays, with tests kicking off at 7.30pm, there isn't the opportunity for that wonderful socialising - the glamour of it all has gone."

Colin Meads regarded Pat Murphy as one of the great referees. In his biography, Colin Meads All Black, he sums up Murphy as a good bloke to share a beer and a chat after the game, even though "he gave me more ding-dongs than other referees".

Murphy controlled the fourth All Blacks-Lions test in 1959 (the Lions only victory on that tour) and three tests in 1966 (all won by the All Blacks). His fondest memories are of the "fast and furious" 1959 test before a crowd of 60,000 at Eden Park.

"There was something about the different nations, the way they came together so smoothly. It really was a pleasure to referee the Lions." Pring shares that sentiment. His career highlight was receiving the rare honour of controlling all four tests in the 1971 series.

The Rugby Union had put forward a panel of three New Zealand referees for the Lions to choose from, and a few eyebrows were raised when they selected Pring for every test.

The Lions won that series 2-1, with one test drawn.

Barry John claims in his autobiography that if the Lions captain John Dawes won the toss, he would get the "twin advantage" of both the kick-off and preferred end of the field with a pre-arranged plan.

Dawes would wait until the Lions had raced out to the far end of the half they wanted before telling the referee they wanted to kick off.

Pring has no recollection of this ruse taking place: "I always made them decide before they left the dressing room." He simply remembers the 1971 tour as the highlight of his refereeing career.

"The fact that the Lions chose me for all four tests was an incredible build-up - a great honour. It just didn't happen in those days - you might do one test here, and one there.

"I felt the tests went really well. I had refereed a lot of countries, but I found this Lions side to be one of the most professional I had seen - with Dawes as captain, and an outstanding manager, Doug Smith." New Zealand referees were used up until the 1983 tour, when neutrals were established.

For this year's tour, the IRB's referee selection board has appointed France's Joel Jutge for the first test in Christchurch on June 25, Australian Andrew Cole for the second in Wellington on July 2 and South African Jonathan Kaplan for the third test in Auckland on July 9.