All Blacks jersey sells for $2500 at auction

A jersey worn by former All Blacks captain Sir Brian Lochore (pictured) during the team's 167 tour of Britain has sold for $2500 at auction. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

An All Blacks jersey worn by captain Brian Lochore during the team's tour of Britain in 1967 sold at auction in London early today.

It was bought by TVNZ's European Correspondent Mark Crysell for £1000 ($2560).

It was thought Crysell purchased the jersey himself, rather than on behalf of the state-owned broadcaster, auction company owner Graham Budd told NZPA.

"It was bought personally - he had a big adrenalin rush, he got very excited about the whole thing," Mr Budd of Graham Budd Auctions said.

The jersey sold for well above the £600-800 it had been expected to fetch.

New Zealanders dominated the auction, Mr Budd said.

"It was nearly all New Zealanders - the whole auction, I would say, was exclusively New Zealanders."

Crysell also bought a silver fern blazer badge and a player-issue black and white scarf in the lot with the Lochore jersey, as well as an Irish touch flag for £300.

The All Blacks-Ireland match was never played because of a foot and mouth scare in Britain at the time.

Other 1967 tour memorabilia including a file of official photographs, original press photographs, luncheon and dinner menus (some bearing autographs), match programmes and tickets, souvenir newspapers and a folio of press cuttings; and two books on the All Blacks tours of 1963-64 and 1967 sold for £600 to a New Zealand collector.

The items had belonged to Richard Walker, the 1967 team's luggage and kit manager.

Walker, from Shorne, near Gravesend in Kent, said he was given Lochore's jersey at the end of the tour.

"Unfortunately I have not kept in contact with any of them, although I have followed some of their careers with interest.

"To be connected with such a fabulous side was a great honour and experience for me."

- NZPA