The 1978 double dive was the most blatantly open attempt to con a referee test rugby had seen, in a sport where dark tactical deeds were usually carried out in dark corners. It was also a shock, to see All Black forwards — and particularly a hard man like "Filth" Oliver — indulge in such a soft deceit.
Welsh fans were, quite rightly, furious even though there have been many sides to the story. Some of the most interesting ones are detailed in a recent book by rugby commentator Tony Johnson and sports journalist Lynn McConnell.
Behind the Silver Fern - The Players Speak is a fascinating read. The interviews around the Haden/Oliver incident are a highlight.
Two of the central characters, Oliver and English referee Roger Quittenden, have passed away. Quittenden did defend the penalty decision saying he was technically correct to punish Welsh lock Geoff Wheel for leaning on Oliver. That, it has to be said, is an opinion open to serious debate given that the arm draped over Oliver may have escaped his attention but for the All Black lock's theatrics.
In Behind the Silver Fern, Haden says that the All Blacks had been troubled by illegal lineout tactics throughout the tour — this included having "a Welsh lock draped all over my shoulders" without penalty during three tour games.
He confirms that captain Graham Mourie planted a seed, recounting a game between Taranaki and King Country in which Ian "Legs" Eliason won three penalties against the great Colin Meads by jumping out of lineouts.
What would have been seen as a provincial rugby caper was about to turn into an international incident. Haden says the Eliason move occurred to him in the final minutes of the test, with the score at 12 - 10 in Wales' favour.
He approached Mourie, who did not ban it. He approached Oliver, recalling that he said: "Frank, this is it mate, we've got to do this now otherwise we are going to go back to our dressing room seats and say 'what more could we have done to win that game?'.
Halfback Dave Loveridge remembers Quittenden saying "jumping off the shoulder". Loveridge was actually dumbfounded by the emotional crowd reaction, only finding out what Haden had done when the tallest man in All Black history at that point told him afterwards in the changing rooms.
Up stepped the hero of the hour, to New Zealand supporters, in McKechnie, a goalkicker in the old toe hacker style.
McKechnie's journey into history is every bit as extraordinary as the one which turned another goalkicking saviour Stephen Donald into a World Cup hero at Eden Park in 2011.
In an era when reserves hardly ever made it onto the field, McKechnie was not even supposed to be on the bench.
Clive Currie would start in the number 15 jersey. An injury to halfback Mark Donaldson saw fullback McKechnie join the bench — he only found out from Mourie "the night before in the bar". Coach Jack Gleeson only confirmed it to him on the morning of the game.
"As legend has it, a legend McKechnie has never sought to deny, a heavily hungover Southlander was forced to strip for the game," is how the Herald once described the situation.
After seven minutes, Currie became the first All Black fullback ever replaced in a test, his jaw having been broken in a dubious tackle by rugged centre Steve Fenwick. On came McKechnie. The rest is history.
Welsh reflections down the years have remained fierce. Just last year, Fenwick told The Rugby Paper it was "the closest thing I've seen to soccer on a rugby field".
"No-one has more respect for the All Blacks than me but that was a disgrace."
While round-the-corner rugby goal kicking was seen as emanating from football-strong Europe, McKechnie says that the balls used on the tour particularly suited his technique.
McKechnie said: "I did not see what happened (in the lineout). I told myself to relax. I was confident I could land it because I had struck every other kick well. I had a great feeling of relief."
But he has mixed feelings over a career highlight.
"...knowing Graham planted the idea for the lineout controversy in Andy's mind has detracted somewhat from my memories. I'm glad I did not know about it at the time," he said.
Mourie certainly hadn't forgotten the 1905 incident involving Deans, who claimed he was denied a try by Welsh players pulling him back before the referee arrived.
"It wouldn't be something I would encourage if I was coaching," Mourie said of the Haden/Oliver dives.
"(but) these things happen on the spur of the moment...Andy said to me as he was wandering to the lineout 'I'm going to do it". I didn't have a clue what he was talking about.
"I don't think it was the reason for the penalty. But in terms of ethics and the sportsmanship I suppose it goes back to the 1905 Deans incident doesn't it. It probably squares off."
