Fifty-two years ago this week, retired farmer Brian Johansen lined up for CHB in a rugby game against perhaps the most formidable opposition team to ever visit the district.
On a Tuesday afternoon in Waipukurau on May 11, 1965, CHB played against a Napier team containing no fewer than six current or soon-to-be All Blacks, including some of the most revered names in New Zealand rugby: Kel Tremain, Bill Davis, Ian McRae, Blair Furlong, Keith Murdoch and Nigel Thimbleby.
Now 78, Brian Johansen said he remembered 'bugger all' about the game, which he played as a 27 year old. It was only 50 years later after seeing the original gameday programme that he realised the quality of the opposition.
"I'm not sure if there's ever been, or will ever be, a rugby game in CHB with a team featuring so many All Blacks," said Brian, a retired farmer from Makaretu who played premier grade club rugby for Takapau from age 18 to 30 -- apart from a season or two when he played for Waipukurau when Takapau couldn't field a team.
Though his normal position was at first-five, Brian is listed in the programme playing at breakaway at No. 9 -- back when player numbers were in the opposite order to what they are today.