Panel to pick Waikato rugby team of the century

Waikato's first representative side in 1921. Photo / WRU

Over the next few months, we will be running a column in partnership with Waikato rugby as they head towards their centenary celebrations.

A panel of local judges has been selected in order to make a team of the century.

This panel is a mix of former Waikato players, media and current rugby union workers – all Waikato rugby enthusiasts.

Each week three players will be announced for a single position, one through to 15.

In the following week's edition, the panel's pick of those three will be announced as the winner of that position.

Please note, these picks are voted on by the panel and it is their opinion as a group.

We invite the public to have their say too, although this will not affect the final say.

Send an email to teawamutu.sport@nzme.co.nz or drop a note off to the Te Awamutu Courier office stating who your pick would be and why.

Here's an introduction to our panel:
KEVIN HART
Kevin Hart is a well-known name throughout sporting circles, having commentated in many different sports and events over the years.

He was a cricket commentator between 1979 and 2015 for both domestic and international matches in Hamilton, Auckland, Mt Maunganui, Rotorua and Tauranga.

Hart hosted Country Sport breakfast from the beginning of station through to 2015, when he retired from radio.

He was the head rugby commentator at Hamilton from 2000 through to 2015 for international and domestic matches and for the 2011 Rugby World Cup he also led the commentating at Eden Park, Auckland and Rotorua.

Other notable roles include: member of rugby commentary teams both domestic and Internationals 1979 -1999; International and domestic netball commentary in Hamilton and Tauranga/Mt Maunganui from 1980- 2015; helped provide coverage of Davis Cup Tennis at Mystery Creek; member of broadcasting team for World Rowing Championships at Lake Karāpiro; member of New Zealand Broadcasting Radio team to Beijing Olympics 2008.

Commentator Kevin Hart before the third rugby union test match of the Steinlager Series, All Blacks v Ireland, at Waikato Stadium in 2012. Photo Stephen Barker / Photosport

DAVID FOX
David Fox has been involved with Waikato rugby for 24 years.

During this time, he has coached or managed 29 different Waikato representative teams - at times involved with two sides a year along with his decade long involvement with the Waikato's sevens programme.

Over the past 12 seasons he has worked as a full-time employee for Waikato Rugby.

Fox has also coached overseas. In 2013 he coached the Men's Sevens International Invitational Team, the Sevens Ambassadors, and in 2015 he helped the Peru Women's Sevens side as a technical adviser, which saw him travel to Columbia for a South American tournament.

Since then, he has coached two women's invitational sides on tours to Japan, which included the first ever New Zealand Harlequins women's team in 2019.

Locally, Fox has coached at First Division and Premier club level and was the TA sub union head coach for six seasons.

Jubilant Te Awamutu coach David Fox with two of his Peace Cup winning team stars, Inoke Tuibua and Tu Waqa, post victory over Hamilton in Ōtorohanga during 2011. Photo / Colin Thorsen

JESSE WOOD
Te Awamutu Courier reporter Jesse Wood was born and bred in the Waikato and has a keen interest in rugby.

He has played rugby for most of his, life playing in thee 1st XV for Melville High School in 2015, Waikato Under-19 Māori in the same year and Thames Valley Māori in 2020.

Wood has a vast statistical knowledge of rugby over the decades and has been a part of the Te Awamutu Courier team since January 2020.

Te Awamutu Courier reporter Jesse Wood. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

BRIAN CLARKE
Brian Clarke was one of the famous five Clarke brothers from the Kereone Rugby Club.

He first played for Waikato in 1960, making 13 appearances and continued to represent Waikato until 1966, playing 70 games in all.

Brian has continued to be active in his support for Waikato Rugby, where he has held many different roles and is a life member of the Waikato Rugby Union.

The Clarke brothers made 409 appearances for the province - Ian 126, Don 98, Graeme 72, Brian 70 and Doug 43.

All five of them took the field in Waikato's 1961 match against Thames Valley at Te Aroha.

1994: The five Clarke brothers - Doug, Brian, Graeme, Ian and Don. Photo / Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.co.nz

MURRAY MEINUNG
Meinung is remembered for his performance in Waikato's famous victory over the touring French team in 1979.

He played for Waikato in 1979 and 1980 as a fullback, who could also play at centre or on the wing.

Meinung scored 104 points for Waikato.

He has continued to be active in rugby, especially for his beloved Hamilton Old Boys club.

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EVAN PEGDEN
Evan Pegden is a former sports editor and rugby writer for the Waikato Times, who retired early in 2015 after 40 years at the paper.

Known to many as "Pegs", he was chief rugby writer from 1988 and became sports editor four years later.

In that time, he covered a full range of sports - in particular, rugby at multiple levels, including an in-depth coverage of senior club competitions, the Waikato provincial team through their NPC and Ranfurly Shield exploits and the Chiefs in Super Rugby from the outset in 1996.

He also covered his share of All Blacks and World Cup tests during that time.