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Infamous All Black history turned on its head with new revelation about Murdoch's banishment

By Online Editors
Keith Murdoch (third from left) is pictured in London in 1972 as he leaves the country early to return to New Zealand after being sent home from the All Blacks tour of Britain (Photo by George Stroud/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

One of the most infamous All Blacks story of all time has been dramatically turned on its head nearly 50 years later.

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It has always been believed that when the late Keith Murdoch was banished from the 1972 tour to the UK that he had been sent home by manager Ernie Todd for punching security guard Peter Grant in Cardiff’s Angel Hotel the night New Zealand beat Wales 19-16.

Murdoch never returned home after the incident, instead setting up a life for himself in the Australian outback until his death in March 2018.

However, publication of the book ‘Murdoch – The All Black Who Never Returned’ prompted Moyra Pearce, daughter of tour manager Grant to speak out at the Featherston Booktown festival in Wairarapa.

Pearce alleged that contrary to the story about an assault of a security guard, Murdoch instead threatened and pursued a woman in the Angel Hotel, and her father’s actions saved him from police prosecution.

“A female staff member would not open the bar for Murdoch,” said Pearce to Mark Reason on the New Zealand website, stuff.co.nz. “He became abusive. She ran from him screaming into the kitchen and he pursued her before security staff intervened.

“We [the family] were told that charges were going to be pressed. But the police said if you get him out of the country before our offices open on Monday morning, we won’t press charges.”

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The book’s publication finally triggered Pearce to speak about an incident she was told about after her father died of cancer in 1974.

Keith Murdoch plays up for the camera in Australia in 2001 (Photo by Ross Land/Getty Images)

“I needed to break the silence we have held (as a family) for too long. There have been enough other views. I didn’t know Ron was writing the book. He didn’t talk to us. It was the same with the play about Murdoch.

“When the book came out I thought, ‘Not again’. I didn’t want to know about it. But I bought the book, although it was very difficult just carrying it to the counter of the bookshop.

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“A friend then told me about Booktown. That was the moment. At first I could only read the chapter about my father but I’ve now read the book twice.

“I prepared over and over again in my head, but I still didn’t know if I was going to be brave enough.”

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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