ALL BLACK GREATS’ Bert Cooke had meteoric rise

Press, 5 October 1977, Page 36

ALL BLACK GREATS’ Bert Cooke had meteoric rise

By

JOHN BROOKS

“A genius,” “a freak,” “a shining star,’ 5 ‘‘the greatest footballer ever” — these were some of the descriptions applied , to Bert Cooke, the famous All Black midfield back of the 19205, who died last week at 76. "Cookie” was a public hero in a rugby era which was not short of notable figures. The reputation he made as a member of the “Invincibles,” the New Zealand side of 1924-25,

and in particular his profitable partnership with the brilliant tactician, Mark Nicholls, established his worth for all time. Although only about nine and a half stone in weight, Cooke was a vigorous tackler and was lightning sharp on the break. His acceleration over the first 15 to 20yd was exceptional; this attribute, allied to the accurancy of his punting with either foot, brought

him many tries. He was the top try scorer for the “Invincibles” in Britain, France and Canada, and in a career total of 44 games for his country he scored 35 tries. His ratio was even better in Ranfurly Shield matches — 21 tries in 20 matches. Cooke had the right breeding for a footballer: he was born in New Zea-

land and his parents came from the rugby-mad Welsh town of Llanelli. From a third grade player in 1922, Cooke bounced into the AU Black reserves in 1923 and was a star player a year later. But the speed and spectacular nature of his rise to the top did not lead to an equally rapid decline. Cooke was in the All Blacks to stay. He

played for the famous 1925 side, often referred to as the best the All Blacks have fielded in this country, and toured Australia in 1926. Chosen for the 1928 tour of South Africa, he withdrew for business reasons, but later played at home against New South Wales. His association with the All Blacks ended in 1930, when he played in all four tests against Britain, scoring two tries in the final international. He continued to demonstrate his great ability after switching to rugby league. He had three tests against Great Britain in 1932 and two against Australia in 1935, playing twice at centre, twice at full-back and once at stand-off half.

His try in the first of the 1932 tests was described by the joint British manager Mr R. L. Anderton, as orfe of the best he had seen. “There is no question of his play having deteriorated, or, if he has deteriorated, as some say, he must have been one of the wonder players of the world,” Mr Anderton said.

He was certainly acclaimed in that fashion several times in his rugby career. One particular occasion was at Lancaster Park in 1928 when his brilliant last minute try and conversion gave Wairarapa an 8-7 victory for the Ranfurly Shield against Canterbury. Cooke figured prominently in the shield

matches of the 19205. He was in art unsuccessful Auckland side of 1923, but then scored 10 tries in five games for Hawke’s Bay in 1926 — the year in which the “Magpies” ran up huge scores against most of the challengers. Then he was the king pin of a powerful Wairarapa side which won and lost the shield in 1927, regained it in 1928 and lost it to Southland in 1929. This was the hundredth game for the “log” and it provided one of the biggest upsets in New Zealand rugby, for Southland had been well beaten in its lead-up games and seemingly had no chance of stopping a Wairarapa side containing 11 All Blacks. After the game one of several red-faced Wairarapa officials had to drive from Carterton to Masterton to retrieve the shield from Cooke’s shop window. Then, in 1930, Cooke now with Wellington and playing once more outside Nicholls, helped his new union lift the shield from Southland. Bert Cooke’s death reduces the surviving “Invincibles” to eight. They are George Nepia, Bill Dailey, Alan Robilliard, Ces Badeley, Ron Stewart, J i m Parker, Brian McCleary and Jock Richardson.