Proud milestone for O’Hara

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 29

Proud milestone for O’Hara

Dane O’Hara, formerly of Auckland and New Zealand, recently achieved a milestone for his Hull club in England which confirmed his reputation as a Rolls-Royce of rugby league wings. The smooth-striding O’Hara was indeed built to last. His most recent appearance, against Featherstone Rovers, was his 300th in Hull’s black-and-white gear. In the previous game O’Hara had been a tryscorer when his side comfortably accounted for Hull Kingston Rovers, a proud neighbour destined for demotion to the second division. O’Hara’s experience and try-scoring attributes are not his only assets. He captains Hull, which in the last few months has not only silenced talk of

possible relegation but was for a time a strong challenger for the first division championship. While Widnes, Wigan and Leeds have headed it off in the title race, Hull should comfortably qualify for the top-eight premiership play-offs —- and thus earn a match against the Kiwis later this year. Long service to Hull is not the only statistical evidence of O’Hara’s durability. He also shares the record with Jock Butterfield of most (36) test appearances for New Zealand, his international career having extended from 1977 to 1986. O’Hara captained the Kiwis against Australia at home in 1980. The signings of O’Hara, Gary Kemble and James Leuluai in 1981 heralded

an outstanding era in the club’s history. They were later joined by a fourth New Zealander in the backline, Fred Ah Kuoi, who arrived in England

via a term with North Sydney. Hull won the .Challenge Cup in the replay of the 1981-82 final, the John Player Trophy the same season, was first division champion in 1982-83 and claimed the Yorkshire Cup in three consecutive seasons from 1982-83. It took part in six other major finals.

Leuluai is the only other member of the famed “Kiwi quartet” still playing first-class football. He assisted Wellington to its first win over Auckland for 75 years last winter, and recently had enough dash to run 50 metres and score after an interception for his present British club, Wakefield Trinity.

While O’Hara has steered Hull back near

the top of the division one table, Leuluai has been credited with greatly assisting Wakefield to avoid the threat of relegation which was very real after the departure of Mark Graham and Brent Todd. Both Kemble and Ah Kuoi have returned to Auckland and turned their attention to coaching. In modern British rugby league, with its 14-team first division, the playing of 300 games is rare — even more unusual because O'Hara has been strictly a one-club man. But in the not-too-distant past players seemed to be lining up for matches every second day. Neil Fox, the former British centre, made 760 club appearances (574 for Wakefield) and another 68 at representative and international levels.