Seat of learning: All Blacks pay tribute to rugby great

David Ogilvie | 27th July 2010

Four All Blacks took the chance to say thank you to  a Wanganui Collegiate rugby icon yesterday, at the same time celebrating the 100th birthday of the ground they learned their serious rugby on.

The late Jim Wallace, known internationally for his rugby brain and especially his ability to innovate, was remembered with a memorial seat  overlooking the main collegiate rugby ground, which saw its first rugby a century ago.

Former World Cup-winning captain David Kirk and early'70s lock Sam Strahan, mid'80s halfback Andrew Donald and early'80s inside back Andy  Jefferd banded together to donate the bench, and the occasion was part of the start of the famous Quadrangular tournament yesterday.

Fellow All Blacks Mark Irwin (mid-1950s) and Roger Boon (early 1960s) also attended.

Kirk, a sharp rugby brain himself, clearly had great fondness for Wallace and his skills.

"He was a big influence on my life, for a couple of reasons - he was a very good rugby coach, he coached the first XV and was very encouraging throughout my rugby career - and he was very technical, very good at analysing skills required in your position.

"He was also good at building that sense of individual responsibility and purpose.

He was also Kirk's housemaster for five years.

Lock forward Strahan, one who locked many scrums with the great Colin Meads at his side, says Wallace was "one of the best rugby brains I've ever been associated with, although I probably didn't fully appreciate it at the time".

"Being a teenager I didn't think very deeply at the time about tactics and things - but Jim did. I guess he instilled a lot of those things in at a very early age, although one didn't realise it at the time.

"He was such a pleasant fellow as well," Strahan said.