Black Panther no more

[Kiwias]

Waka Nathan, the Black Panther, has died. An awesome player in an era of many all-time greats.

RIP.

I should hate him for the last-minute try he scored against Canterbury to deny us the Shield way back in 1960. Prize for anyone identifying the player wearing 8.

[Ymx]

Was going to say, this is a year old news.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co ... 955912.amp

Not a great year(s) to be a black panther it would seem.

[Gumboot]

Sad news. Met him a couple of times at his pub across the old Mangere bridge from where I lived. Lovely bloke and terrific player. RIP

[Grandpa]

Waka Nathan, the Black Panther, has died. An awesome player in an era of many all-time greats.

RIP.

I should hate him for the last-minute try he scored against Canterbury to deny us the Shield way back in 1960. Prize for anyone identifying the player wearing 8.

Is that Waka wearing 12? Did flankers wear 12 in those days?

[Chilli]

. Prize for anyone identifying the player wearing 8.

Richie McCaw?

[inactionman]

Waka Nathan, the Black Panther, has died. An awesome player in an era of many all-time greats.

RIP.

I should hate him for the last-minute try he scored against Canterbury to deny us the Shield way back in 1960. Prize for anyone identifying the player wearing 8.

It...it's not Thurrock's finest, is it?

[convoluted]

Waka Nathan, the Black Panther, has died. An awesome player in an era of many all-time greats.

RIP.

I should hate him for the last-minute try he scored against Canterbury to deny us the Shield way back in 1960. Prize for anyone identifying the player wearing 8.

From the stocky build, my immediate thought was Whineray, and that if so he must have started off as a number 8 ... a most curious beginning for a prop.
Then a couple of posts down, someone pointed out that Nathan was pictured in 12, and it clicked that of course back then DB Clarke at fullback was a 1.
'Convoluted' thinking would be that after they got to the halfback at 7, then maybe the numbering resumed in the front row at 8 rather than at the back of the scrum.

[Kiwias]

Waka Nathan, the Black Panther, has died. An awesome player in an era of many all-time greats.

RIP.

I should hate him for the last-minute try he scored against Canterbury to deny us the Shield way back in 1960. Prize for anyone identifying the player wearing 8.

Is that Waka wearing 12? Did flankers wear 12 in those days?

According to one site, locks wore 11 and 12 but I don’t remember Nathan playing lock, while 8 in the old system as in the modern one referred to No8, a position that Whineray played in occasionally but never for the ABs.

[Kiwias]

Waka Nathan, the Black Panther, has died. An awesome player in an era of many all-time greats.

RIP.

I should hate him for the last-minute try he scored against Canterbury to deny us the Shield way back in 1960. Prize for anyone identifying the player wearing 8.

It...it's not Thurrock's finest, is it?

The timing is about right.

[Grandpa]

Waka Nathan, the Black Panther, has died. An awesome player in an era of many all-time greats.

RIP.

I should hate him for the last-minute try he scored against Canterbury to deny us the Shield way back in 1960. Prize for anyone identifying the player wearing 8.

Is that Waka wearing 12? Did flankers wear 12 in those days?

According to one site, locks wore 11 and 12 but I don’t remember Nathan playing lock, while 8 in the old system as in the modern one referred to No8, a position that Whineray played in occasionally but never for the ABs.

Thanks for that. Is it definitely Waka in the photo wearing 12?

[Kiwias]

Is that Waka wearing 12? Did flankers wear 12 in those days?

According to one site, locks wore 11 and 12 but I don’t remember Nathan playing lock, while 8 in the old system as in the modern one referred to No8, a position that Whineray played in occasionally but never for the ABs.

Thanks for that. Is it definitely Waka in the photo wearing 12?

Definitely Waka in 12 as the record is clear that he scored the winning try.