Brent’s ‘Small Blacks’ blooming

YOU wouldn’t know it judging by the events of the last fortnight but rugby in New Zealand is under threat.

Two quite outstanding performances against the British & Irish Lions from a young All Blacks side already nearing legendary status in their homeland would not have many people pushing the panic button as to the future of rugby in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yet a former Garryowen lock is hard at work to ensure that future generations of Kiwis will be on tap to fill the boots of Dan Carter, Tana Umaga and Richie McCaw.

The former Light Blue is Brent Anderson, the Kiwi lock who followed John Marshall to Limerick and went one better than his predecessor by helping the Dooradoyle club to its first All-Ireland League title in 1992. It was a time he called one of the highlights of his rugby career, which is high praise from a man capped three times by the All Blacks and who was a member of the Waikato side which beat the 1993 Lions.