The curious case of ‘All Black No. 686’ who went to ground

SOME famous old New Zealand players will be holding a reunion this weekend when one question will be asked more than any other: ‘Whatever became of All Black No. 686?’

There have been 1,108 of them since Dave Gallaher, from Ramelton on Lough Swilly in Donegal, kicked the whole thing off as skipper of the pioneering untouchables of 1905.

More than 400 have come and gone since Keith Murdoch disappeared halfway through the British and Irish tour of 1972-3.