Men of the Silver Fern - Trouble in the Engine Room (1925 - 1956)
The second episode of this 1992 celebration of New Zealand rugby looks at the period from 1925 - 1956, as depression and war affected the national game. Scrum rules changed — outlawing the wing forward position, pioneered by the Kiwis — and NZ found itself chasing the pack: the no-longer-invincible All Blacks regularly came out losers playing against South Africa. The Springbok was finally felled in a series by the Kiwis in 1956 (played at home in front of huge, manic crowds). All Black Peter Jones famously summed it up the achievement post match: “I’m absolutely buggered”.
Dylan Taite
Reporter, musician and most importantly music fan, Dylan Taite can be fairly claimed as the man who brought some of the most left field musical talent to prime-time TV. Some of his interviews are legendary — others, like his sit-down with reggae legend Bob Marley, historically important. All were done with an eye for invention, a sharp turn of phrase and a touch of eccentricity that made his reports a must-see for music fans.