Alan Whetton

Alan Whetton shares with his brother, Gary, the distinction of being the only twins to have played test rugby together for the All Blacks.

Slightly smaller than Gary and with a fairer complexion, Alan nevertheless was a big man whose physique and pace made him an ideal blindside flanker.

However, especially in his earlier years, Whetton, who was always known by his inititals “AJ”, was often used as a utility forward playing either at No 8 or lock. The utility tag, indeed, stayed with him for some time and his first four appearances in test rugby (in 1984-85) were all as a replacement from the bench.

Of the two brothers Alan showed the greater promise as a teenager and at high school, but it was Gary who in the early 80s made the first impact at top level. By 1981 he was not only a regular Auckland player but had gained his first All Black test cap.

Alan had been with Gary in the New Zealand Colts side in 1980 and had made the Auckland representative side in 1981 as a 21-year old. But in his first two years with Auckland Alan was only an on-again, off-again selection and it was not until 1983 that he became an automatic choice.

Ironically, he spent most of the 1983 season as a lock, being shifted there to cover for his brother who after playing in the test series against the British Lions suffered a serious knee injury while involved in festival matches in South Africa.

Alan Whetton gained a place in the 1983 North island side and that year had his first All Black trial. But he was overlooked for the All Black tour of Scotland and England in 1983, only gaining national recognition in 1984 when he was a reserve for the two tests against France and then went on the tour of Australia.

Though he failed to make the test starting XV, Whetton developed well on that tour and remained in All Black squads for the next two seasons. He was chosen for the aborted 1985 tour of South Africa but went to Argentina instead.

With most of the others chosen for the 1985 tour he joined the rebel tour the following year with the Cavaliers, an undertaking which perhaps did more damage to his All Black aspirations than some of the others.

After serving a two-test suspension he was introduced for his first test start in the second test of the Bledisloe Cup series against the Wallabies in Dunedin. But he was dropped for the third and then omitted somewhat inexplicably for the end of season tour of France.

By now Whetton was specialising as a blindside flanker and good early season form with a powerful Auckland side made him a certainty for the 1987 World Cup squad. His success in that tournament made him an automatic All Black selection for the next few seasons and his ability and humour off the field made him an invaluable team member whether with Auckland or the All Blacks.

With his speed, high work rate and consistent support play Whetton had an outstanding World Cup and his performances entitle him to be ranked among the greatest of All Black blindside flankers.

He, Michael Jones at openside flank and Wayne Shelford at No 8 formed one of the best loose forward trios to ever appear for the All Blacks. In the first five matches of 1987 Whetton scored a try in each game.

He had a fine tour of Australia in 1988, but on the 1989 tour of Wales and Ireland he suffered a severe hamstring injury which ruled him out of both internationals and the plum match against the Barbarians.

He returned to the All Blacks in 1990 and remained in the side until the 1991 World Cup tournament. But by then injury, age and the wear and tear of what had been an intense commitment over a number of seasons were starting to take their toll. Whetton’s last match for the All Blacks was the semifinal defeat to Australia at Dublin.