Wilson Whineray captained the All Blacks during a period when the game was fiercely defended as strictly amateur. It was a matter of individual pride and an emblematic representation of New Zealand society.
Amateur rugby was physically demanding and careers tended to be necessarily short, a generality belied by Wilson’s long stint in the game: he played 77 times for the All Blacks between 1957 and 1965, captaining them 67 times, including 32 Tests. “In a land where rugby union is something of an obsession, Whineray was regarded as the greatest living All Black, and arguably the greatest sportsman of the second half of the 20th century,” wrote the Guardian’s Ian Malin.
Wilson James Whineray was born in Auckland on July 10, 1935. He attended Auckland Grammar School, a veritable nursery for future All Blacks and made his debut with them as a prop against Australia in Sydney in May 1957. He was 21 years old. The next year, at age 23 he become All Blacks’ youngest captain. The All Blacks lost only four of the 30 tests in which he was captain.
After retiring from Ruby, Wilson studied as a Harkness Fellow at Harvard University, earning an MBA. During his business career he served as chairman of the National Bank of New Zealand, and the Hillary Commission. He was knighted in 1998 for his services to sport and business. The International Rugby Board Hall of Fame inducted him in 2007.
WILSON WHINERAY All Blacks, 1957 – 1965. New Zealand Captain, 1958 – 1965. Whineray and Waka Nathan on the attack.
25 Aug 01 – WILSON WHINERAY: His final test was in 1965.
NZH 03 May 03
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Sir Wilson James Whineray
Died 2012
Block V Row 10 Plot 051
