NECTAR & TWIGGY
DECEMBER 3rd, 1972
The stately Angel Hotel, which opened in 1833, sits on the corner of Castle and Westgate Streets in Cardiff, overlooking the River Taff. The stone outer edifice of the Angel has stood there looking grand ever since it was constructed sometime in the 18th century, and it's fair to say it looks more or less the same as it did in 1972.
Celebrities to have stayed at the Angel Hotel include Marlene Dietrich, Gregory Peck and the Beatles.
And so began the last few hours of Keith Murdoch's rugby life. A man who TP McLean described as being 'unfathomably proud' of being an All Black, had pushed the bounds of rugby touring party heresy too far.
The formal after test match dinner was at the Angel Hotel. As the players were milling about, waiting to enter the dining room, Keefy stood in a small group that included Ernie Todd and one of the heroes of the afternoon, Joe Karam. Todd and Clock were often in the company of each other, both having an affiliation with the Marist-St. Pats club in Wellington. In recent years, Clock has told New Zealand writer and journalist, Ron Palenski, that Todd often confided in him on that tour.
Ernie Todd noticed that Keefy's blazer pocket had lost some of its stitching and was in danger of falling off. He mentioned it to Murdoch.
"I know," the prop replied. "I was going to ask about it after the weekend, after the test."
"Take it off Keith or you'll lose it," the manager replied. "I'll get it put back on properly next week."
With Clock watching on, Keefy ripped the pocket off and gave it to Todd. With the rest of the team and guests, they entered the dining room.
Over the following days, stories circulated with photos of Murdoch's 'badgeless' blazer. Theories regarding an altogether unceremonious stripping of the silver fern by Murdoch himself, or being shamed by Todd, were also promoted, but untrue. Keefy went into the test dinner without the pocket on his blazer.
As was normal protocol for such formal dinners, the tables had players from both teams and Murdoch found himself at table 'D', with allegedly 'like-minded' individuals. He, Toby Macdonald, Ron Urlich, Moose and Pole Whiting were the All Blacks. The Welshmen were Murdoch's front row opponents from that afternoon, Glyn Shaw, a coal screener from Neath (the only Welsh player on debut that day) the tighthead, Barry Llewelyn, loosehead and Jeff Young (hooker). Derek Quinnell and reserve prop, Walter Williams, completed the line-up.
The Welsh reserve hooker, Bobby Windsor, once described Glyn Shaw: "Now there was a hard boy. He went north and earned respect up there as well. What a player. He ran around like a madman."
Away from the noise and chaos outside the hotel, the dinner was a welcomed sanctuary for the players, officials, dignitaries and the few journalists who were invited. It did little to ease tensions, however. The older Welsh brigade especially, were bitter and twisted about the events of the afternoon.
"The dinner in honour of both teams was a most enjoyable affair. Officials from both countries spoke pleasantly and Ian Kirkpatrick pronounced Mr. Johnson's 'effort' as the best refereeing he'd ever experienced. It was an excellent meal, enjoyed by all - especially the top table - both teams sang and all was friendly. The Welsh players accepted their defeat and extreme disappointment exceedingly well."
J B G Thomas, The Avenging All Blacks (1973)
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"Great team get together (after the test match) and sing-song with champagne - one of the highlights of the tour. Changed, then off to dinner, where their team took defeat well. But a lot of the old fogies didn't. Dance later...then trouble."
Bryan Williams, 'Bee Gee' (excerpts from his tour diary) (1981)
It was during this dinner that the fuse was lit for events that would unfold later in the night.
In the book 'Behind the Silver Fern', Bob Burgess describes how Murdoch was goaded by one of the Welsh front-rowers who repeatedly questioned his ability and his intelligence, implying that Keefy was a bit of a dunce. Burgess was surprised Murdoch didn't lash out then and there.
There was little inter-mingling between members of either team. Welsh players were given free access to a bar at one end of the room, while the All Blacks paid for their drinks at the other. In the end, the All Blacks went back to their team room to celebrate amongst themselves.
"Keith was the barman and a tremendous host he was too. He wouldn't have a drink until everyone else was served and he always made sure there was plenty of lemonade and orange for me."
Sid Going, 'Super Sid' (1978)
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"He couldn't do enough for the team. It was a role he relished. If we ran short of anything, Keefy would be off downstairs ordering replenishments. Afterwards, he would dutifully stack all the empties into crates and generally tidy up."
Bryan Williams, 'Bee Gee' (excerpts from his tour diary) (1981)
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A security guard, accompanied by a German Shepherd straining at its leash, took exception to the noise levels and entered a room where some of the players were partying, ordering them to break it up.
The Hotel management had contracted the 'Gwent Security Service', to deal with any possible disturbances and keep anyone but guests out. Unfortunately, the presence of these security guards and their alleged provocative actions, as sampled by the AB's in their team room, was not being well received.
There were stories being bandied about of people with legitimate business being refused entry into the Angel Hotel.
Michael Robson of the NZPA was one, denied entry and unceremoniously shoved back down the steps. TP's nephew, Denis McLean (later a career diplomat), had arranged to meet his uncle in the foyer and upon attempting to explain this, was told by one of the security men; "Not bloody likely!" TP confirms in his book, that some of the security guards patrolled the hotel floors with dogs.
Downstairs, the Angel was still a seething mass of bodies, mostly wearing or carrying something red and white. Many Welsh fans were described as being 'drunk and in a truculent and disagreeable state', following the defeat of their national rugby team, beaten by a team they considered to be inferior. Most were numbed by the realisation that Wales had done enough to win the match, but had fallen short.
They were still in a state of bewilderment. The All Blacks had allegedly resorted to physical infringements late in the piece to win, so the Welsh felt that it was a hollow and valueless victory. Some of the AB's themselves, thought it to have been fortuitous, as did their own press representatives.
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"For the last twenty minutes we produced some tremendous defence and the Welsh produced a series of 'Hollywood's'. They would kick and run into our guys and fall down. We conceded about four penalties that way and - if Phil Bennett had been accurate from close range - in the final minute, the test would have been drawn."
Sid Going, 'Super Sid'. 1978
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One must spare a thought for the Welsh national side here, for they were under immense pressure to get a favourable result. They hadn't beaten New Zealand since 1953 (and at time of writing still haven't). On their tour to Aotearoa in 1969, they'd been soundly beaten in both tests matches.But they had lost just one international in four years.
They'd gained some form of revenge, making up the bulk of the victorious 1971 Lions the preceding year, but that in itself heaped more pressure on these current 'Red Dragons', the Welsh firmly believing themselves to be the finest exponents of the game of rugby union in the world (and they most probably were).
New Zealand were massive underdogs and not favoured to even come close to Wales, such was the recent hysteria. Bookies in Cardiff had Wales at 4-1 to win the match and the whole country believed that the Red Dragons were headed for a glorious victory.
Llanelli had done it. Cardiff's bitter an intimidating game plan had been askew. But the Welsh national side - or so it appeared - had only to turn up at the Arms Park and victory was almost guaranteed. Almost. On the day of 'the reckoning', when Welsh rugby was supposed to bask in the glory of the long-awaited defeat of the humourless, arrogant, Dalek-esque All Blacks...they'd been surprisingly vanquished.
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"The heart of every man, woman and child with the least touch of Welshness in blood and voice, is entirely given over to the proposition that Wales must win this day, one of her greatest victories. For the past two, three, four years she has been the champion of the four Home Unions, the champions of the Five Nations, the champion of the world.
Terry McLean, 'They Missed the Bus', 1973.
"They (the fans) found defeat hard to swallow, because they were so certain they were going to win. They had been convinced by newspapers and television that Wales couldn't lose and they reacted badly. Their initial disappointment turned to rage, drunkenness and general unpleasantness as the evening wore on. Many of the All Blacks had to discipline themselves to save getting embroiled in fights."
Sid Going, 'Super Sid'. 1978
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“I have never been an admirer of New Zealand rugby. Many All Blacks have been about as endearing as the hordes of Genghis Khan.”
Clem Thomas (1955 British Lion), The Observer newspaper, 1972
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Bryn Thomas claims that at some point in the evening, another All Black player had a brief and heated discussion with Bob Duff, for which he was reprimanded the following day. There was no doubt that the tempest was getting boisterous.
The midnight hour passed into the 'day of rest' and somewhere between 1am-2am, occurred the tours most 'explosive', turbo-charged moment, one which would have the most serious and dramatic repercussions.
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DECEMBER 3rd, 1972
"It would take a royal commission to find out exactly what did happen."
Ernie Todd, They Missed the Bus (T P McLean)
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Sometime around 2am on the morning of December 3rd, Terry McLean, returning from after match functions and festivities, was hailed by Moose Whiting, TP halfway between his car and the steps at the front doors of the Angel Hotel.
"Have you seen any sign of Keefy?"
"Not a trace," McLean replied. "What's the trouble?"
"There's been a scrap in the kitchen of the pub," Whiting replied. "That wanker Ernie is talking about sending Keith home."
"Jesus," TP exclaimed!
McLean remembered Keefy 'brushing genially' past him, as he waited to buy drinks at the bar, carrying three or four drinks himself and still grinning. The smile began the moment he had planted the ball over the Welsh try line. TP grinned back. This was around 11pm, three hours prior.
Not long after that, Murdoch went with Peter Bush, to the latter's room, to look at photographs that Bush had shot during the test match. Bush remembers being impressed by Keefy's phone manner, as he ordered room service;
"Would you mind very much sending beer and sandwiches for my friend and I?" Murdoch enquired. "Yes, yes, I understand, no hurry. But we really would be grateful if you would. Thank you very much."
It wasn't long before the order was delivered to the room.
Other reports about Keith Murdoch's movements after the dinner function are hazy and contradictory. It is known that after the team drinks, he was briefly at the dance (all the dining tables having been cleared from the hall).
Auckland Star reporter, Roy Williams, said in his column; "Keith couldn't have been happier", having encountered him, Lin Colling and Duncan Hales in the hotel foyer, somewhere near the witching hour.
At some point, after one o'clock, Keefy, on the prowl, alone or not is unknown, headed for the hotel kitchen in search of food and more beer, all bars and other avenues within the Angel Hotel having already closed.
There was some mooted suggestion later, that Murdoch was not drunk and that phrases used in the following days press such as 'drunken rampage', had their origins in Fleet Street, not in the Angel Hotel. I'm sure they did, but this seems ridiculously far fetched.
"Keith was a great player and a great team man. But under the influence of alcohol - and he really did have an enormous, super-tanker capacity for beer - he could be the bull in the china shop."
Sid Going, 'Super Sid'. 1978
A member of the Welsh Rugby Union, Jack Morgan, saw the first rocket of the fracas fired. Keefy was standing close by the kitchen door, when a waiter approached, carrying a tray of empty glasses.
With clenched fist, he jovially whacked the tray upward from underneath, sending the glasses in all directions, most of them smashing. Morgan tailed the assailant, informing him that, in his opinion, he should be ashamed of actions.
Bryn Thomas alleges that Murdoch 'charged through groups of people, causing guests to beat a hasty retreat, eventually raiding the kitchen'. The kitchen staff, mainly female, were terrified and as a result fled the scene. A security officer, Peter Grant, had advised the night porter against serving a bellicose Murdoch a further round of drinks at 1.30am.
For the big guy from Ravensbourne, all joviality had ceased, when he discovered that he was not going to be provided with anymore food or alcohol.
In 2019, Ernie Todd's daughter, Moyra Pearce, alleged that Keith Murdoch threatened and pursued a woman in the Angel Hotel, and her father's actions saved him from police prosecution.
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"A female staff member would not open the bar for Murdoch. He became abusive. She ran from him screaming into the kitchen and he pursued her before security staff intervened. We (the Todd family) were told that charges were going to be pressed. But the police said if you get him out of the country before our offices open on Monday morning, we won't press those charges.”
Moyra Pearce, Stuff, 2019 (Mark Reason)
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"The version I heard was the incident happened in - let's call it the kitchen - there was a difference of opinion between Murdoch and Grant, and Murdoch biffed him. The All Blacks were told only there had been an incident and it had been dealt with, certainly not the version you've put to me."
Bob Burgess, Stuff article (Mark Reason), 2019
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"The Cardiff Police were not prepared to press charges. If they had been, it was a criminal offence...and that is a different story."
Grant Batty, 'Batts'
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Other members of the security firm were then called to the kitchen.
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"I was called to the kitchen because Murdoch was hassling waitresses and other members of the staff, demanding food and drink and behaving in an unruly manner."
Peter Grant, Gwent Security Service
Left to right: Graham Moose Whiting, Ernie Todd, Lin Colling and J B G (Bryn) Thomas
It seems likely that, 6' 4" Peter Grant, 29, from Cwmbran, confronted Murdoch and attempted to stop him from doing whatever it was that he intended to do. An argument ensued. Other guard/s arrived as back-up to lend some muscle.
"With another guard, I asked him to leave peacefully. When he wouldn’t go, we sent for his manager, Ernie Todd. He got aggressive with Mr. Todd and threatened to hit him.”
Peter Grant, Gwent Security Service
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Ernie Todd had, by his own account, been called away from another area of the hotel by Lin Colling; "You gotta come down below, Keith's in trouble." Graham Moose Whiting, who had been with Murdoch for most of that Saturday night, says that Duncan Hales was the one who informed him that his assistance may be required. Were Hales and Colling also near the kitchen at the start of the fracas?
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"I first heard about it when Duncan Hales came into the team room upstairs, where we were having a party, saying that Keith was having a bit of trouble and that perhaps I should go and see what I could do. The security guards were there, plus some of the kitchen staff...and Keith. He'd obviously been having a heated discussion with this guy Grant, but no blows had been struck. I spent a couple of minutes soothing things over and at that stage everything was, quite frankly, sweet as a nut."
Graham Whiting, 'Kirky' (1990)
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There were some reports that Murdoch hit Ernie Todd, but with no bruises or cuts evident enough to suggest that he had been struck by a goliath, within the All Black environment, they were not taken seriously. The manager himself, denied the rumours that Murdoch hit him.
Accounts do vary however, as to whether or not Murdoch hit Grant before or after Todd's arrival. In his book, 'Batts says; "Keith's incident was in front of nobody. He was being verbally abused and he retaliated, as a lot of us would have." Ernie Todd's statement concerning the royal commission, also tends to lean toward the theory that he was not there, or said he was not there, when Murdoch hit Peter Grant.
In 'They Missed The Bus', TP suggests that antagonistic insults such as 'no good bum' and 'bloody animal' were hurled by Grant in Keefy's direction and he clearly fancied his chances.
Ex-All Black physio, Malcolm Hood stated in an interview with Neil Read for the New Zealand Herald (2022); "Keith did some things which did get him into trouble, but he stood up for the underdog...and that is exactly what happened that night in Cardiff." Hood has personally spoken of the incident, to one of the security guards on duty that evening, who said Murdoch's actions were in part to support a smaller teammate who had earlier had an altercation with Grant.
Members of the next All Blacks team to visit Wales in 1978, were told that Murdoch had lashed out in retaliation to treatment a physically smaller member of the squad had suffered at the hands of hotel security.
Although not specified, Lin Colling was probably the smaller teammate. Colling - as the captain of Murdoch's Otago side - was one of the few individuals that was able to reason with Keefy, when he was in these rambunctious moods. They often roomed together, on this tour and when Otago had been on the road in provincial fixtures back home.
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“Then some of the other All Blacks turned up and said; “Leave him to us - we can handle him.”. They held me back to stop me getting at him. Our men restrained him, with one or two of the New Zealand players helping. It was ridiculous. We were there to protect the New Zealanders. This should never have happened.”
Peter Grant, Gwent Security Service
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There are many accounts, including his own, that Moose, after being asked to intervene by Duncan Hales, was the first All Black at the scene. It is a safe assumption that Lin Colling returned soon thereafter with Ernie Todd. By ways of the AB 'internal enquiry', it is also known that Moose was 'influential in persuading Murdoch to leave the kitchen'. There may have been other All Blacks on hand by this time.
One who unfortunately was not, was I an Kirkpatrick. After the official dinner, he and then fiancee, Robyn, had gone with Jeff and Jackie Matheson, to another Cardiff nightspot to find some quiet away from the bedlam at the Angel Hotel.
"It's a pity I wasn't there, but you just can't be everywhere at once. It was probably a pity too, that Jeff wasn't there either. He knew Keith better than anyone and had a great way with him."
Ian Kirkpatrick, 'Kirky' (1990)
Moose negated the situation, before an irate and semi-intoxicated Todd burst into the room, demanding that Keith immediately desist with his unruly behaviour. Murdoch refused and without hesitation, Todd announced; "That's it Murdoch, this time you're going home!" According to Whiting, it was then that Murdoch, reacted violently.
"If that's the case," the beleaguered prop said, "then I might as well make a job of it and fix this guy."
With that he stepped forward and wacked Peter Grant, knocking him down. Keefy hurried out of the kitchen and it was a good three hours before anyone sighted him again.
"We withdrew, but as they came out of the kitchen, I was talking to one of the other players and thought Murdoch had gone. As we turned to go, he came up from behind and struck me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw an enormous fist - twice the size of mine - flying through the air. It landed on my face and sent me reeling. I saw stars. It was the hardest punch I have taken, if he had caught me full on, I would have been knocked onto the street. I know Judo and Karate and I could have stopped the blow if I had time. But it was a punch that gave me no chance.”
Peter Grant, Gwent Security Service
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Murdoch punched at least Peter Grant and he staggered away, holding his head. It is unclear whether he collected a backhander or an aimed punch, but contrary to his statement above, one report suggests that he left the kitchen clutching at his eye and muttering obscenities.
"The security guard told me his colleague had it coming to him," Malcolm Hood said. "He said it was the funniest thing... as he came running down to where the commotion was, he saw these big swinging doors open, and just like a western movie, his colleague came flying through them."
Apparently he laughed and said to Peter Grant; "You deserved that."
This is also pretty much the 'chain of events' related by many players on that tour, but Murdoch himself later disputed the version. So too Ernie Todd, by way of a cassette recording he'd sent home during the tour. Todd's widow, Pat, gave the tape to Radio NZ journalist Garry Ahern in 1990, in response to comments made in 'Kirky', Ian Kirkpatrick's biography.
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"These buggers wouldn't leave him alone. Just when I had quietened him down, he turned around and took to them….there were men milling around and he was knocking them down. They were trying to slam him against the wall and one of the security guards rushed in with a baton. I said, 'Don't you dare use that, I'll call the police'."
Ernie Todd, excerpt from a cassette tape sent home to his wife, Pat.
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"Keith, apparently hungry, went to the kitchen looking for food and told to leave. Security guards called, Ernie Todd came along and told Keith to leave without inquiring as to why he was there. Keith became belligerent and refused and once told he was 'definitely going home', brawl and that was that. Keith like a mad bull, but obviously needled into it. The guard he whacked had deliberately bumped into him and said; "so you're the guy who thinks you're so bloody tough!" John Dawes had accused Keith at dinner, of being too scared to play against the '71 Lions."
Bryan Williams, 'Bee Gee' (excerpts from his tour diary) (1981)
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"Most of the time he was 100 percent. But that night he got particularly hungry and couldn't find any food. The Welsh thought they were going to walk all over us, we didn't look too good going into the test and when we beat them they couldn't handle it. Their behaviour was disgraceful, even in the hotel they wouldn't give us food, wouldn't give us anything. So that's what happened. It created a very, very toxic situation and being a bit of a hot-headed guy, Keith was caught in the crossfire. I think if I'd been there I'd also have punched that guy, he was an arrogant bugger, that security guard.”
Alan Sutherland (Stuff, Peter Jones, 2013)
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"There was just the one blow struck, that's all. It was far from the all-in-brawl it has been described as. It was what Ernie said that led to the security guard being struck. I'm sure if Ernie had not arrived on the scene, the whole incident would have passed in the night and never been mentioned again. Ernie said the wrong thing at the wrong time and said it without checking what had happened."
Graham Whiting, 'Kirky' (1990)
“We stayed at the same hotel, the Angel. We went out to dinner that night and had come back for a drink. Lin Colling was there, and Keith. Keith was in a great mood. We were in the foyer later and Peter Grant, this big security guard, came bursting in and said, ''That bastard Murdoch just king-hit me in the eye''. We didn't know what had happened. Keith disappeared.
We tried to find him, but couldn't. We later found out Keith had gone into the kitchen to get a late-night snack and had got into this argument with the bloke. The manager, Ernie Todd, came in and told Keith he was on the next plane home. So Keith figured he might as well make a job of this bloke. It was very sad. Keith was almost an innocent party.”
Roy Williams (1966 Commonwealth Games Gold Medal winner and Auckland Star journalist)
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Murdoch was ushered back upstairs. Lin Colling - as one of the players closest to Murdoch - told journalist, John Brooks of The Christchurch Press, that he tended a cut on a Murdoch finger, the two of them had a beer and Murdoch curled up in Colling's bed. Colling himself went to Ian Kirkpatrick's room.
The All Black players were adamant that Keefy had been provoked by Peter Grant, whose story became more graphic with every telling In the days that followed. His black eye became a badge of honour, as he lapped up his fifteen minutes of television and newspaper fame.
But Keefy had been under the hammer in the British press, since before the tourists even touched down at Heathrow. And - particularly in Wales - he was some sort of gothic villain, vilified at every post. He could never be out of the spotlight, or away from the spiteful jeering and hostility that he encountered, but also the entire team, branded as 'boring' and 'humourless', the worst side from New Zealand to ever set foot in the British Isles.
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" With all the bitterness on the day - and preceding weeks - one is left with the distinct impression that Murdoch’s punch on the security guard had the weight of the entire All Black team and perhaps even New Zealand behind it. In light of all that, perhaps we should have owed tragic old Keith a pint or two for his roundhouse swing of misplaced justice."
The Spotter, 'Sports Freak' website, 2018
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Those who knew Keefy best, like Lin Colling, said that he was basically a boy in a massively powerful, 110kg international prop's body. Colling was once quoted as saying that Murdoch was the go to man for fathers in the Otago team who needed a babysitter. "I think that's when he was happiest," Colling said, "playing with kids.”
Murdoch had confided in Colling how, growing up much bigger than his peers, he'd be teased at school. Lacking the ability to strike back with words, he'd snap and hit a tormenter. Teachers saw the results of a big boy hitting a little boy, and tagged Murdoch as a bully. It was behaviour that would sometimes surface in the adult Murdoch. A man not so much likely to start trouble, but who could be egged into it by others, and a man who constantly had to deal with drunken fans trying to bait him into a fight.
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"I was deeply saddened when he was sent home. He had blotted his copybook somehow and the team management felt this was a justifiable course of action. I didn't know the full circumstances, but I and hundreds of other rugby players have raided hotel kitchens in the wee small hours. It was a rugby tradition, bordering on the compulsory, a sort of rite of passage. Was a fracas involved? I don't know and therefore can't vindicate his actions, but, for the record, I will always remember Keith Murdoch as the caring man of Dunadry Inn."
Stewart McKinney
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As for what really happened in Cardiff, the small group that really did know Murdoch's side of things are no longer with us (Moose Whiting aside). Murdoch shared his version of events with Lin Colling, a man in whom he had great trust, who arrived late on the scene, but helped quell the kitchen fracas.
Colling refused, through the rest of his tragically shortened life, to betray Murdoch's confidence, with one exception. So concerned was he, with the disparity between what Murdoch told him and the published version of events, Colling told two NZRFU Councillors.
Nothing ever came of it, most have passed on, taking the story with them.