Speaking after the wedding of son Hamish (36) to Courtney Smith — granddaughter of Otago All Black the late Ray Bell — at Lake Hawea, he said the next event might be the birth of another southern All Black.
"They’re going to be five-eighths, or centres or fullbacks, not flankers."
Hamish, a pest contractor, and Courtney, a district nurse, met five years ago at the Cromwell races. It was at Mr Bell’s 90th birthday they discovered the All Black connection.
Mr Bell, whose sense of humour was in better shape than his memory, took it that Courtney was with Ken, rather than Hamish Stewart.
Hamish: "And, then he said to me, ‘you’re the biggest cheat I’ve ever seen’."
The old Southland-Otago rivalry however did not extend to All Black service, with Mr Bell expressing his admiration for Mr Stewart’s nine-year career (1972-81) as an All Black flanker.
And Mr Stewart yesterday paid that back, acknowledging Mr Bell’s contribution to the game in 1951 and 1952.
Mr Bell’s career, as fullback, came to a premature end because of a knee injury.
The couple plan to live in Cromwell.
