There were faster midfielders. There were midfielders with more explosive power. And there were midfielders who played a lot longer for the Highlanders than his three seasons.
For the total package, though, you could not do much better than the popular bloke forever known as JL.
He was regularly labelled the Mr Reliable of the Highlanders backline.
That possibly sounded like a bit of a back-handed compliment — Leslie’s more pragmatic rugby approach being overshadowed by the magic dust of men like Brendan Laney and Jeff Wilson outside him — but people said it with love.
He had plenty of his own attacking vigour, his pass was excellent bordering on sublime, and his defence was sound.
Perhaps, above all, the lasting memories of Leslie the player were his game management and his rugby smarts. It was no surprise he turned to coaching with great success after his retirement.
Leslie was the regular No 12 for the Highlanders through their first three seasons and was in career-best form in 1998, the year he also helped inspire arguably the greatest Otago team in history to a second NPC title.
‘‘I always thought that 27-28 would be the time I’d reach my peak,’’ he told Otago Daily Times sports editor Brent Edwards that year.
‘‘I’m pretty much a late developer.’’
It turned out to be his last year with the Highlanders.
Leslie, whom many in the South felt was good enough to play test rugby and follow in the All Blacks footsteps of father Andy, got his chance when he become one of the so-called Kilted Kiwis.
He joined the Glasgow club and played 23 tests for Scotland, including a handful as captain. In 1999, in the last of the Five Nations tournaments before Italy joined the party, Leslie scored the quickest try in test history — after just 10 seconds — against Wales at Murrayfield. He then scored two tries against France as Scotland claimed the title.
Leslie, who also played in Japan and England, became an outstanding coach at both community and senior levels. He won club banners with both University and Southern, led the Otago under-19 team to an unbeaten season, and coached Northland in the NPC.
The surname got wide recognition through his Leslie Rugby business. He now works in the finance sector.
