Diminutive winger Grant Batty was an All Blacks star of the 1970s, as much for his dynamic rugby skills as for his stature. Just 1.65m tall and 65kg, Batty was a tiny man even in an era where rugby players were not as bulked up as they are today. (By comparison, current All Blacks wing Sevu Reece is 1.79m tall and 98kg). What Batty lacked in size he made up for with sheer speed and a pugnacious approach to the game — he was renowned for physically confronting opponents far bigger than himself. Born in Greytown in 1951, Batty made his representative rugby debut for Wellington in 1970. He made his All Blacks debut on the 1972-73 northern hemisphere tour and over the next five years he played 56 games for New Zealand, including 15 tests. He scored 45 tries, the most famous a kick-and-chase try against the Barbarians in 1972 and a spectacular intercept try against the British Lions in 1977. That match-winning try was in the first test of that tour and it was to be Batty’s last All Blacks match — a serious knee injury led to his retirement a year later. Batty later moved to Australia and coached in Queensland. He also coached Japanese top-tier club Yamaha Jubilo. Grant Batty died on January 16, aged 74. — Agencies/Allied Media
