Ricki Herbert keeping busy

SPORTS TALK - BY JOSEPH ROMANOS - THE WELLINGTONIAN

OPINION: You'd think Ricki Herbert would be busy enough at the moment, what with trying to guide the All Whites into the World Cup football finals and also coaching the Phoenix.

But striking while the iron's hot, Herbert has chosen now to have his biography published.

A New Fire, written by Phoenix kit man (and former Dominion sports editor) Russell Gray, traces Herbert's career from his days as a promising young soccer player in south Auckland, through the famous 1982 World Cup campaign, to his days as a professional in England and his high-profile coaching career.

The publication of the book last month required Herbert to attend various publicity functions and give interviews.

I jokingly asked Herbert the other day if he had been feeling under-employed just lately.

"I know, it's madness," he laughed.

However, in his usual calm manner, Herbert seems to be managing this frenetic time in his life especially well.

Here's hoping Herbert's All Whites can beat Bahrain on Sunday and qualify for next year's World Cup finals.

Guildford latest wing sensation

Zac Guildford joined the list of All Black wings who have made sensational test debuts with his stirring play against Wales over the weekend.

Guildford, just 20, turned in a man-of-the-match performance to help the All Blacks to their hard-won 19-12 victory over a rejuvenated Welsh side.

The Hawke's Bay flyer's debut will be best remembered for his lightning dash to cut down Alun-Wyn Jones after the Welshman had intercepted, run 60 metres and was threatening to grab a score-levelling try near fulltime.

He was also pivotal in the lead-up to Andrew Hore's first-half try, showing strength and determination to carry the ball almost to the Welsh line.

What I liked most was his urgency.

It has often been the way for young New Zealand wingers.

Wellingtonian Ron Jarden was just 21 when he was drafted into the All Black team for the tour of Australia in 1951. Jarden was a wonder, scoring six tries and kicking 10 conversions against East Coast and scoring two tries in the second test.

A test player for only a few months, he was named New Zealand Sportsman of the Year in 1951.

Aucklander Bryan Williams was just as impressive when he made his debut on the tour of South Africa in 1970.

Old hands like Brian Lochore and Colin Meads still say they have never seen such brilliance as the 19-year-old Williams showed on that tour.

Another Aucklander, John Kirwan, burst on to the representative scene in 1983, pulled from the Auckland third grade club competition by coach John Hart.

A year later, having hurried up Stu Wilson in a trial match, the 19-year-old was on the wing for the All Blacks and tormenting the French.

Jeff Wilson edged out Kirwan for the test right-wing berth on the 1993 tour of Britain.

In his debut against Scotland, when he was still a day shy of his 20th birthday, Wilson scored three tries and kicked a sideline conversion to signal the arrival of a great talent.

Jonah Lomu didn't have the most auspicious of test debuts when called in prematurely to play France in 1994, aged just 19 years, 45 days.

But within a year he was the talk of the rugby world, after a string of phenomenal performances in the World Cup in South Africa.

So Guildford had a lot to live up to when he stepped on to the field at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

How would a 20-year-old with limited exposure to top rugby cope in such a pressure-cooker atmosphere?

What Guildford emphasised was that class is undeniable.

As with other legendary All Black wingers down the years, he immediately looked at home in the test arena.

Hopefully his performance against Wales heralds the beginning of another great wing's career.