1986 - Northern Transvaal vs NZ Cavaliers rugby (Battle of the Giants)

Northern Transvaal 9 - 10 NZ Cavaliers
New Zealand Cavalier Tour to South Africa
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
26 April 1986

[@MrAhuapai]

That one sucker punch from behind effectively ended Daltons reign as captain and hooker. Dalton never played again on that tour. When he eventually recovered from the broken jaw, back in NZ a certain young Sean Fitzpatrick had got his spot against the French touring side. None of the Baby Blacks as they were known had gone to SA and they beat the 5 nations champions in a classic test. Fitzpatrick would go onto break the world record for consecutive tests as a test player and first AB to play 100 tests. Dalton was cruelly punished for joining the ill fated Cavaliers series.

[@nepiahemopo1702]

NZRU banned the telecasts. 😢 These pods are fantastic! 😂 Under the current rules, the TMO would run out of cards!!😂😂😂

[@walt3299]

Yes. Gave him the honour of playing international rugby when the rest of the world wouldn't.

[@christoduplessis8177]

Burger Geldenhuis regretted that punch so much. It painted him as that guy, and it cost him dearly when it came to the Springboks.

[@Sunshinez732]

Agreed. But it was a blind, premeditated punch. He deserved the regret.

[@christoduplessis8177]

@@Sunshinez732 the series was really ill tempered. The Cavaliers Natal game was a fight, not a rugby match. New Zealand also had a bad reputation in South Africa for fighting at the time (remember this is 1986, information wasn't available and what happened before to Jaap Bekker in New Zealand and the 1981 series was how things were viewed in SA). But yes, he certainly deserved what he got.

[@frederickwalsh1053]

Would of walked the team off the feild

[@christoduplessis8177]

Why, just a few moments before the number 5 lock from the Cavaliers trampled all over a blue player and then threw a couple of punches at the hooker. New Zealand were no angels in this game.

[@contrarian717]

One stupid moment spoiling a spectacle, what a pity.

[@soidog659]

Geldenhuis disgraced and embarrased the Springboks. Lost all respect for the thug ever since.

[@Sunshinez732]

Today, that will earn you a criminal conviction. And rightly so. Completely off the ball.

[@pauli6570]

Vuilgatte donner…

[@clinthay5222]

U obviously did something to him !