I used to watch Leigh and remember them signing Les Boyd, I did not know of him at the time but even though getting on in his career, I recall him being a hard man and certainly bolstered up our forward pack and was well liked by the crowd.
I love hearing this.. how he had to control his mind to overcome fear.. there’s a lot to learn here for any man that steps into any form of combat. “They’re only human”
You're obviously a Warrington lad Kev! The most feasrome pack I've ever seen in my life at the old House Of Pain. Boyd, Tamati, Jackson. Remember World War 3 in 88 on New Year's Day? Oh Jesus.......
@@mickdevlin with rathbone and Roberts in the second row behind them. Jesus!! Even the backline in that team could all handle themselves. Nobody f##ked about with the wire side of the mid to late 80s!!
@@cliffclavin3865 What else can I say Cliff? Monsters, utter monsters! Kevin will always be loved in Warrington; "I am a Maori warrior. I do not step back." God bless The Mighty Tamati, all of his family and God save The Mighty Wire.
I played league in NZ back in the early eighties and their was nothing gentlemanly about it although i didnt play in wellington, My boxing coach put the hard word on me to make a choice between league and boxing. At the time boxing was all training as fights were hard to come buy so the choice was simple. I told my coach "well Im guaranteed to get a fight every week playing league"
Absolutely fearless. He made every kiwi watching in those days think they were Playing . If your were watching live or watching on Tv his passion and his take no prisoner attitude charged you up so much you felt like You wanted to be in the trenches with Kevin Tamati. Jake the Muss was a movie Character. Kevin Tamati is The true Warrior.
I agree. I'm an Aussie but the Tamatis were the real deal. The interesting thing is that he admits being nervous. I think ALL players are. Boyd too. It's overcoming the fear that is so admirable. In boxing, if you get in the ring and you aren't nervous, they check you for a pulse.
@@someonesomewhere1600 I think Blocker admitted in his autobiography that Tamari got the better of him early in his test career, but after that a big No. Blocker owned the middle of the ruck most of his career.
Most of the true enforcers of the game are Lunatics and especially in the Old Days practically all the hard men from the 70s,80s say Tamati was one of the toughest and meanest they ever Saw because in that era that's what you had to be...... simple
@@sonnyblack6121 Agreed Kevin Tamati was a tough and talented player in a hard era; the Kiwis (and the Poms) beat the Kangaroos when they played football not when they took cheap shots; having said that I saw a replay of the game after listening to his description of what happened and he was not fair to himself; the game is great; Kevin has a few of details mixed up: you can see it and make up your own mind on You Tube "Kiwis vs Kangaroos Game 1 1980 Carlaw Park"
@Darren Walsh All I said was some of the Hardest men of the era Blocker Roache etc have gone on record as saying Tamati was not the man to muck around with.I didn't say Anything about Aussie Competition
@@2crgtmacao I think your mixed up because I've watched all the test from the 80s in which he played and he was in everything slot of players hit the players without the ball it was. A tactic that coaches encouraged no video refs Kurt Sorenson done it all the time he was in my opinion a much better player than KT and that's not taking anything from Tamati he should of gone to Sydney early we won the test in 83 through Ruthless play also Carlawin 85 it's not a game of soccer
Great story. ..Boyd was the filthiest Aussie of his era..in 83 State of Origin...Bromin was tackled by one guy and he was protecting the ball, boyd came in and just smashed him in the face with his elbow and broke his jaw..but that was the end of Boyd, he was suspended for a while and never came back...but the 85 series when Kevin was fighting that big Aussie guy, Qlder in Brisbane..was awesome...we stuck it to the cocky Kangaroos!Go Kiwis!
Faze jaiw Willoughby I'm sat 300 yards from warrington rlfc as I'm typing this. Different ground now, but Wirldespool where the great man played was within walking distance. Crazy mad as f**k away days. Cheers Sir Les.
I heard from someone in Young NSW that Les Boyd was a lovely gentleman off the field. Mowed his elderly neighbours lawn for nothing etc. I would have run a mile if I met him on the paddock 😂😂😂
He was a hard man. And to be fair, Boyd's reputation was well earned. So this makes for an interesting tale. I hear what he's saying about the sponsorship etc. but a lot of the Aussies were from humble beginnings too. Anyway, good days, hard men, and I always thought the Tamatis were a force to be reckoned with. I don't think the Aussie players ever underestimated them. Mutual respect. Me? I woulda taken one look at the bloody haka and walked off: "Too good for me!" haha. Cheers Kevin!
You would think that Kevin got over Les Boyd and the Kangaroos. Far from it. Kevin should watch the game before commenting on it. He says he “propping” and then he’s playing second row. His memory has enhanced his play and he is big noting himself. He says at the kick off Greg Brettnal catches the ball near the posts and he hits Boyd well away from the play. That’s not what the video showed, and even if it did it’s would be a cheap cowardly hit
And Boyd was never known for that kind of thing? Boyd would be the kind of opponent that you'd have to make sure you got the first hit on. Ball or not....
Well THAT WAS IT FOR KEVIN his Vague Recollection of a Nothing Event. LES BOYD Played in more Winning Teams than Kevin could've Dreamt of Doing. LES PLAYED HIS THREE LAST SEASONS IN ENGLAND. WINNING MANY INDIVIDUAL AWARDS and Club Competitions.
@@louaiga74 NZ hard?? Please they're SHIT in LEAGUE and had some hard men and NONE anything near Les Boyd. The only reason Tamati beat Dowling was because Dowling SLIPPED and then couldnt get up. Ya fat little Maori wouldn't get near Boyd in ability or toughness
@@tonygoodwin2834 Tamati is rated by some of the hardest to play as the hardest/meanest player they ever went up against. What country did you play for???
TAIPAN nope, as a die hard blue i can say without prejudice that Dowling might have been tough smacking around tradies in the Brisbane comp but he was a myth. If he was any good he would have been down in Sydney playing in the mid 80's. I'm glad he got found out in front of those morons at Lang Park, you'd think after that Hancock guy got blasted they'd have gotten the hint that Tamati wasnt some Valleys or Wynum Manly pretender.
@@tonygoodwin2834 Steve Roach known as one of the toughest to play for Australia,Said that when he fought Tamati he was grateful everyone stopped it coz Tamati was belting the crap out of him (Tamati was half his size) reckons he only got a punch in because people were holding Tamati.....If Roach says it I believe it
I loved watching Tamati smash those Queensland chumps that used to get selected for australia based on holding their own in one match a year, the first state of origin, against a blues side that had to play hard every week in the sydney comp, guys like Muppet Murray , Rohan Hancock, Cornescu, they were rubbish but the rule was if a nsw player was injured they'd put in some jobber from QLD.
Tamati has always been an up himself wanker. You can tell by the way hes talkin. I was i jail here in NZ in 85, im a kiwi, and maori, lol. Anyway, i had a mate in the can, pretty harmless white guy, we played chess a lot. Anyways, my mate Bert, from the can, in for fraud, said hed been at a party in Auckland with his wife, a current Miss NZ at the time. Bert reckon Tamati was there, and Tamati said to him, im gonna sleep with your wife tonight, i said, what happened, he said, he did!! Thats exact how bert told me, wether it truly happened or not, i dunno. But this piece is dumb aye. The way he tells it, what a clpwn, they werent gods, he didnt get up and burn me, oh i see, after u cheap shotted him, right, gotcha. But it must be remembered what he did to Dowling at Lang park, cleaned him up man. Tamati could fight, theres no doubt about that, and he was a genuine hard man, i guess, but as we know, that is not truly the measure of a man. I was coached by James Leuleuai in the early 90s and he was a dead set gent, but thats another story, lol. Cheers bro. 🙂
I don't think so. He was a shit-stirrer, sure. But he took his licks too. He was dirty, no doubt about that. But also a good footballer. My biggest knock on him is leaving Wests to go to Manly, same as Brown and Dorahy etc.
a very lovely man Kevin is and a Legend + a Great player for the WIRE ...
A brilliant way to overcome adversity and self doubt is to face is head on. A great example.
I used to watch Leigh and remember them signing Les Boyd, I did not know of him at the time but even though getting on in his career, I recall him being a hard man and certainly bolstered up our forward pack and was well liked by the crowd.
Kevin coached our school about 1985 in Warrington, Beaumont juniors in the Ashton cup final ,my mum's still got it on video. Top fella
I love hearing this.. how he had to control his mind to overcome fear.. there’s a lot to learn here for any man that steps into any form of combat. “They’re only human”
Such a quality human being and a great man with an even better way of expressing his life experiences!
Kevin worked in a butchers shop a few doors down from the shop I worked in he was also a taxi driver in Warrington
You're obviously a Warrington lad Kev! The most feasrome pack I've ever seen in my life at the old House Of Pain. Boyd, Tamati, Jackson. Remember World War 3 in 88 on New Year's Day? Oh Jesus.......
@@mickdevlin with rathbone and Roberts in the second row behind them. Jesus!! Even the backline in that team could all handle themselves. Nobody f##ked about with the wire side of the mid to late 80s!!
@@cliffclavin3865 What else can I say Cliff? Monsters, utter monsters! Kevin will always be loved in Warrington; "I am a Maori warrior. I do not step back." God bless The Mighty Tamati, all of his family and God save The Mighty Wire.
Yup keV gave me many a lift home after a night out !!
I played league in NZ back in the early eighties and their was nothing gentlemanly about it although i didnt play in wellington,
My boxing coach put the hard word on me to make a choice between league and boxing. At the time boxing was all training as fights were hard to come buy so the choice was simple. I told my coach "well Im guaranteed to get a fight every week playing league"
Haha. Nice.
Lmfao 😂🤣😅. Awesome.
Yes, it's a mind set like all challenges.
He still looks young and fit!🤣 True Kiwi Legend his scrap with that Aussie fuzz mop will go down in history. Thank you KT. Kiwi made NZ W arrior.🇳🇿😛!!
You are a legend Kevvie,from an Aussie admirer.
Spoken like a real gentleman.
Kiwis are always as hard as cement..take no prisoners.
Saw a lot of this golden age of kiwi legends in uk in 80s...all top players, and often head and shoulders above the homegrowns...
Tam and dowlling fight priceless 😅
Absolutely fearless. He made every kiwi watching in those days think they were Playing . If your were watching live or watching on Tv his passion and his take no prisoner attitude charged you up so much you felt like You wanted to be in the trenches with Kevin Tamati. Jake the Muss was a movie Character. Kevin Tamati is The true Warrior.
I agree. I'm an Aussie but the Tamatis were the real deal. The interesting thing is that he admits being nervous. I think ALL players are. Boyd too. It's overcoming the fear that is so admirable. In boxing, if you get in the ring and you aren't nervous, they check you for a pulse.
I think even Jake the Muss would shit his pants if he saw Kevi across the park.
Your best "work" Kevin was on Roach and Dowling in '85, and I'm an Aussie! Your a Legend Mr. Tamati.
I know Blocker. I don't know that anyone really got over the top of him. Give and take.
@@someonesomewhere1600 I think Blocker admitted in his autobiography that Tamari got the better of him early in his test career, but after that a big No. Blocker owned the middle of the ruck most of his career.
cheap shot off the ball; what a hard man?
Most of the true enforcers of the game are Lunatics and especially in the Old Days practically all the hard men from the 70s,80s say Tamati was one of the toughest and meanest they ever Saw because in that era that's what you had to be...... simple
@@sonnyblack6121 Agreed Kevin Tamati was a tough and talented player in a hard era; the Kiwis (and the Poms) beat the Kangaroos when they played football not when they took cheap shots; having said that I saw a replay of the game after listening to his description of what happened and he was not fair to himself; the game is great; Kevin has a few of details mixed up: you can see it and make up your own mind on You Tube "Kiwis vs Kangaroos Game 1 1980 Carlaw Park"
@Darren Walsh All I said was some of the Hardest men of the era Blocker Roache etc have gone on record as saying Tamati was not the man to muck around with.I didn't say Anything about Aussie Competition
Typical kiwi
@@2crgtmacao I think your mixed up because I've watched all the test from the 80s in which he played and he was in everything slot of players hit the players without the ball it was. A tactic that coaches encouraged no video refs Kurt Sorenson done it all the time he was in my opinion a much better player than KT and that's not taking anything from Tamati he should of gone to Sydney early we won the test in 83 through Ruthless play also Carlawin 85 it's not a game of soccer
awesome yarn
Awesome insight I was a huge les Boyd fan in the day. I felt like I was with kevvie in the sheds. I’m pretty sure Boyd has a off game 😇
Great story. ..Boyd was the filthiest Aussie of his era..in 83 State of Origin...Bromin was tackled by one guy and he was protecting the ball, boyd came in and just smashed him in the face with his elbow and broke his jaw..but that was the end of Boyd, he was suspended for a while and never came back...but the 85 series when Kevin was fighting that big Aussie guy, Qlder in Brisbane..was awesome...we stuck it to the cocky Kangaroos!Go Kiwis!
He’s now in Hastings living with my sister in law
My pops Les Boyd I’m at his house as I’m typing
Faze jaiw Willoughby I'm sat 300 yards from warrington rlfc as I'm typing this. Different ground now, but Wirldespool where the great man played was within walking distance. Crazy mad as f**k away days. Cheers Sir Les.
Great player . Was 5ft zero but every forward knew he was on the paddock. As the game got tougher he got better .
I heard from someone in Young NSW that Les Boyd was a lovely gentleman off the field. Mowed his elderly neighbours lawn for nothing etc.
I would have run a mile if I met him on the paddock 😂😂😂
Tell him I saw him causing trouble at Lidcombe Dancers Club one night way back. :-)
Les Boyd was a brilliant forward his representative duty says it all unfortunately ended up with a target 🎯 on him ,
Didn’t NZ get flogged in that game?
Yes 26-7 he forgot to mention that lol
Yeah i had just picked up elle McPherson..and claudia schiffer on the way to that game and saw you do all that😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
He was a hard man. And to be fair, Boyd's reputation was well earned. So this makes for an interesting tale. I hear what he's saying about the sponsorship etc. but a lot of the Aussies were from humble beginnings too. Anyway, good days, hard men, and I always thought the Tamatis were a force to be reckoned with. I don't think the Aussie players ever underestimated them. Mutual respect. Me? I woulda taken one look at the bloody haka and walked off: "Too good for me!" haha. Cheers Kevin!
You would think that Kevin got over Les Boyd and the Kangaroos. Far from it. Kevin should watch the game before commenting on it. He says he “propping” and then he’s playing second row. His memory has enhanced his play and he is big noting himself. He says at the kick off Greg Brettnal catches the ball near the posts and he hits Boyd well away from the play. That’s not what the video showed, and even if it did it’s would be a cheap cowardly hit
And Boyd was never known for that kind of thing? Boyd would be the kind of opponent that you'd have to make sure you got the first hit on. Ball or not....
Agreed.
😂😂😂😂😂
Well THAT WAS IT FOR KEVIN his Vague Recollection of a Nothing Event. LES BOYD Played in more Winning Teams than Kevin could've Dreamt of Doing. LES PLAYED HIS THREE LAST SEASONS IN ENGLAND. WINNING MANY INDIVIDUAL AWARDS and Club Competitions.
KT still cracked him though
Big noting yourself aren’t you Kev - you lost the match 27-6 so do you really think your tough guy antics that day were all that effective??
one of the best new Zealand players at widnes.
Les would a received a another huge suspension so can understand why he didn’t retaliate
So he hit Les Boyd off the ball? Was Boyd looking at him? Cannot remember this happening
Les boyd was hard untill he came to new zealand
@@louaiga74 NZ hard?? Please they're SHIT in LEAGUE and had some hard men and NONE anything near Les Boyd. The only reason Tamati beat Dowling was because Dowling SLIPPED and then couldnt get up. Ya fat little Maori wouldn't get near Boyd in ability or toughness
@@tonygoodwin2834 Tamati is rated by some of the hardest to play as the hardest/meanest player they ever went up against. What country did you play for???
TAIPAN nope, as a die hard blue i can say without prejudice that Dowling might have been tough smacking around tradies in the Brisbane comp but he was a myth. If he was any good he would have been down in Sydney playing in the mid 80's. I'm glad he got found out in front of those morons at Lang Park, you'd think after that Hancock guy got blasted they'd have gotten the hint that Tamati wasnt some Valleys or Wynum Manly pretender.
@@tonygoodwin2834 Steve Roach known as one of the toughest to play for Australia,Said that when he fought Tamati he was grateful everyone stopped it coz Tamati was belting the crap out of him (Tamati was half his size) reckons he only got a punch in because people were holding Tamati.....If Roach says it I believe it
Anyone can take a cheap shot.
The Ledgend
LEAGUE LEGEND 👌💪😎
Tickets on himself..
And takes a bloody long time to tell a short story
or just telling the truth
Kiwis win the Fight lose the game doesn't sound smart to me
He said "when the bell went", my guy here was in the mindset that it was a boxing match
I loved watching Tamati smash those Queensland chumps that used to get selected for australia based on holding their own in one match a year, the first state of origin, against a blues side that had to play hard every week in the sydney comp, guys like Muppet Murray , Rohan Hancock, Cornescu, they were rubbish but the rule was if a nsw player was injured they'd put in some jobber from QLD.
This is pathetic. Dog shot Les Boyd coz you knew he would’ve beaten the breaks off you in a fair fight?
Tamati has always been an up himself wanker. You can tell by the way hes talkin. I was i jail here in NZ in 85, im a kiwi, and maori, lol. Anyway, i had a mate in the can, pretty harmless white guy, we played chess a lot. Anyways, my mate Bert, from the can, in for fraud, said hed been at a party in Auckland with his wife, a current Miss NZ at the time. Bert reckon Tamati was there, and Tamati said to him, im gonna sleep with your wife tonight, i said, what happened, he said, he did!! Thats exact how bert told me, wether it truly happened or not, i dunno. But this piece is dumb aye. The way he tells it, what a clpwn, they werent gods, he didnt get up and burn me, oh i see, after u cheap shotted him, right, gotcha. But it must be remembered what he did to Dowling at Lang park, cleaned him up man. Tamati could fight, theres no doubt about that, and he was a genuine hard man, i guess, but as we know, that is not truly the measure of a man. I was coached by James Leuleuai in the early 90s and he was a dead set gent, but thats another story, lol. Cheers bro. 🙂
yeah but he wasnt that keen after he got sucker smacked
😂😂😂😂
Cheap shot, dog act, big mouth. It's all how U tell the story.
les boyd was a cheap shot merchant..one of the best
Boyd had a big mouth on him even when he wasn't in the green and gold
I don't think so. He was a shit-stirrer, sure. But he took his licks too. He was dirty, no doubt about that. But also a good footballer. My biggest knock on him is leaving Wests to go to Manly, same as Brown and Dorahy etc.
Full of rubbish