Victor Lenard James Simpson

Simpson was a Gisborne product who had four years in the Gisborns Boys High 1st XV and then, after playing nine times for Poverty Bay in the 1979 season, moved to Canterbury for the greater rugby opportunities.

In the next decade Simpson went on to play 118 games for Canterbury. After playing in the unsuccessful challenge against Waikato in 1981, as a wing, Simpson was in the side which lifted the Ranfurly Shield from Wellington in 1982.

Though in his early career Simpson had often been on the wing he was by 1982 determined to specialise on the midfield and it was as a centre he played out the rest of his playing days. In 1982-85 he became part of an outstanding Canterbury backline which achieved several notable milestones: a shield tenure between 1982-85, the NPC first division title in 1983 and a win over the 1983 British Lions.

In the early 80s Simpson played for just about every possible national selection. He was in the New Zealand Colts (three games in 1980), the New Zealand Juniors (four games in 1982), NZ Maori (in the 12-all draw in 1981 against the Springboks and then on the tour of Wales and Spain in 1982) and New Zealand Universities (in 1982 in one game against All Japan).

He also played for the South Island in each of the 1981, 1982, 1984 seasons, taking part in the upset win against an All Black-dominated North side in 1982 and having an All Black trial that same season.

Despite this recognition Simpson sruggled to make the All Blacks, probably because there was a slight reservation that under pressure he tended to be undisciplined and inclined to ignore team patterns.

Any rough edges, though, were evened out in the solid Canterbury environment and even though there were other top backs like Wayne Smith, Taylor, Robbie Deans and Green in the side Simpson was one of the best players in the shield era.

After playing for the Emerging Players earlier in the season Simpson forced his way into the All Black touring team for South Africa in 1985. When that tour was abandoned Simpson instead went on the replacement trip to Argentina where he played in four matches including both tests against the Pumas.

Steven Pokere was the incumbent test centre at the time but coach Brian Lochore preferred the most physically robust style of Simpson who was 1.80m tall and weighed 84kg.

The brief Argentina tour proved to be Simpson’s only spell in the All Blacks. Early in the 1986 season he went on the Cavaliers’ unauthorised tour of South Africa and received a two-test ban as a result.

Simpson continued to play for Canterbury for another four seasons and in 1987 played twice for the South zone in the inaugural George Nepia Trophy series. But by then Joe Stanley, after getting his chance with the Baby Blacks in 1986, had become the preferred All Black centre and Simpson was never again in the running.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

ALL BLACK GAMES THAT SIMPSON PLAYED

(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

1985

TEST RECORD BY NATION