Bledisloe Cup Memories

All Black Evan “Ted” Jessep, who was born in 1904 and died in 1983, debuted for New Zealand in 1931 at Eden Park against the Wallabies as the second hooker in a two-man front row before taking the position of prop in helping Australia win the Bledisloe Cup for the first time against New Zealand in 194. Jessep hooked for New Zealand in the first Test of the 1932 series, helping his adopted country claim the Bledisloe Cup in its inaugural year of trans-Tasman competition, and when New Zealand lost the trophy two years later, Jessep was there again, on this significant occasion propping in the Australian front row. Australia and New Zealand had played Test rugby against each other since 1903 without any trophy awarded, and the Governor-General of New Zealand, a rugby buff named Lord Bledisloe, decided the situation had to be changed, donating a pure silver metre-high cup. It is of such value that the winning team and its captain have borne the trophy on a triumphant circuit of the Test ground, drank their champagne from it and then surrendered it to its guardians, who rush it back into its security in a jeweller’s safe.