Andy Earl was one of those rugby players who was a victim of his own versatility. He always wore the tag of a utility and for that reason even though between 1986 and 1992 he was invariably a first choice for any touring team he received few tests.

He gained 14 test caps but was never a regular test selection. Indeed, he only became an All Black as one of the development type players suddenly catapulted into the test lineup because of the suspension for two tests of the Cavaliers for their unauthorised tour of South Africa in 1986.

Earl thus was one of the celebrated Baby Blacks. In the famous test win at Lancaster Park Earl was used as a lock, where he frequently played both in provincial rugby and for the All Blacks even though at 1.91m and being under 100kgs he didn't quite have the height or weight for the position.

In the next test played by the Baby Blacks, against Australia at Athletic Park, Earl played on the blindside flank. His next test start was as a No 8 in the final pool game of the 1987 World Cup tournament against Argentina at Athletic Park.

That was Earl's only appearance in the 1987 tournament, and thereafter his test career followed a sporadic pattern.

But he continued to be a regular tourist, adding to the tour he made to France in 1986 by touring Japan (1987), Australia (1988), Ireland and Wales (1989), France again (1990), Argentina 1991, the World Cup again in 1991 and as a replacement to Australia and South Africa in 1992.

On all of these tours Earl was top value and while he appeared in none of the tests he was especially impressive in Australia in 1988, forming a potent second string backrow trio with Mike Brewer and Zinzan Brooke.

Earl's most effective position was as a blindside flanker and he excelled in the position when an injury to Alan Whetton gave him the 1989 internationals against Wales and Ireland.

But he was displaced as first choice by Whetton's return the following year. Whether this was fair was a moot point. The severe hamstring injury Whetton suffered in 1989 meant he was never quite the same force he had been in 1987 and 1988 and certainly there was a good case in 1991 for Earl being preferred.

Earl's international career appeared to be over only for him to be called in as a reinforcement for the All Blacks' tour of Australia in 1992. He played in the second test against the Wallabies and came on as a replacement for Robin Brooke in the third test.

The circumstances behind Earl joining the 1992 All Blacks illustrated his considerable toughness and almost elevated him to legendary status.

With little major rugby behind him he went straight from battling snow blizzards to save stock on his North Canterbury farm to play almost immediately in the heat of Australia.

Truly a rugged outdoorsman, Earl was never noted for his airs and graces. He was nicknamed "Wurzel" after the television character and because of a suspicion the Earl mop of hair most mornings received only the briefest of combings.

Earl also had a distinuished record in provincial rugby. As a 17-year old he represented Wairarapa-Bush, playing in the side which under Brian Lochore's coaching won first division status in 1981. After four seasons with Wairarapa-Bush Earl returned to his home province and as a lock, blindside flanker and No 8 played a leading role in the 1983-85 Ranfurly Shield era. His 126 matches for Canterbury plus the 34 he made for Wairarapa-Bush meant he is one of the few players, and the first, to have appeared against every New Zealand union.

Subsequently he played in England for The Rugby Football Club, and his New Zealand teammates would be surprised to know "Wurzel's" photo appeared in the Rugby Football Club programme, modelling clothing sponsored by Rugby Cement.

His brother, Chris, a prop, played for Canterbury 1984-91 and for N Z Colts, Emerging Players and the South Zone.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

Andrew Thomas Earl

BORN

Tuesday, 12 September 1961 in Christchurch

AGE

48

PHYSICAL

1.91m, 98kg

POSITION

Utility forward

LAST SCHOOL

St Bede's College

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Glenmark

PROVINCE

Canterbury

RUGBY NICKNAME

Worzel

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Saturday, 28 June 1986
v France at Christchurch
aged 24 years, 289 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 28 June 1986
v France at Christchurch
aged 24 years, 289 days

LAST TEST

Saturday, 25 July 1992
v Australia at Sydney
aged 30 years, 317 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

14 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

31 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

45 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

12pts (3t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

45pts (11t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

57pts (14t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

870

The All Black Games that Earl played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1986

 28 Jun vs France at Christchurch 18-9  

 9 Aug vs Australia at Wellington 12-13  

 21 Oct vs French Selection at Strasbourg 42-12  

 4 Nov vs Cote Basque Selection at Bayonne 21-9  

 11 Nov vs French Barbarians at La Rochelle 26-12  

 15 Nov vs France at Nantes 3-16 (+) 

1987

 1 Jun vs Argentina at Wellington 46-15  

 21 Oct vs Japan 'B' at Tokyo 94-0  

 28 Oct vs Asian Barbarians at Kyoto 96-3  

 4 Nov vs J.R.U. Presidents XV at Tokyo 38-9  

1988

 19 Jun vs Western Australia at Perth 60-3  

 29 Jun vs N.S.W. Country at Singleton 29-4  

 6 Jul vs A.C.T. at Queanbeyan 16-3  

 10 Jul vs Queensland at Brisbane 27-12 (+) 

 13 Jul vs Queensland B at Townsville 39-3  

 20 Jul vs N.S.W. B at Gosford 45-9  

 23 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 42-6  

 26 Jul vs Victorian Invitation XV at Melbourne 84-8  

1989

 8 Oct vs British Columbia at Vancouver 48-3  

 18 Oct vs Pontypool at Pontypool 47-6  

 21 Oct vs Swansea at Swansea 37-22 (+) 

 25 Oct vs Neath at Neath 26-15  

 28 Oct vs Llanelli at Llanelli 11-0  

 4 Nov vs Wales at Cardiff 34-9  

 8 Nov vs Leinster at Dublin 36-9 (+) 

 14 Nov vs Connacht at Galway 40-6  

 18 Nov vs Ireland at Dublin 23-6  

 25 Nov vs Barbarians at London 21-10  

1991

 15 Jun vs Rosario at Rosario 81-9  

 19 Jun vs Cordoba at Cordoba 38-9  

 22 Jun vs Buenos Aires at Buenos Aires 37-9  

 29 Jun vs Argentina 'B' at Buenos Aires 22-6  

 6 Jul vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 28-14 (+) 

 9 Jul vs Mar del Plata at Mar del Plata 48-6  

 13 Jul vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 36-6  

 10 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 12-21  

 3 Oct vs England at London 18-12 (+) 

 8 Oct vs USA at Gloucester 46-6  

 30 Oct vs Scotland at Cardiff 13-6  

1992

 19 Jul vs Australia at Brisbane 17-19  

 22 Jul vs Sydney at Sydney 17-40  

 25 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 26-23 (+) 

 5 Aug vs Orange Free State at Bloemfontein 33-14  

 8 Aug vs Junior South Africa at Pretoria 25-10 (+) 

 10 Aug vs Central Unions at Witbank 39-6  

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs French Barbarians, 11 Nov 1986

1

-

-

-

4

vs Argentina, 1 Jun 1987

1

-

-

-

4

vs Japan 'B', 21 Oct 1987

1

-

-

-

4

vs Asian Barbarians, 28 Oct 1987

1

-

-

-

4

vs N.S.W. B, 20 Jul 1988

1

-

-

-

4

vs Victorian Invitation XV, 26 Jul 1988

3

-

-

-

12

vs Llanelli, 28 Oct 1989

1

-

-

-

4

vs Connacht, 14 Nov 1989

2

-

-

-

8

vs Argentina, 6 Jul 1991

1

-

-

-

4

vs USA, 8 Oct 1991

1

-

-

-

4

vs Orange Free State, 5 Aug 1992

1

-

-

-

5

Totals

14

0

0

0

57

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Argentina

3

3

-

-

2

-

-

-

8

Australia

4

1

-

3

-

-

-

-

-

England

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

France

2

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

Ireland

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Scotland

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

USA

1

1

-

-

1

-

-

-

4

Wales

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Totals

14

10

0

4

3

0

0

0

12