Of all the All Blacks who played through the 1990s, none had a lower profile than the rock solid tighthead prop Olo Brown. Firstly, under the coaching of Laurie Mains in 1992-95, and then of John Hart in the years between 1996 and 1998, he was invariably an automatic selection.
He was the cornerstone of the pack with his technique and straightness of back and was rated by scrummaging experts as one of the finest props to play for New Zealand at any time. His provincial and test teammate, Sean Fitzpatrick, swore by his prowess and few scrums anchored by Brown were ever bettered.
Around the field, too, he was a competent player capable of also playing at hooker. He also had above-average intelligence, having had a fine academic record at Auckland's Mt Albert Grammar, and even when the game had become professional, continued with a "real" job as a chartered accountant.
Yet despite being highly articulate, the lack of public profile was all Brown's doing. He was even more reluctant to provide media interviews than his fellow Ponsonby club member, and All Black predecessor, Joe Stanley. The few times Brown was interviewed only came from pressure being applied on him by All Black management.
But Brown's deeds on the field certainly spoke loudly, though recognition of his ability at national level did come slowly. Even though being singled out by Auckland scouts as a rare prospect, Brown was overlooked for the 1988 New Zealand Colts side.
By 1989, though, he had become a regular Auckland selection, ousting Peter Fatialofa, another Ponsonby man, as a first choice. From then on, Brown formed with Fitzpatrick and firstly Steve McDowell, and then Craig Dowd, a magnificent front row that provided yeoman service for both Auckland and the All Blacks.
Brown's first match for the All Blacks was in 1990 when, because of injuries, he was summoned from a development tour of Canada to appear in a midweek match in France. But he had to wait until 1992 for his test cap when Mains brought him in for the second test against Ireland.
For the next six years the only break in Brown's test sequence came at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa when he was rested for the romp against Japan. He achieved many distinctions, including the historic series win in South Africa in 1996 and as a mainstay of the Blues sides in the first three seasons of the Super 12.
In 1998 Brown's long test career came to a sudden halt. He injured his neck and back in the tri-nations test in South Africa and was forced out of the season's finale against Australia, being replaced by Kees Meeuws. Ironically, the afternoon he was forced to withdraw from the test against the Wallabies coincided with one of his few media conferences. Brown, a forlorn figure as he sat on the grass at Auckland's University club, could not avoid the many journalists who had been at the training to learn first hand of his misfortune.
Brown never formally retired. But he never recovered from what had proven to be a grievous injury and was never seen again in action at any level. Brown had the distinction of becoming the first All Black prop to reach 50 tests and at the time of his premature departure from the game had 56 caps.
How much he was missed was underlined the following year at the World Cup when the All Blacks lack of experience and hardness up front were exposed.
Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.
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FULL NAME |
Olo Max Brown |
BORN |
Tuesday, 24 October 1967 in Apia |
AGE |
42 |
PHYSICAL |
1.85m, 100kg |
POSITION |
Prop |
LAST SCHOOL |
Mt Albert Grammar |
RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from) |
Ponsonby |
PROVINCE |
Auckland |
ALL BLACK DEBUT |
Tuesday, 6 November 1990
v A French XV at La Rochelle
aged 23 years, 13 days |
INTERNATIONAL DEBUT |
Saturday, 6 June 1992
v Ireland at Wellington
aged 24 years, 226 days |
LAST TEST |
Saturday, 15 August 1998
v South Africa at Durban
aged 30 years, 295 days |
ALL BLACK TESTS |
56 (0 as Captain) |
ALL BLACK GAMES |
13 (0 as Captain) |
TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES |
69 (0 as Captain) |
ALL BLACK TEST POINTS |
20pts (4t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m) |
ALL BLACK GAME POINTS |
0pts |
TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS |
20pts (4t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m) |
ALL BLACK NUMBER |
910 |
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The All Black Games that Brown played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced |
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Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card |
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1990 |
6 Nov vs A French XV at La Rochelle 22-15 |
1992 |
6 Jun vs Ireland at Wellington 59-6 |
21 Jun vs Western Australia at Perth 80-0 |
28 Jun vs N.S.W. at Sydney 41-9 |
4 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 15-16 |
12 Jul vs Queensland at Brisbane 26-19 |
19 Jul vs Australia at Brisbane 17-19 |
25 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 26-23 |
1 Aug vs Natal at Durban 43-25 |
8 Aug vs Junior South Africa at Pretoria 25-10 |
15 Aug vs South Africa at Johannesburg 27-24 |
1993 |
12 Jun vs British & Irish Lions at Christchurch 20-18 |
26 Jun vs British & Irish Lions at Wellington 7-20 |
3 Jul vs British & Irish Lions at Auckland 30-13 |
17 Jul vs Australia at Dunedin 25-10 |
23 Oct vs London & SE Division at London 39-12 |
30 Oct vs England South West at Redruth 19-15 |
7 Nov vs England 'A' at Gateshead 26-12 |
13 Nov vs Scotland 'A' at Glasgow 20-9 |
20 Nov vs Scotland at Edinburgh 51-15 |
27 Nov vs England at London 9-15 |
4 Dec vs Barbarians at Cardiff 25-12 |
1994 |
26 Jun vs France at Christchurch 8-22 |
3 Jul vs France at Auckland 20-23 |
9 Jul vs South Africa at Dunedin 22-14 |
23 Jul vs South Africa at Wellington 13-9 |
6 Aug vs South Africa at Auckland 18-18 |
17 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 16-20 |
1995 |
22 Apr vs Canada at Auckland 73-7 |
27 May vs Ireland at Johannesburg 43-19 |
31 May vs Wales at Johannesburg 34-9 |
11 Jun vs Scotland at Pretoria 48-30 |
18 Jun vs England at Cape Town 45-29 |
24 Jun vs South Africa at Johannesburg 12-15 |
22 Jul vs Australia at Auckland 28-16 |
29 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 34-23 |
28 Oct vs Italy at Bologna 70-6 |
4 Nov vs Languedoc-Roussillon at Beziers 30-9 |
11 Nov vs France at Toulouse 15-22 |
18 Nov vs France at Paris 37-12 |
1996 |
7 Jun vs Samoa at Napier 51-10 |
15 Jun vs Scotland at Dunedin 62-31 |
22 Jun vs Scotland at Auckland 36-12 |
6 Jul vs Australia at Wellington 43-6 |
20 Jul vs South Africa at Christchurch 15-11 |
27 Jul vs Australia at Brisbane 32-25 |
10 Aug vs South Africa at Cape Town 29-18 |
17 Aug vs South Africa at Durban 23-19 |
24 Aug vs South Africa at Pretoria 33-26 |
31 Aug vs South Africa at Johannesburg 22-32 |
1997 |
14 Jun vs Fiji at Albany 71-5 |
21 Jun vs Argentina at Wellington 93-8 (-) |
28 Jun vs Argentina at Hamilton 62-10 |
5 Jul vs Australia at Christchurch 30-13 |
19 Jul vs South Africa at Johannesburg 35-32 |
26 Jul vs Australia at Melbourne 33-18 |
9 Aug vs South Africa at Auckland 55-35 |
16 Aug vs Australia at Dunedin 36-24 |
8 Nov vs Llanelli at Llanelli 81-3 |
15 Nov vs Ireland at Dublin 63-15 |
22 Nov vs England at Manchester 25-8 |
29 Nov vs Wales at London 42-7 (-) |
6 Dec vs England at London 26-26 |
1998 |
20 Jun vs England at Dunedin 64-22 |
27 Jun vs England at Auckland 40-10 |
11 Jul vs Australia at Melbourne 16-24 |
25 Jul vs South Africa at Wellington 3-13 |
1 Aug vs Australia at Christchurch 23-27 |
15 Aug vs South Africa at Durban 23-24 |
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