Born: November 15, 1961 - Auckland
Test record: 32 Tests (1982-87, 1989-90) - 16 tries, 1 field goal (63 points)
Tours: 1982 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1985 tour of Britain and France, 1986 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1989 tour of Britain and France
Gifted back-rower Hugh McGahan was one of the most prominent players in a watershed era for the Kiwis, setting world and national tryscoring records in a 32-Test career. Also a star of the Sydney premiership with Eastern Suburbs, he captained New Zealand in 17 Tests, was the first Kiwi to be awarded the Golden Boot, and in retirement was awarded an MBE (1991) and named as one of NZRL's inaugural Legends of League (1995).
The rangy forward came through the grades at ΕtΔhuhu and was only 20 when he won selection for the Kiwis' tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea in 1982. He made his Test debut off the bench in a 20-2 loss to Australia at the SCG, before scoring two tries in a 56-5 win over Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby starting at lock.
Competing with the likes of Mark Graham, Graeme West, Kurt Sorensen and Gary Prohm for back-row spots, McGahan missed out on the Kiwis' momentous 1983 series against Australia. But he shocked the rugby league world with a record six-try haul against the Kumuls in a 60-20 victory at Carlaw Park later that year. He also dotted down for New Zealand MΔori against Papua New Guinea.
McGahan could no longer be denied a place in a full-strength New Zealand team and assumed the lock position for the 3-0 series whitewash of Great Britain at home in 1984 and the unforgettable 2-1 series loss to Australia in 1985, scoring a try in the series opener of the latter at Lang Park. He also bagged doubles in Oceania's thrashing of Europe and Auckland's win over Queensland Country.
Turning 24 on the Kiwis' 1985 tour of Britain and France, McGahan started at lock in the first two Tests against Great Britain and came off the bench in the decider. Graham's tour-ending injury saw McGahan elevated to the captaincy for the French leg of the tour, which he marked by scoring a try in the first Test (at lock) and two tries in the second Test (from the second-row) - both of which the Kiwis won 22-0.
McGahan lined up in the second-row in all five Tests on the tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea in 1986, scoring tries in Goroka and Port Moresby to make it 10 in just four matches at the Kumuls' expense.
The rangy, athletic forward with superb hands was lured to Sydney by Easts in 1985 and took over as skipper in 1986. After several years in the doldrums, McGahan led the Roosters to a preliminary final appearance in 1987, as well as winning the Dally M Second-rower of the Year award.
McGahan also captained to New Zealand to a famous 13-6 upset of Australia at Lang Park in 1987. He was later named as co-winner of the prestigious Golden Boot (with Parramatta, NSW and Australian halfback Peter Sterling), awarded to the world's best player.
Injury wrecked McGahan's 1988 season and he missed the Kiwis' entire schedule - including the World Cup final - but he returned strongly in 1989, skippering his country in all three home Tests against Australia and all five Tests on the tour of Britain and France.
Four-pointers in the first and second matches against Great Britain took McGrahan to 16 Test tries, eclipsing the all-time New Zealand mark set by Tom Hadfield and Dane O'Hara. That record would stand for almost a decade.
In his 1990 international swansong, McGahan extended his tally of Tests as captain to 17 - one short of Mark Graham's then record - by leading the Kiwis in their three-match series against Great Britain (kicking a field goal in the 21-18 victory in the third Test) and the one-off loss to Australia in Wellington.
At club level, he was thrust into a captain-coach role for the last six weeks of the season after the Roosters sacked coach Russell Fairfax. McGahan skippered Easts throughout his 1991 farewell, finishing with 118 appearances for the club.
McGahan later served on the Roosters' board and was Auckland Warriors' football manager in 1999.