Born: 15 April, 1959 Died: 8 September, 2006 – Blackball Test record: 0 Tests Tours: 1980 tour of Great Britain and France
West Coast three-quarter Bernie Green toured Britain and France with the 1980 Kiwis during a lengthy tenure in the South Island representative team.
The Runanga tyro debuted for South Island in 1979 and played in the side’s boilover victory against Australia the following season, before gaining a spot in the New Zealand touring party.
Green debuted in the tour-opening win over Blackpool and scored tries against St Helens and Leigh among eight appearances, but the 21-year-old was not called upon for the Tests.
Extending his South Island representation to 17 matches – netting eight tries – by the end of 1983, Green remained a stalwart for Runanga and West Coast. Runanga’s run of nine straight WCRL titles ended in 1987 but Green stayed on as a player-coach for the faltering club, while he was part of West Coast’s famous 1989 victory over Canterbury.
Green, 47, was killed when a coal mine shaft collapsed on him in the Roa Mine, Blackball, in 2006, devastating the West Coast community.
