Mate Ivan Joseph Jakich (31 March 1940 – 2 March 2010) was a New Zealand

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player who represented

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

as a loose forward.

Biography

Jakich was born in

Ōtorohanga Ōtorohanga is a north King Country town in the Waikato region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located south of Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton and north of Te Kūiti, on the Waipā River. It is a service town for the surrounding Da ...

in 1940, and educated at St Peter's College. He played rugby for his school as a student in the 1950s and later in life, as an old boy, despite the onset of a serious arthritic condition, he coached the St Peter's College 1st XV alongside Brother John Prendergast during the 1970s. Jakich played rugby for the

University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...

as a student. He played "hundreds" of games for the Marist Auckland senior team and was selected by

Fred Allen John Florence Sullivan (May 31, 1894 – March 17, 1956), known professionally as Fred Allen, was an American comedian. His absurdist topically-pointed radio program '' The Fred Allen Show'' (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and forw ...

to represent the Auckland province and played in 61 games for the Auckland team which, from 1960 to 1963, defended the

Ranfurly Shield The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Shield is based on a challenge system. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge ...

a record 25 times. Jakich's playing style was typified by his "rampaging runs". Allen observed that Jakich was strong, moved around quickly and was easily lifted in lineouts.John Brady, "A players View of the Needle?",''Coaching Tool Box'', August 2002
He took part in the game, Auckland v

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, at

Eden Park Eden Park is a sports venue in Auckland, New Zealand. It is located three kilometres southwest of the Auckland CBD, on the boundary between the suburbs of Mount Eden and Kingsland. The main stadium has a nominal capacity of 50,000, and is s ...

, Auckland on 30 July 1966. As a personality, Jakich was considered unforgettable and totally distinctive, full of courage and good humour.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jakich, Mate 1940 births 2010 deaths New Zealand people of Croatian descent People educated at St Peter's College, Auckland University of Auckland alumni New Zealand rugby union players People from Ōtorohanga Auckland rugby union players Rugby union flankers New Zealand rugby union coaches Rugby union players from Waikato