For a player who gained such fame as possibly the best of those men who locked New Zealand's 2-3-2 scrum, Bill Cunningham had none of the helping hands that so many other players enjoyed. His progress was a laboured step-by-step development. But as the steps got steeper, his suitability for holding the All Blacks scrum together was realised. The lock was the central figure of New Zealand's unique seven-man scrum, locking the combination into a force capable of coping against eight opponents.
Bill Cunningham - first of the great NZ locks
Bill Cunningham - first of the great NZ locks
Bill Cunningham - first of the great NZ locks
For a player who gained such fame as possibly the best of those men who locked New Zealand's 2-3-2 scrum, Bill Cunningham had none of the helping hands that so many other players enjoyed. His progress was a laboured step-by-step development. But as the steps got steeper, his suitability for holding the All Blacks scrum together was realised. The lock was the central figure of New Zealand's unique seven-man scrum, locking the combination into a force capable of coping against eight opponents.