Contrary to popular belief, All Black Buck Shelford did not lose a testicle while playing against France but Colin "Pinetree" Meads really did play almost an entire game of rugby with a broken arm. This moment of legendary toughness - or madness, take your pick - happened in 1970 when the All Blacks were in South Africa, playing warm-up matches ahead of the Test Series. South African rugby chief Danie Craven had expressed the hope that the provincial teams would "soften up" the All Blacks. The New Zealanders next game was against cellar-dwellers Eastern Transvaal, a team they didn't know much about. But halfback Sid Going tells Eyewitness producer Justin Gregory the All Blacks knew right from the first whistle that they were in for a fight.

All Black legend Colin "Pinetree" Meads once played nearly an entire game of rugby with a badly broken arm. This moment of extraordinary toughness (or madness) happened in 1970 when the New Zealand team were touring South Africa. Three All Blacks who were there that day recall the game for Eyewitness producer Justin Gregory.

"Aw s**t Pinetree, you haven't broken it, have ya?"

All Blacks first five eight Earle Kirton has always blamed himself for the broken arm that Colin (later Sir) "Pinetree" Meads suffered on the 1970 All Blacks tour of South Africa. Just a little bit, anyway.

The injury happened during a tour match against provincial team East Transvaal. The All Blacks had been in South Africa for a few short weeks and had their eyes on the looming first test against the Springboks, South Africa's fearsome national team.

South African rugby boss Dr Danie Craven had expressed the hope that the provincial teams would "soften up" the New Zealanders. The East Transvaal team were up for it.

"We were getting hell knocked out of us."

Kirton, now a dentist in Wellington, recalls the game vividly. "There were boots flying everywhere at the bottom of the rucks. I can remember him saying to me, 'S**t, it's like duck shooting season down here. They're all over the bloody place.'"

Kirton remembers that All Blacks team as a very close one, with a strong sense of 'one in, all in'. A key ethos was that if the little guys got into trouble doing their job, the big men would be there to help them out.

"There was a pact between the forwards and the backs," says Kirton. "The idea was 'you backs hold onto the ball and we'll get there'."

It was keeping true to this code that would see Meads get injured. An early converted try by All Blacks winger Bryan Williams enraged the East Transvaal team. At just six minutes into the game, Kirton got his hands on a loose ball…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details