By Willie Jackson

Buck's the Man! It's unbelievable that we're debating the merits of Buck Shelford becoming a rugby World Cup ambassador.

You'd have thought that he would've been one of the first ambassadors to be appointed given his mana and standing in the game.

And with this being the centenary year of Maori Rugby, well it just seems a no-brainer.

Buck probably more than any other player in the history of NZ Rugby, is responsible for promoting Maori culture and Kiwi pride through the game.

When he was first selected in 1985, the standard of the All Blacks pre-match haka had deteriorated so badly they looked like a bunch of uncoordinated blithering fools!

They were terrible to watch and regrettably some of the Maori players were worse than their Pakeha team-mates.

Buck, with the help of Hika Reid, changed all that during the All Blacks tour to Argentina in 1985 when they decided to train the team to do the haka properly.

Buck's ultimatum was that the haka should be done properly or not at all.

He also taught them how to apply the key elements of the haka to the game itself.

His team was transformed.

Their haka was awesome and they went on to win with pride and passion.

Buck not only led that change, but he went on to lead one of the greatest teams in the history of the All Black game and finished his career as an unbeaten All Black test captain.

While his rugby prowess is undoubted, his influence with what he did with the haka should not be underestimated.

It's the one Kiwi thing that we can all do.

Check out the haka performed by Auckland Boys Grammar and Kings College or the Kiwi League team, the Tall Blacks Basketball team, the Black Sticks Hockey team and our Black Ferns Woman's Rugby team.

And check out some of the late night bars and clubs in Sydney, Melbourne or London where our expats (usually after too many drinks), proudly burst into a haka to express their Kiwi identity.

And while Buck is not the sole reason for this, he's certainly played a part.

His exemplary leadership, athleticism and commitment to the game are well proven. It's no wonder, then, that his following is so strong.

I recall in 2001 when I sat down to watch the Williams sisters play at the Australian tennis open.

I looked across the stadium and there was a huge sign that read "Bring Back Buck!"

And that was 11 years after he was controversially dropped from the team!

Buck has ensured that the haka, as an important part of Maori culture, will never again be reduced to the rabble that it was.

He more than any other sportsman, has promoted Maori culture as a vital aspect of Kiwi identity.

His contribution needs to be celebrated and rewarded particularly in this centenary year of Maori rugby.

So it's time for the NZ rugby union and the NZ Government in the absence of any Maori World Cup ambassadors, to bring back Buck and make him an ambassador.

Sunday News, 18th July 2010