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Kevin Boroevich had a long, eventful and occasionally stormy
career in New Zealand rugby, especially at provincial level.
As a 17-year-old, the powerful prop was in the King Country
representative team of 1978, receiving his early tutelage from
the most famous product of his club Waitete and the town of Te
Kuiti, Colin Meads. Seventeen years later Boroevich was still
appearing at provincial level, playing for North Harbour in
the national championship of 1995.

In the intervening years there had been many achievements for
Boroevich. After playing 83 matches for King Country, he moved
to Wellington and in two seasons in the capital built up such
a rapport with coach Earle Kirton that he was made captain of
the representative side. His Wellington stint included winning
the NPC first division title in 1986.

From 1988, Boroevich was with North Harbour, though frequent
forays offshore to play mainly in England meant that over
seven seasons he made only 29 Harbour appearances.

As well as his many games for King Country, Wellington and
North Harbour, Boroevich, of Croatian-Maori descent, was a
stalwart of some strong New Zealand Maori sides between 1980
and 1988.

His international career, though, was less extensive and
sporadic. He toured England and Scotland in 1983 and Australia
in 1984, but did not make the test side and was not chosen for
the intended tour of South Africa in 1985.

However, he had an unexpected return to the All Blacks in 1986
because of the suspension imposed on Cavaliers players for
their rebel tour of South Africa. Boroevich was in the Baby
Blacks side for the tests against France and Australia, but
when the Cavaliers returned, was dropped.

Those were his only full tests, though on the tour of France
later in 1986 he came on as a replacement during the second
test loss at Nantes. In 1987 he was overlooked for the World
Cup squad but returned to the All Blacks for the last time
when he toured Australia again in 1988.

There seems little doubt that Boroevich's tendency to become
involved in over-vigorous play may have reduced some of his
international chances. In 1987 he was involved in a highly
publicised stomping incident with Alan Whetton in a
North-Central zonal match at Pukekohe and became one of the
first players to be sent to the sin bin that had only recently
been introduced to New Zealand first class rugby. He was also
involved in other incidents during his career, which gave him,
however unfairly, a reputation for ill discipline.

Yet off the field "Boro", as known to everyone in New Zealand
rugby, was one of the most amiable and placid of men.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.