Image: Jo Edwards

Most New Zealanders have heard of Richie McCaw.  Even if you don’t care about rugby … even if you’re a diehard leaguey … even if you hate the pervasiveness of sport in the Kiwi culture .. you’ve probably still heard of Richie McCaw.

McCaw’s the most capped New Zealand rugby player of all time, having retired after playing 148 games in the All Black jersey.  He’s a quintessential New Zealand hero.

Not quite so capped (and certainly not so feted!) is Irene Van Dyke – who has played 145 netball games for New Zealand, and is our leading New Zealand representative in the game.  She heads off softball’s greatest – Thomas Makea – who is New Zealand’s most capped softball player with 121 games.

That’s still plenty when it comes to making comparisons with football – where Ivan Vicelich tops the ranks having played 88 games for New Zealand.  Who in turn is still well ahead of top league, Ruben Wiki, who has played a body-bashing 55 games for New Zealand.

But McCaw’s heroics for New Zealand rugby pale by the standards of hockey.  Phil Burrows made 343 appearances for New Zealand – over twice as many as McCaw.

Yet it’s our summer game where the records have been made.  The current New Zealand Black Caps Captain, Kane Williamson, has played 243 games for New Zealand.  So far. But he’s still got a long way to go to catch his predecessor, Brendan McCullum, who played 432 games for New Zealand.  But even McCullum didn’t quite reach the level of Daniel Vettori, who tops the cricket appearances with 437 tests, ODIs and T20s for New Zealand.

Notwithstanding the efforts of Vettori, McCullum, Burrows, McCaw, Van Dyke, Makea, Vicelich and Wiki, they still had a long way to go to catch the best in New Zealand bowls.  The winner of the 2017-2018 Summerset Supreme Award, Jo Edwards, has played 536 games for New Zealand.

Best reckoning is that Jo has represented New Zealand more than any other sportsman or woman.  Ever.  And is still going strong!  So far Jo has necklaces of medals to discourage the selectors from overlooking her, including –

World Outdoor Championships

2004 Leamington Spa.  Gold Pairs

2008 Christchurch.  Gold Pairs

2012 Adelaide.  Silver Pairs

2016 Christchurch.  Silver Pairs

2016 Christchurch.  Bronze Singles

Commonwealth Games

2002 Manchester.  Gold Pairs

2014 Glasgow.  Gold Singles

2018 Gold Coast.  Gold Singles

In 2014, Jo received the New Zealand Order of Merit, reserved for ‘those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits.’

With 536 caps, it’s pretty hard to argue about a more meritorious contribution to bowls, or indeed sport in New Zealand.

Thanks for making us proud, Jo.