On June 5, Jackson was part of a New England outfit that took on the might of the touring Kiwis in Gunnedah.

"It was a wonderful experience," Jackson reflected.

"They were such a good team and I learnt so much."

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Then in his mid-20s, it remains one of the highlights of a career that included premiership success in both rugby union and league and Country representative honours.

Playing for Tamworth at the time, with the Pirates club he would later go on to be one of the founding members of not yet formed, Jackson teamed up in the centres with club-mate Kevin Kerr.

The Kiwis had the previous year been recognised as the undisputed world champions but the New England side put up a good fight with the game, as reported by the local Gunnedah paper far from the mismatch many pundits had predicted.

While they did inevitably go down, 38-14, the side led by Walcha lock Peter Fenwicke, recorded the highest score against the tourists at that point on the tour and also had the distinction of scoring the first try outside of a Test match. That honour went to Teacher's College winger D Toohey.

Jackson played a crucial hand in the try. After swooping on a loose ball he shifted the ball to Kerr, who then found Toohey in space and he scooted over in the corner.

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The Kiwi side included the likes of All Blacks great Colin Meads and legendary fullback Don Clarke.

"I remember getting bumped off him," Jackson recalled.

In his book on the history of Gunnedah rugby, Don McDonagh wrote that a "half-day holiday was declared in the town and the locals took advantage of the opportunity to see the best the game had to offer" with a crowd of 3500 fans packing the ground.

Jackson recalled that not long after he was part of a delegation from the Peel-Cunningham County Council that visited New Zealand.

"When they found out I'd played New Zealand I was like a hero," he said.

He almost had the privilege of playing South Africa a couple of years later as well with NSW Country, but unfortunately that opportunity never eventuated.

"I had had a corked thigh and didn't pass the fitness test," Jackson reflected.

Now living in Newcastle, he has watched with interest and delight as Pirates have turned into a force in the Central North competition and admitted he never dreamt that over 50 years on they would be going as strong as they are.