Lewis's card in NZ museum

In a famous collection

When England played New Zealand at Twickenham in November, Irish referee Alan Lewis showed three New Zealanders yellow cards, which signified their departure for the sin bin.

The players dispatched were props Tony Woodcock and Neemia Tialata and loose forward Chris Masoe.

Despite the serious shortage in manpower the All Blacks hung on to win 23-19.

Lewis has donated the card he used, the whistle he used and the IRB jersey he wore to the famous New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North.

In his message to the museum, Lewis said: "People are still talking about the game. It was raw rugby and genuine rugby people loved it. It is an honour to be part of that history."

There is another yellow card already on display and also issued by an Irish referee to an All Black. In 1995, at a time when the use of the card was purely experimental in some countries and not applicable in international matches, Gordon Black of Ireland showed a yellow card to Mark Cooksley, the All Black lock in a midweek match in France.

Also in the museum is the whistle of Irish referee Kevin Kelleher, who sent off Colin Meads and the famous whistle of Englishman Gil Evans.

Evans used it referee the match between Dave Gallaher's 1905 All Blacks and England at Crystal Palace. Albert Freethy of Wales then used it in 1925 when he sent off All Black Cyril Brownlie when New Zealand played England at Twickenham, the first time a player was sent off in a Test. Freethy also used it in 1925 to referee the final of the Olympic Games. In 1987 it was used to start the 1987 Rugby World Cup.

That whistle was used by English referee Gil Evans during the 1905 All Black Originals' tour against England and again by Welshman Albert Freethy when he sent off All Black Cyril Brownlie against England at Twickenham in 1925.

The same whistle was also used at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.