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All Blacks Great Colin Meads Dies At 81

New Zealand mourned the death on Sunday of All Blacks great Colin Meads at the age of 81 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Meads, … Continue reading All Blacks Great Colin Meads Dies At 81


New Zealand mourned the death on Sunday of All Blacks great Colin Meads at the age of 81 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Meads, who in 1999 was named New Zealand’s greatest rugby player of the 20th Century, was diagnosed with cancer last year and died in hospital in his home town of Te Kuiti on Sunday.

Meads, nicknamed as ‘Pinetree’ at an early age, He was widely considered to embody the best qualities of an All Blacks player and was renowned for his toughness and uncompromising attitude in an international playing career that spanned 14 years.

A bronze statue of the player, who received a knighthood in 2009, was unveiled earlier this year in his hometown of Te Kuiti.

He played 133 games for the All Blacks and even if only 55 of them were tests, that was still a record for the national team.

In a relatively young nation, he also helped to define qualities which were seen to be essential to the New Zealand character.

Meads is survived by wife Verna and their five children Karen, Kelvin, Rhonda, Glynn and Shelley, their 14 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.