“Kua hinga te totara i te wao nui a Tane, ka tangi hotuhotu nga manu. The great totara tree from the forest of Tane has fallen and the birds cry with its passing.”

Sir Colin was the Patron of the Rugby Foundation, he succeeded the late Sir Wilson Whineray. Sir Colin had been a Director of the Rugby Foundation since the late 80’s. He gave countless hours of sage and grounded advice to so many.

This year in March, Sir Colin drove from Te Kuiti to Auckland to attend our Annual General Meeting. He made a point in doing so, coming to say goodbye in his inimitable way.  Always the first to say, “I’m pretty crook” and thus removing the discomfort of everyone who loved him so much when they just don’t know what to say.

“It was an honour to have had Sir Colin nominate me as a Patron of the Rugby Foundation earlier this year. He has been such a measure in the rugby world and general New Zealand community for so long, he will be fondly remembered and sadly missed” said Richie McCaw.

He always went out of his way to spend time with the VIPs (Very Injured Players). At events, he could always be found yarning away with them, taking personal interest in them and their families and carers.  He always made each individual feel like the most important person in the room.

When we were fundraising he would always ask who the sponsors and big donors were and then in his special way, make those supporters feel valued and appreciated. At our fundraising events he was often on stage being interviewed as part of the star line up. His mana, quiet powerful voice, stories and humour, always had entire audiences captured. And then he would go and mix with the guests. We always enjoyed watching people’s reactions. People just loved him.

As one of our VIPs said not long ago – I bet Colin will never know how long his shadow is, he was a hero to thousands of us young fellas. We all aspired to be him.

Many thousands of words have been written and will still be written about this great man, simply a great mate, we are so sad to lose him, he fought a long hard fight and now he would expect us to celebrate,“ says Andy Leslie, Rugby Foundation President.

On behalf of our board of our Directors, staff and the 106 VIPS whose lives are for the better every day due to Sir Colin’s passion for the Rugby Foundation, we pass on our deepest sympathies to Verna Lady Meads and entire family and many friends.