George Nepia made his New Zealand debut 100 years ago, but was he really an All Black at just 16 years of age?
He was born 1905, 1904 or 1908 according to various reports, in Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, and is remembered as one of the great Māori players.
All Blacks legend Colin Meads has died from pancreatic cancer, aged 81.
New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English said he was not only a great All Black but a genuinely good bloke.
“He represented what it means to be a New Zealander. He was no nonsense, reliable, hard-working, warm and very generous with his time,” English said.
Meads played 133 games for the All Blacks, including 55 Tests, from 1957 to 1971.
The former lock was regarded as one of the sport’s greatest players.
He was named New Zealand Player of the Century in 1999.
Meads returned to hospital in May with “stomach pains”.
However, the man nicknamed “Pinetree” was well enough a month later to attend the unveiling of a 2.7m statue crafted in his honour in home town Te Kuiti.
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He was born 1905, 1904 or 1908 according to various reports, in Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, and is remembered as one of the great Māori players.
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