Colin Earl Meads biography

 Colin Earl Meads biography

 Colin Earl Meads, (born June 3, 1936, Cambridge, New Zealand—died August 20, 2017, Te Kuiti), New Zealand rugby union soccer participant and former nationwide group captain (1971) whose excellent efficiency as a lock ahead made him a legendary determine in New Zealand and in worldwide rugby historical past. Noted as among the finest locks of all time, Meads performed 55 Test (worldwide) matches (48 at lock, 7 on the quantity eight place) for the New Zealand nationwide group, the All Blacks, between 1957 and 1971; on 11 events between 1961 and 1966 he performed alongside his youthful brother Stan.

Meads provoked controversy in 1986 when he led the insurgent New Zealand Cavaliers on tour of South Africa only one yr after a scheduled tour by the All Blacks had been blocked by the New Zealand courts in protest towards the South African establishment of apartheid. As a results of his actions, Meads misplaced his place as All Black selector. He was quickly forgiven, nevertheless, and served as supervisor of the All Blacks for the 1995 World Cup. In 1999 Meads was named New Zealand Rugby Player of the Century by New Zealand Rugby Monthly journal.

Standing 6 ft 4 inches (1.92 metres), Meads was nicknamed “Pinetree” and shortly grew right into a cult hero in his house nation. Dunedin is house to the Colin Meads fan membership, whose members get collectively to put on quantity 5 jerseys, drink five-ounce (140-gram) beers, and skim from Mead’s biography, Colin Meads, All Black.

Meads was chairman of the King Country Rugby Union between 1987 and 1994. He was a trustee of the New Zealand Rugby Foundation and the International Hall of Fame. Meads was awarded the Member of the British Empire in 1971 and the Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for providers to rugby and the group in 2000.