All Blacks great, Rangitāne ‘Tane’ Norton has died aged 81.
The Ngāi Tahu hooker captained the All Blacks on nine occasions, including the 1977 series win over the Lions, which also marked his retirement from international rugby.
NZR CEO Mark Robinson said: “Tane epitomised everything that’s great about rugby. He was a leader of men on and off the field and was universally respected. As a player, he was tenacious, powerful player who set a high standard for the team to follow, and was a hugely popular and successful captain of the All Blacks.
Born in the Canterbury town of Waikari, and schooled at Methven, Norton made his first-class debut with Mid Canterbury as a 19-year-old in 1961 before moving north to Christchurch following a work transfer with the Bank of New Zealand.
He made his Canterbury debut in 1969, going on to wear the famous red and black jersey 82 times, playing out of the Linwood Club.
His All Blacks debut came two years later, against the touring Lions in 1971, the team he would also end his career against six years later. He wore the black jersey in 61 games, including 27 consecutive tests.
Norton was also a regular fixture in the Māori All Blacks sides of the 1970′s, playing alongside the likes of the Going brothers, Billy Bush and George Skudder.
He won the Tom French Memorial Cup, awarded to the best Māori player in New Zealand in 1973 and 1974.
After retiring from the field, Norton stayed involved with rugby, as a coach and administrator at Linwood, where he was club president for over 25 years. He also served terms as president of both New Zealand Rugby and Canterbury Rugby Union.
“His passion for the game continued following his playing career, giving back to his beloved Linwood club. During his tenure as Vice President and President of NZR, he continued to represent our sport with mana and pride. He was a fantastic ambassador for rugby who has made an immense contribution to the game and will be dearly missed. We send our thoughts to his whānau and friends in this sad time,” Robinson said.
He was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to rugby in 2006.
