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Sir Colin Earl Meads. Author New Zealand Rugby Foundation. Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Colin Meads

Sir Colin Earl Meads KNZM MBE belongs to the golden era of amateur rugby. He was born on 3 June 1936 and passed on 20 August 2017 after being diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. An outstanding lock forward during his time, he played 55 test matches (133 games) for the All Blacks from 1957 until 1971. In his playing career, he was nicknamed ‘Pine tree’ due to his physical presence and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history. At the club level, Meads spent the whole of his playing career locally at Waitete R.F.C in Te Kuiti.

For a brilliant career and contribution to rugby in New Zealand, the rugby icon was named Player of the Century at the NZRFU Awards dinner in 1999. For a long time, he will be remembered as a colorful character that encompassed a golden era of rugby in New Zealand. Here we look at the Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Colin Meads.

1. He Was Truly A Rugby Legend

Rugby Ball. Photo by Jiachen Lin on

Playing at a time when substitutes were not allowed, Meads accumulated a total of 133 games for the All Blacks between 1957 and 1971 (his first match against Australia and last the Lions) during his rugby playing career. This automatically qualifies him to be a legend. Not only did he play, but also scored seven tries in his 55 tests. He was also given the honor of being the captain of the time a record eleven times.

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2. He Was Named Captain Of The All Blacks A Record 11 Times

Colin Meads.Author Crown Studios.

He was named captain of the All Blacks 11 times, his first in a 23鈥�9 victory over the Combined Services during the 1963鈥�64 tour of Britain. His captaincy was held in high regard as it was during his time that New Zealand won so many matches and became a rugby powerhouse.

3. He Was Nicknamed 鈥楶ine Tree鈥�

Tree ImagesPhoto by Michael Fenton on

Players and fans alike used to call him 鈥楶ine tree鈥�. – a nickname was given to him by his New Zealand Under-23 team-mate Ken Briscoe on the 1958 tour of Japan. At 1.92m and weighing just 100kg he was considered not as physically endowed as his teammates. It was his massive presence within the teams he represented that endured him to both the players and fans. It was an appropriate moniker because while physically he was no bigger than many of his contemporaries at 1.92m and weighing about 100kg, Meads had a massive presence within the teams he represented.

4. His Love For The Game Went Beyond His Playing Days

Rugby Pitch. Photo by Thomas Serer on

His love for the game was not just limited to his playing days. After retirement from the fields, he joined the boardrooms where he could pass on his experience to other younger players and contribute to the growth of the game in his country as an administrator and coach. He became a successful chairman of the King Country union and the first XV enjoyed a lengthy spell in the first division of the NPC.

He was also a coach and selector of North Island sides and was elected to the national selection panel in 1986. However, he fell out with the NZR in the 1980s when he coached an unauthorized Cavaliers tour to South Africa despite the boycott that was in place. He was later to make amends and return in the 1990s, where he was elected to the NZR council. He followed this by becoming the All Blacks manager for their ill-fated 1995 World Cup campaign in South Africa.

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5. He Was Inducted Into The Hall Of Fame

Meads received several honors for his contribution to the game. Due to the successes, he experienced during his career, He was made a member of both the World Rugby Hall of Fame and the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, a preserve of very few people. He was also a member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame before its merger with the World Rugby Hall in 2014.

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6. He Had A High Threshold For Pain

He was known for his strength and a high threshold for pain. There are many occasions when he would come out of a difficult situation to proceed with the game. This can be best illustrated when in a game against Eastern Transvaal in South Africa, in which he emerged from a particularly vicious ruck with his arm dangling, with an obvious fracture, yet completed the match. Interestingly, when the doctor cut away his shirt and confirmed the break, Meads jokingly said, “At least we won the bloody game.” After the injury, he went on to miss the first two Tests but returned for the third with his still-broken arm held together by a thin guard. This would not have been permitted in today鈥檚 rugby. That was Meads for you.

7. He Also Had The Reputation Of Being A “Hard Man” And “An Enforcer”

He distinguished himself as a “hard man” and “an enforcer”. In one incident, Benoit Dauga, the player Meads thought had kicked him in the head ended up with a broken nose. Elsewhere, South African center John Gainsford once tried to challenge Meads, who proceeded to hold his wrists in a grip that was “like being held in a band of steel” and simply said, “Don’t bother, son.”

He considered the Welsh player Rhys Williams and Irishman Willie John McBride to be in the same as him. However, he thought of the “one-eyed Springbok” Martin Pelser as his toughest opponent.

8. He Used His Influence To Help The Underprivileged

Besides being involved in rugby management after retirement, Meads also used his influence to become a frequent public speaker at events. He used the money raised to buy a farm for people with intellectual disabilities. He also appeared on television advertising products ranging from tantalized fence posts to finance companies. He was seen by many as the public face of Provincial Finance. In the advertisement, he is seen describing the company as “solid as I’d say”. He was later criticized when it went bankrupt, losing the trust of the people as they lost money when it failed.

9. He Was Knighted For His Achievements In Rugby

He accomplished many milestones in rugby in New Zealand. It, therefore, didn鈥檛 come as surprise when he was made a New Zealand Companion of Merit, the equivalent of a knighthood, in the 2001 New Year鈥檚 honors list. Thus, adopting the title 鈥楽ir鈥�.

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10. The Heartland Championship Is Named The Meads Cup In His Honor

One of the trophies contested in New Zealand’s domestic competition is the Heartland Championship. It is named the Meads Cup in his honor. Rugby writer Lindsay Knight wrote that “As a sporting legend Meads is New Zealand’s equivalent of Australia’s Sir Donald Bradman or the United States of America’s Babe Ruth鈥�. This is quite an honor bestowed on the rugby great.