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Home / Hawkes Bay Today / Opinion

Editorial: Praise for Meads' old-school poise

By Mark Story
Hawkes Bay Today·
20 Aug, 2017 09:07 PM2 mins to read

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Tributes are flowing for Sir Colin Meads, who died on Sunday. Photo File

Tributes are flowing for Sir Colin Meads, who died on Sunday. Photo File

Opinion

One wonders if Sir Colin Meads watched his final test match on Saturday night before his passing yesterday morning.

A final test before his final breath in Te Kuiti Hospital.

News of his not unexpected death travelled far and fast. The mighty 'Pinetree' had fallen.

Nonetheless, it was one of three major rugby-related headlines yesterday.

Read more: Sir Colin Meads: The world reacts to his death
Wynne Gray: On the field and off, Colin Meads was a daunting man

One of Pinetree's great games - in Napier

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The second was the post match commentary of said Saturday Bledisloe fixture between the Wallabies and All Blacks.

The third focused on All Black veteran Jerome Kaino, who had to suddenly return home for some damage control after his alleged extra-marital hi jinks.

At least Meads - whose playing and retirement years weren't peppered with the unsavoury off-field antics commonplace today - was spared yet another headline of this ilk.

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A colleague pointed out to me yesterday that Pinetree's death was made more poignant amid the raft of lewd headlines sparked by high-rolling, high-profile footy players in this last week.

The obvious take-home message from those of us who love footy, is that these current under-fire All Blacks think their worst transgression, if not their only, is getting caught.

Contrast their actions with the national eulogies focused on Meads' old-school dignity, poise and accomplishment.

The tributes came not just from his former colleagues and opponents, but from some very unexpected quarters. Thus his passing isn't being lamented only by the footy fraternity.

The current superstars who make headlines for all the wrong reasons would do well to take heed of the former superstar, and the legacy he left.

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