Sportsman. Politician. Businessman. Diplomat. Economic-rainmaker. Fixer. Leader. Winner.
Choose any of these labels and they can be worn, appropriately, by our New Zealander of the Year for 2005, Jock Hobbs.
The NZ Rugby Union chairman and former All Black captain, won the accolade from a substantial field of achievers nominated by almost 1000 Herald readers and members of our editorial staff.
There is no doubt that through Mr Hobbs' outstanding range of talents and the manner in which he deployed them in 2005, his sport and the country will be better off.
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Advertise with NZME.The pinnacle of his success was leading the triumphant New Zealand bid to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Two bigger, richer nations in Japan and South Africa were said to have the inside running, but Mr Hobbs and his team out-strategised them for a surprise victory.
Although gravely ill with leukaemia, he was at the World Cup final in 2011 to see the All Blacks lift the cup. He died in March last year aged 52.
From the Herald archives:
'NZer of the Year: Jock Hobbs', NZ Herald online, 17 December 2005
