Fox was a survivor. He outlasted the World Cup cull of '91 which claimed a number of his close mates and went on to be part of a test victory in South Africa and a Lions series win the year after.
He spent time working with Auckland and the Blues until he became an All Black selector in 2012. It was a job he discounted once his playing days were done but like most of us he changed.
"They set themselves up to be knocked down, jumped on, laughed at, abused, lampooned and generally punched, bored and screwed by a nation of people who all now better because they once played left wing for the Parenata-Plimmerton fourths, coached the Ngakawau fifths or once watched a video called Rugger Made Easy," Fox said 21 years ago.
Now he helps Steve Hansen and Ian Foster choose the All Blacks.
BACK TO WYNNE GRAY'S 100 GREATEST ALL BLACKS
Statistics
Date of birth: 6 June 1962
Position: First five-eighth
Matches: 78
Tests: 46
Test debut: 26 October 1985 v Argentina, Buenos Aires
Last test: 31 July 1993 v Samoa, Auckland
Province: Auckland
Test tries: 1
Test points: 645