All Black proud of his foster parents

Wanda and Liam Messam. Photo / Story - TV3

After four decades of fostering, the family that adopted All Blacks star Liam Messam say their latest foster child will be their last.

For more than 40 years Lewis and Wanda Messam who are now in their 70s have opened their home to children. They have had three of their own, adopted five and fostered 400, including Liam, who went on to play for the All Blacks.

"Eight people applied and we won," Wanda Messam told TV3's Story programme last night.

"You know your job is to settle them into an environment where they felt wanted, love and hopefully have a bit of fun," Lewis explained.

Liam, who has played 43 caps for the All Blacks and 21 for the NZ sevens team, is incredibly proud of his parents.

"I'm very blessed, I don't think I'd be in the position I am today without the family, so I am very grateful I am a Messam."

He also reckons they would be worthy contenders for the New Year Honours list.

"Hopefully one day they can just sit back and relax and enjoy life because they deserve it," he explained on Story.

"In my eyes they should be the ones that get knighted and damed at the end of the year."

His mum was quick to respond: "No, no - just leave me to it."

Messam said: "You can see that mum doesn't like a lot of fuss - she just does her job and her thing - humble as always."

To help the more than 8000 Kiwi kids currently in foster care you can donate to Foster Hope: http://www.fosterhope.org.nz/