🚨 NEW: All Black’s death announced overnight as rugby in mourning.
Former All Blacks hooker dies aged 55
Former All Blacks hooker Norm Hewitt has died, aged 55.
The hugely popular and well-known player had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, his family said in a statement.
”Although rugby dominated his early life, he established a thriving human relations consultancy after retirement, and his services were much in demand both nationally and internationally,” they said.
”He walked confidently in both Māori and Pākehā worlds and was a particular role model for troubled youths, citing his own background, and offering inspirational teachings that one’s present life need not be one’s future.”
Hewitt’s rugby career spanned 13 seasons with Hawke’s Bay, Southland and Wellington, while he was also a key player for the Hurricanes in the early days of Super Rugby – missing just one match in the first five years.
He also earned 23 caps for the All Blacks.
In 1997 Hewitt had a famous face-off with England player Richard Cockerill during the haka before a test in Manchester.
After retiring from rugby, Hewitt became a public speaker and was also the first ‘Dancing with the Stars’ winner in New Zealand.
