The Pinetree has fallen.

New Zealand's rugby player of the 20th Century, Sir Colin Meads has died, aged 81.

Colin Earl Meads, born June 3, 1936, Cambridge. Died August 20, 2017, Total All Blacks appearances 133 (55 Tests, 78 non-Tests), debut v New South Wales, Sydney, May 25, 1957, final game v British and Irish Lions, Auckland, August 14, 1971, 11 Tests as captain. All Black number 583. NZR councillor 1992-96, NZ selector 1986, NZ manager 1994-95, NZR life member 2007, recipient of Steinlager Salver for outstanding service to rugby 1999, inducted into International Rugby Hall of Fame 1997 and voted NZ rugby player of the century in 1999. Knighted in 2009.

Feared during his playing career and revered ever after, Sir Colin Meads was knighted in 2009, recognition of the impact he made both as a rugby player with the All Blacks and as an icon of the game who contributed so much after his career through his work with the Intellectually Handicapped Children's organisation as well as the Crippled Children's Society and the New Zealand Rugby Foundation, at a time when the game suffered a series of serious spinal injuries.

A popular, and entertaining, after-dinner speaker Meads cared greatly about the All Blacks' legacy and, apart from his playing career, he served the game as a manager of the All Blacks and as a New Zealand Rugby Union councillor. It was during his time as manager, in France in 1995 just after the game had gone professional, that Meads gave the modern-day players a reminder of what it meant to be an All Black. In a closed room session with the players after a disappointing first Test loss to France he delivered a stinging tirade to the All Blacks saying while he and his team-mates didn't enjoy so much of what players of modern times did they were never scared, but he had seen a scared team on the field in the last match. Players never forgot what he said and delivered a stunning second Test victory.



Rest In Peace Sir Colin "Pinetree" Meads. 1936-2017. All Black #583. The thoughts of the rugby community are with the family of Sir Colin. pic.twitter.com/zXmLC2QCMP— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) August 20, 2017