'A proud legacy': Former All Blacks captain dies

Former All Blacks skipper Tane Norton has died aged 81.

Norton, a hooker, made 61 appearances for the All Blacks including 27 Tests.

Norton led the All Blacks for 9 matches, including the 3-1 bid triumph implicit the British and Irish Lions successful 1977.

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New Zealand skipper Tane Norton successful enactment against the Lions. (Getty)

He made his Test debut against the 1971 Lions and his last quality for the All Blacks was against the aforesaid team, successful the last lucifer of the bid successful Auckland.

"I inactive aftermath up and can't judge I've been an All Black," helium told Stuff successful 2012.

Norton played a full of 197 archetypal people games, including 82 for Canterbury, 61 for New Zealand and 3 for a World Invitation XV successful South Africa successful 1977.

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New Zealand skipper Tane Norton successful Christchurch. (Getty)

Highly respected for maintaining precocious standards passim his career, Norton remained actively progressive arsenic a manager and head with the Linwood nine successful Christchurch.

He was besides elected arsenic the NZ Rugby vice president successful 2001 and was the president successful 2003.

Norton was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby successful the 2006 New Year Honours.

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"Tane epitomised everything that's large astir rugby. He was a person of men connected and disconnected the tract and was universally respected," NZR main enforcement Mark Robinson said.

"As a player, helium was a tenacious, almighty subordinate who acceptable a precocious modular for the squad to follow, and was a hugely fashionable and palmy skipper of the All Blacks.

"His passionateness for the crippled continued pursuing his playing career, giving backmost to his beloved Linwood club. During his tenure arsenic vice president and president of NZR, helium continued to correspond our athletics with mana and pride. He was a fantastic ambassador for rugby who has made an immense publication to the crippled and volition beryllium dearly missed. We nonstop our thoughts to his whanau and friends successful this bittersweet time."

New Zealand Rugby Union President Tane Norton successful Wellington. (Getty)

He was besides a beingness subordinate of Canterbury Rugby and the Linwood club.

Born successful North Canterbury, Norton was educated successful Methven and represented Mid Canterbury arsenic a 19-year-old successful 1961.

Following a prolonged lack from the archetypal people scene, helium was picked for the New Zealand Maori squad successful 1969, and aboriginal Canterbury.

New Zealand Rugby Union President Tane Norton. (Getty)

Canterbury Rugby posted a tribute to Norton connected societal media, saying "a totara (mighty autochthonal tree) has fallen."

"It is with sadness that we nonstop our condolences to the Norton family, Linwood Rugby Club and the wider Canterbury Rugby whanau, pursuing the passing of Tane Norton overnight," it said.

"As president and beingness subordinate of Linwood, a beingness subordinate of Canterbury Rugby and integral successful galore antithetic parts of the rugby fraternity, Tane volition permission a arrogant bequest and volition beryllium sorely missed."

New Zealand skipper Tane Norton gives writer John Hopkins a lift. (Getty)

After appearances successful the nationalist trials successful 1970 and 1971, Norton was picked successful the All Blacks squad to play the touring 1971 Lions.

That was to beryllium the commencement of him appearing successful 27 consecutive Test matches.

In summation to starring the All Blacks, Norton captained the New Zealand Maori squad from 1973.

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