Hobbs: McCaw's tribute to a legend

Richie McCaw, who many have likened to a modern day Jock Hobbs, has paid his respects to the former All Blacks captain and Rugby Union chairman.

The current test skipper had a close relationship with Hobbs, 52, who died in Wellington Hospital Tuesday after a long battle with leukaemia.

“He’s just a good mate that’s gone, which is pretty sad,” said McCaw whose tight bond with Hobbs was linked though leadership and their position.

“When he was an All Black flank, the loose forwards would have a port after every test, so the port bottle used to come out and we’d have a couple…pretty special memories,” said McCaw.

New All Blacks coach Steve Hansen’s friendship with Hobbs stretched back more than 30 years.

Hansen was captain of the Canterbury Under-18 when Hobbs was the vice captain.

“There’s been some great New Zealanders involved in the game, but he’s probably been the greatest of them all,” Hansen said.

Hobbs remembered for “saving the game”

Players from the 90s remember Hobbs’ hard stance as an administrator, fending off the rebel World Rugby Corporation.

Former All Blacks coach John Hart said rugby “owes him a great deal”.

He recalled how following the 1995 Rugby World Cup Hobbs negotiated successfully with New Zealand stars poised to sign lucrative offers from Kerry Packer’s World Rugby Corporation.

“It was a time when rugby was really looking like it could collapse.”

Commentator and sports writer Phil Gifford reiterated how Hobbs saved the game by keeping players on.

Gifford said Hobbs flew around the country and did not sleep for three weeks as he tried to negotiate with players to keep them on board.

“One of the things about Jock Hobbs that I feel that was great was that he was very straightforward, he didn’t mince words and he had this phrase ‘the dings on the table’ [the money is on the table] and that was how he was persuading players to sign up,” he said.

Gifford said Jeff Wilson and Josh Kronfeld were the two breakthrough All Blacks who announced they were staying with the organisation and that negotiation was completed and signed at 4am.

“His reward was that he was sacked from the NZRU board because there were some members who believed that he had given a bit too much ‘ding’ to the players when he actual fact that really wasn’t the case.”

Commentator Peter Fitzsimmons, who wrote a great book about the whole episode, said rather than sacking Hobbs they should have built a statue of him outside the NZRU headquarters.

Rugby World Cup 2011 tournament organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011 also paid tribute to Hobbs, who led the organisation in its early years.

Hobbs was instrumental in pulling together global rugby support for New Zealand’s bid to host Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011), and for the first four years following the successful bid in 2005 he Chaired the Board of Rugby New Zealand 2011 (RNZ 2011) the standalone company established to deliver RWC 2011.

What is less widely known is the role Hobbs played in relation to RWC 2011 during his illness and in the lead-up to the Tournament. He stepped away from the Board in December 2010 to focus on his health, but his influence and presence was undiminished.

Current Chairman Brian Roche recalls the level of support, guidance, and friendship he and the rest of the Board received from Hobbs.

“Jock was always at the forefront of our minds. He made promises on behalf of New Zealand about the Tournament we would deliver and even in ill-health was determined to keep us true to those promises. I was comforted by Jock’s continued involvement and support of the Tournament. From both an organisational and personal perspective it has been a privilege to have worked with and for him. He was a special man and truly the leader of this event.”

Chief Operating Officer Therese Walsh recalls visiting Hobbs in hospital last year.

“Jock was very ill and we were all very concerned about him, but within minutes of arriving he asked me for a ticket sales update. His interest and concern in the success of the Tournament was without limits. He would often Email or ring to check how we were doing and we knew that being accountable to Jock was the highest benchmark for us all.”

Hobbs not only met with the management team and Board regularly to offer support and guidance, he also attended a number of events as both a representative of RNZ 2011 and in support of RNZ 2011.

In 2010 having just been discharged from hospital he travelled with the then General Manager Tournament Services Nigel Cass to Auckland to attend the Official Opening of Eden Park.

“Jock’s presence that day was significant and made the opening event a true milestone for RWC,” he said.

Staff were humbled when Hobbs made the effort to recognise their achievements and milestones along the way. At the One Year to Kick-off celebration Hobbs again pushed his ill-health to the side and attended the function presenting each staff member with a commemorative T-shirt.

Executive Assistant Sharon Carle said: “when you are individually recognised for your work by someone of Jock’s calibre you feel truly inspired to give your job 100 percent which is what I believe every member of the team did for RWC 2O11.”

Then CEO Martin Snedden said that having Jock travel to many of the RWC 2011 matches including the Opening Match and the Final was poignant and extremely special.

“There were two or three occasions during the Tournament where Jock took me aside to check how our staff, including me, were faring appreciating the pressure everyone was under. He frequently asked me how he could help. I told him that his very presence at so many matches was in itself providing us with great inspiration. He was a fine man and leader. We will all miss him.”

Chiefs Chairman Dallas Fisher has joined the New Zealand rugby fraternity in paying tribute to the late New Zealand legend, Hobbs.

Dallas said: “Jocks contribution and leadership to New Zealand rugby was outstanding. He was a man of great integrity who was totally committed to New Zealand rugby in all aspects of the game.

“He worked incredibly hard for the game, had an affinity for all levels of the game and was hugely respected and well regarded in our region.

“We offer our sincerest condolences to Jock’s wife Nicky, his children Emily, Michael, Penny and Isabelle and his wider family.”

Hobbs played 21 Tests for the All Blacks at flank between 1983 and 1986 and was a stalwart for Canterbury throughout the 1980s.

Hobbs leaves behind his wife Nicky and four children – Michael, Penny, Isabelle and Emily.

Sources: TV NZ & allblacks.com