RIP JOCK HOBBS

What can you say when such a remarkable man dies?

A sad loss for NZ, NZ Rugby Union and his whanau.

I am so happy he saw his All Blacks win the World Cup,

My condolences and thoughts are with his family, the man led a rich and full life.

A great player whose work for the NZRFU administration was even greater. He was instrumental in saving the game in 1995. A great loss to NZ and NZ rugby. My thoughts go out to his family.

My condolences to his family, friends and millions of fans out there. Never met the man but everytime i heard him speak he sounded like a very genuine man who loved the game with a passion.

A sad day for all who love the sport.

R.I.P

A good flanker, a good captain, a good All Black captain. a good lawyer, a great rugby administrator.most appropriate that he was the one to present Richie with his 100th test cap.

A toast to the life of a good man

aucklandlaurie wrote: A good flanker, a good captain, a good All Black captain. a good lawyer, a great rugby administrator.most appropriate that he was the one to present Richie with his 100th test cap.

+1. One of the good 'uns.

The game is poorer today than it was yesterday.

Rest in Peace sir, you have earned that right.

Not many epitomise the spirit of rugby union as much as Hobbs, it was his life. His memory will live long.

Thanks for saving the game I love, Jock.

Terrible loss to the game. My thoughts are with his family, and my sincerest thanks to him for everything he achieved for the game. RIP.

Jock, I’m not sure the Rugby World will ever comprehend the service you did in 1995 but all NZ fans of the game certainly do. Your loss is immeasurable and you will be missed.

Obituary: Jock Hobbs, “The Man Who Saved Rugby”
The New Zealand rugby community is mourning the loss of former All Blacks Captain and New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) board chairman Jock Hobbs after he died in Wellington Hospital today aged just 52, following a lengthy battle with leukaemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Sir Colin “Pinetree” Meads, regarded as New Zealand’s greatest ever rugby player, lead the tributes to Hobbs saying "Jock was one of the greatest administrators New Zealand ever had. He saved the game.''

Meads was referring to Hobbs’ work in preventing the then All Blacks squad from becoming a rebel professional team in 1995 at a critical juncture in the history of the game.

Other tributes came from New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and former Prime Minister Helen Clarke, as well as from many current and former rugby players and administrators around the world.

Hobbs was a combatative player, part of the New Zealand production line of open-side flankers that also includes the likes of Waka Nathan, Graeme Mourie, Michael Jones, Josh Kronfeld and most recently Richie McCaw. He made his provincial debut for Canterbury in 1981 and was a key leader in the Canterbury reign as Ranfurly Shield holders from 1982 to 1985.

Hobbs’ All Blacks debut came against the 1983 British and Irish Lions and he went on to play 21 test matches, captaining the All Blacks on tours to Fiji in 1984 and Argentina in 1985. To his later regret he then joined the rebel Cavaliers’ tour to South Africa in 1986 before a succession of concussions forced him to retire from all rugby before the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup. Had he been available in 1987 the great international career of Michael Jones may have had a delayed beginning.

Spoiler:

For the next few years Hobbs focused his energies on his family and his career as a lawyer though continued rugby links lead to his appointment as a NZRU councillor in 1995 at a critical time as the game teetered on the edge between amateurism and professionalism. According to Peter Fitzsimons’ 2003 book The Rugby War Hobbs worked around the clock for over 6 weeks to convince key members of the All Blacks’ 1995 Rugby World Cup squad to sign professional contracts with the NZRU, despite the team members having already reached an understanding with the Kerry Packer backed World Rugby Corporation. In the late 1970s Packer had managed to turn international cricket on its head by signing all the major international players to his World Series Cricket, popularising one-day cricket along the way, so the threat to the rugby union establishment was very real. But for Hobbs efforts, along with those in South Africa by Dr Louis Luyt who reportedly bullied the Springboks’ players into staying with the SARU, moden rugby could have been very different.

Hobbs was also involved in negotiations with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation and other commercial partners to finance the new professional game. His reward was to be dumped from the NZRU council in 1996 when the number of council seats was streamlined.

Hobbs re-emerged to pick up the pieces after the 2003 Rugby World Cup hosting debacle forced much of the NZRU's top management to fall on their swords in 2002 and he became board chairman. In 2005 he was a key player in securing New Zealand the hosting rights to the 2011 tournament, with his negotiation skills credited with carrying the day.

Later in 2005 Hobbs was first diagnosed with a mostly dormant form of leukaemia, which in May 2010 required him to take a leave of absence from the NZRU for chemotherapy. In December 2010 he resigned his roles with the NZRU and Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd boards after learning he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

In 2011 Hobbs was given the honour of taking the match ball onto Eden Park for the opening match of the Rugby World Cup between New Zealand and Tonga. Later in the tournament he presented All Blacks’ captain Richie McCaw and full back Mils Muliaina with silver caps to mark their hundredth test matches for New Zealand. After seeing New Zealand win the World Cup he had worked so hard to secure the hosting rights for he was awarded the Vernon Pugh award for Distinguished Service to Rugby by the IRB

Spoiler:

Michael James Bowie “Jock” Hobbs was born in Christchurch on February 15, 1960. Hobbs, a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM), is survived by his wife Nicki (a sister of former All Blacks fullback and current Wallabies coach Robbie Deans), and children Michael (a first five-eighth for the Blues Super Rugby franchise), Emily, Penny and Isabella

Spoiler:

Thanks Kiwi. That was a lovely tribute.

I can remember that day in Athletic Park in 1982 when he took the Ranfurly Shield off Wellington. To me that was my favourite memory of him as a player. But he had so much time for the game when he left. Some ex-players like to commentate but this guy preferred behind the scenes.

He was humble, approachable and never tired for his passion of rugby. He is up there with our heroes like Edmund Hillary who always downplayed their feats and got on with the business of helping out others and putting their efforts into worthwhile causes. I salute you Jock as a noble servant of AB and Canterbury rugby. You didn't seek the limelight but you sure as hell get it now when you exit the stage.

Sadness in Nz two great AllBlacks passing away within such a short period.
Jock Hobbs a great servant of the game both as player and administrator.
Also Richard [Tiny]White legendary lock forward condolences to both families concerned