Bill McCaw played for the All Blacks between 1951-1954. Photo: Crown Studios Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library.
Bill McCaw, who was the oldest living All Black, has died in Christchurch, aged 97.
McCaw played five tests and 27 games as a loose forward for the All Blacks between 1951 and 1954.
He played 22 matches on the All Blacks' tour of Britain and France, including tests against Wales and France. He also played in their last tour match against the Barbarians.
McCaw became the oldest surviving All Black in September 2023 on the death of Taranaki's Roy Roper, who had turned 100 a month earlier.
The oldest survivor is now believed to be from Wellington and Horowhenua representative Brian Steele, who played nine matches, including three tests on the All Blacks' 1951 tour of Australia.
Aged 96, he is a great uncle of Christian Cullen.
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and Bill McCaw in 2008. Photo: Supplied: Bill McCaw family collection
Bill and former All Blacks captain Richie were unable to establish if they were related but expect they were somewhere along the line, as they both had distant relatives that had arrived in New Zealand from Dumfries in Scotland.
McCaw was born in Gore and started his rugby at St Kevin's College boarding school in Oamaru.
At 22, he was selected for Southland in 1949 and a year later was in their side that beat the touring British Lions 11-0.
He gained national selection in 1951, playing 10 times on the All Blacks' tour of Australia, including three tests.
Rugby historian Lindsay Knight wrote in his profile on McCaw for the New Zealand Rugby Museum, that the Southland teacher had an excellent northern tour in 1953-54 even though he was competing for a place against the captain Bob Stuart as a No 8 and Peter Jones and Bill Clark as a flanker.
"As the captain of Southland, McCaw showed exceptional leadership qualities and but for the injuries which dogged much of his career may have become a test captain," Knight wrote.
He led the All Blacks in a midweek tour match against North of Scotland and in 1954 was captain of the South Island and of the New Zealand XV which met New Zealand Māori.
McCaw's last season was in 1955. After retiring from playing, he coached and was an administrator for the Marist club in Invercargill and for some years was on the Southland union's management committee.
One of his sons, John, played for Canterbury in the mid-1980s.
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