Meads, Colin (1936-2017), was a legendary New Zealand rugby star. He has been called one of the greatest players in rugby history and became a national hero in New Zealand for the skill and passion of his playing. Known as Pinetree Meads, he played his first Test for the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, in 1957. He captained the All Blacks in 1971. When he retired in 1973, he had scored a total of 55 points in international rugby and 355 points in first class rugby. He played a total of 55 Tests, a tremendous number during a time when the All Blacks played few Tests each year.
Meads was born on June 3, 1936, in Cambridge on the North Island of New Zealand. After his retirement, he coached the King Country provincial team and was manager of the All Blacks. He retired from coaching in 1996. Meads died on Aug. 20, 2017.
