All Blacks mourn loss of ‘saviour’ Hobbs

A head injury prematurely terminated his playing career and a serious illness ended Jock Hobbs’ weighty off-field contributions to rugby before ultimately claiming his life.

A former All Blacks captain and New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) board chairman, Hobbs died yesterday at the age of 52.

The NZRU confirmed the news on behalf of his family, saying it was “with great sadness that we announce the passing of Jock Hobbs this afternoon. Our family would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of support we have received over the last week and in particular, express our gratitude to all the staff at Wellington Hospital that were involved in Jock’s care.”