Senior All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor has broken down in tears while paying a raw and touching tribute to Māori All Blacks wing Sean Wainui, who died in a car crash on Monday.
Taylor said news of Wainui’s death sent shockwaves through the All Blacks, who have just arrived in Washington, DC, to prepare for the test against the USA Eagles this weekend.
Taylor’s voice was shaky as he sent his love to Wainui’s whānau and friends, and was overcome with emotion when asked about how hard the loss had hit the All Blacks group, particularly those who had young children back in New Zealand.
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“It really hits home, and shows how fragile life can be. You just think about his loved ones,” Taylor said, before needing a break to compose himself.
“It’s hard. He’s got kids. I can’t really say much more.”
Taylor’s show of grief captured the sense of shock and sorrow that swept across the rugby community when Wainui’s death was reported on Monday.
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For the All Blacks, emotions are also heightened by the fact that many, like Wainui, are fathers to young children, and have also been away from home since late August.
“It’s pretty tragic,” Taylor said. “He’s a man held in high regard among the rugby community.
“He was a special part of the Crusaders when he first came down, and he’s a special part of the Chiefs, Māori All Blacks, Taranaki and the Bay.
“It’s pretty tough. I know there are few boys in here really struggling, as you’d expect.
“It was sort of touched upon on this morning and there will be an opportunity to do that later on.
“I just think a man with so much mana, and respect, it’s such sad news to hear.
“There’s a lot of shock as well. You don’t think it’s going to happen to someone like that but it does.
“It’s hard to talk about. A lot of people will be hurting. It’s a pretty tough time.”
There are a number of Chiefs within the All Blacks for whom Wainui’s death will be particularly devastating, but Wainui was well known to many throughout the game.
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Senior All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock fondly recalled sitting beside Wainui on flights when he was “19 or 20” during his Crusaders days, and said the All Blacks players were all sharing their stories about the popular outside back.
“There are a lot of people here heartbroken with Seanie’s passing,” he said. “A lot of people played with him – NZ Māori, the Chiefs, the Crusaders, and also the age-group stuff.
“Obviously a lot of love and compassion goes out to Seanie’s family, [wife] Paige, his kids and extended family.
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“This is a delicate one at the moment with the boys being away here. We just want to get around people that were close to Sean.
“It’s hard for a lot of the guys at the moment… people will be going through the different cycles of grief, and it’s all still very raw at the moment.”
Taylor said the All Blacks leadership group had already discussed how to pay respect to Wainui and his whānau, and said the wider group would be given the opportunity to “connect and acknowledge Seanie and his family and his loved ones”
“I think shock is one word you can probably say is shared at the moment among the boys,” he said. “We’ll get around those who are most affected.”
This article was originally published on stuff.co.nz and is reproduced with permission