This article originally appeared on Stuff and is reproduced with permission
Former All Black and Canterbury stalwart Shayne Philpott has died. He was 58.
Philpott, who played 113 games for Canterbury, is understood to have died in Christchurch after a medical event.
He was All Black No.895 and a prolific points scorer during a decade-long career for Canterbury.
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Known for his versatility, Philpott could fill most positions in the backline.
Philpott played 12 games and two Tests for the All Blacks after making his debut on the 1988 tour of Australia, just months after rupturing the ACL in his left knee.
Philpott told Stuff in 2011 that he was given the all clear to rehab and then play on because of the strength in his knee. However, he had lost the ability to step off his left foot.
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The injury occurred earlier in 1988 when Philpott was playing for the New Zealand sevens team in Sydney in a team full of present and future stars, including Zinzan Brooke, John Kirwan, John Schuster, Frano Botica, Terry Wright, Eric Rush and Dallas Seymour.
Later in 1988, when playing for Canterbury against Counties at Lancaster Park, Philpott ruptured the ACL in his right knee. Surgery followed early in 1989 and he would miss the entire 1989 season before returning to the All Blacks fold in 1990.
Philpott was selected on the end-of-year tour of France as a fullback despite not playing in that position for Canterbury that year because Robbie Deans had returned to the red and blacks.
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Despite more struggles with his right knee in 1991, Philpott was selected for the All Blacks’ tour to Argentina. He was a reserve for the Tests but never got on the field.
Despite breaking his arm playing for Canterbury just nine weeks out from the 1991 Rugby World Cup, Philpott returned just a few weeks later for his provincial side to prove his fitness and earn a spot in Alex Wyllie and John Hart’s All Blacks squad.
Philpott’s selection was heavily scrutinised by some sections of the media, former players and fans of other unions. It wasn’t the first time either.
In an opinion piece written for Stuff in 2011, he revealed the mocking from some sections of the media and fans alike meant at the time he was no longer proud to be an All Black and he famously placed his All Blacks cap on TradeMe before rescinding the auction.
“I had more or less disassociated myself from the fact that I was ever an All Black,” Philpott wrote in 2011.
“It was no longer a sense of pride. I am more proud of the fact that I won two club finals with Burnside and played 113 games for Canterbury.”
Philpott, who spent his early playing days in Ashburton playing for the Celtic club, moved to Christchurch as a child.
He debuted for Canterbury in 1986 at age 20 and represented the New Zealand Colts in that same year.
In 1995, still struggling with constant pain in his knee, Philpott made the move to Japan where he played for five years before calling time on his playing career.