Lochore ‘most valuable player’
Sir Brian Lochore has been awarded most valuable player, his granddaughter says.
Lochore, in a black coffin adorned with a silver fern, was carried into Trust House Memorial Park in Masterton by his grandchildren yesterday.
John Denver’s Country Roads played as the funeral for the All Blacks great got under way, and his coffin was placed alone in a marquee in front of a crowd of about 2500.
Past All Blacks, including Richie Mccaw and Dan Carter, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern were among those attending the funeral.
His granddaughter, Charlotte Mossman, delivered the reading 1st Corinthians – ‘‘Love is patient, love is kind’’.
She told those gathered that Lochore was a mentor, who could rest knowing ‘‘you have won’’.
‘‘You have been awarded most valuable player.’’
All Blacks manager Gilbert Enoka told those gathered that the All Blacks were taken aback when they landed in Australia to learn Lochore had passed away.
The players would wear his number for tomorrow’s Bledisloe Cup test, he said. ‘‘An indication of the mana that beholds this most magnificent man.’’
Lochore died on Saturday after a battle with cancer.
Sir Brian’s son, David Lochore, remembered his dad as ‘‘BJ the man’’ who loved his place under the shadow of the Tararuas. ‘‘This where he always wanted to be, this is where he was most comfortable, this was his home.’’
Among it all it was his mum Pam, who was at the centre of the equation and was everything to Sir Brian, David said.
‘‘She was his rock, his confidante . . . his best friend, his passion.’’