Mac McCallion, rugby hero, farewelled
Rugby royalty and war veterans said goodbye to Mac McCallion in Papakura on Wednesday.
More than 400 people packed the Papakura RSA to farewell their team mate, coach, fellow soldier and friend who died on March 14 after a long battle with cancer.
The solemn three hour service was presided over by friend, fellow Vietnam veteran and army chaplin Kevin Herewini.
Immediate family included his wife Suzie, brothers Wayne, a fellow member of the SAS, and Murray, son Dion and his wife Robyn, who came from Perth for the funeral, children and grandchildren.
His pall bearers included many of the biggest names from McCallion’s successful Counties Manukau Steelers team of 1996 and 1997: Errol Brain, Lee Lidgard, Tony Marsh, Jim Coe, Joeli Vidiri and long time friend and fellow player and coach Andrew Talaimanu.
They were among a host of Steelers who turned up to pay their respects.
The Auckland Blues, who McCallion and former All Black coach Sir Graham Henry took to twin Super Rugby titles in 1996 and 1997, were equally well represented.
They included Henry, Sir Michael Jones, Robin Brooke and Eroni Clarke.
Jones and Clarke presented the family with an ‘ie toga, a finely woven Samoan mat, and a vibrant red ulafala (necklace) which Jones said is only presented to people who are respected and have huge mana.
Some of the rugby identities who spoke included, Talaimanu, Brain, Coe and Henry.
‘‘I respect the hell out of this man,’’ Henry said.
‘‘He was a very black and white guy - there was total clarity. There was no bullsh.. and the players loved that direction.’’
But perhaps the most heartfelt of all was that of Amy Cunningham whose father, Garry, managed the Steelers teams that McCallion coached.
‘‘I have some unreal childhood memories of that time,’’ she said.
‘‘I remember Tanya [Jim Coe’s daughter] and I standing on the scrum machine and felt the surge as the forwards hit the machine. I remember singing in the changing rooms.
As things turned out Cunningham was McCallion’s oncology nurse who, as was mentioned, went beyond the call of duty to nurse a man she known and admired since childhood.
McCallion was cremated and his ashes placed alongside fellow soldiers at the cemetery for SAS soldiers