Former All Blacks midfielder Sir Bryan Williams will be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
Sir Bryan was one of five players named by World Rugby who will be honoured at a special ceremony in England next month.
The other four are Liza Burgess (Wales), Stephen Larkham (Australia), Pierre Villepreux (France) and Ronan O'Gara (Ireland).
Due to Rugby Championship commitments as assistant coach of the Wallabies, Larkam will receive his accolade a day before Australia's Bledisloe Cup opener against the All Blacks.
According to World Rugby's website, the Hall of Fame "recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to the game of rugby throughout their careers, while also demonstrating rugby's character-building values of integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline and respect".
Williams, 67, made his name on the All Blacks tour of South Africa in 1970 and went on to play 113 times, including 38 test matches, for New Zealand.
After hanging up the boots, he coached his club side Ponsonby and Auckland, before becoming closely involved with Manu Samoa in the 1990s. He went on to become an assistant coach with the Hurricanes.
He was officially knighted as a part of the New Year 2018 Honours list, and has previously received the Order of the British Empire in 1983, the Samoan Order of Merit in 1996 and the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2013.
The five inductees bring the total in the Hall of Fame to 142 since it began in 2006.
Newshub.
