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2:43pm: The hearse slowly exits the carpark with a haka ringing out, as a sign of respect. The car pauses one last time to acknowledge the salute and then departs.
Thanks for joining us this afternoon for this solemn occasion.
Hopefully, the All Blacks can pay their respects in the appropriate manner on Saturday night, when they take on Australian in Perth. Join us from 9:45pm for live updates of that game.
2:37pm: The casket is being carried out of the ground, with son David and former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith among the pallbearers.
The guard of honour features such luminaries as Sir John Kirwan, Grant Fox, Sir Michael Jones, Earl Kirton, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Grizz Wyllie, Steve Tew and Alan and Gary Whetton.
The crowd files out to the tune of Dave Dobbyn's 'Loyal'.
2:34pm: "Whatever hymn you pick, make sure they can sing it heartily - I don't like bumblers."
2:31pm: As the service ends, the crowd is invited to stay seated, while former All Blacks form a guard of honour for Sir Brian's casket through the tunnel at Memorial Park.
The family will attend a private burial immediately after the service. They receive a huge round of applause for sharing the great man with New Zealand over their lives.
2:27pm: We've just heard a prayer, and granddaughters Charlotte and Bridget deliver a reading.
"With many life lessons you've shared with us... they fit under the category of 'do as I say and certainly not as I do'," says Charlotte.
"One saying I'll always remember is 'do what you do do well'... you did it bloody well."
2:22pm: "As one of his great mates said to him recently, 'have a good flight, we love you'."
The audience is now watching a collection of photos from Sir Brian's life, set to the tune of 'Seven Spanish Angels', sung by Ray Charles and Willie Nelson. Great old banger.
2:20pm: David relates the first time Sir Brian encountered All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry.
"He's a school teacher from Auckland," Sir Brian told his son. "He'll be a wanker."
2:13pm: David Lochore begins listing the highlights of his father's life:
- Wairarapa tennis team winning the Christie Cup in 1982
- the close friendships of the Wairarapa Bush rugby team of the early 80s
- the 1987 World Cup-winning All Blacks
- the 'Kumara Club' tour party to the 1991 Rugby World Cup - "that group of recycled teenagers that toured around Europe in a huge booze bus"
- his crew of Sunday golfers - "this is not the occasion to describe their behaviour"
2:07pm: David says his father had faults like the rest of us.
"I think he was a direct throwback to the caveman. He was totally and utterly singly focused, that this became a great strength and sometimes a great weakness, and often provided us, as a family, with great hilarity.
"He was able to focus so completely on the task at hand that he could roll his motorbike on himself, while grappling with a sheep in a flat paddock and not lose his grip on the animal.
"He was able to pull a silly face at his granddaughter while driving his motorbike into the side of his ute, where he had only recently parked it."
2:01pm: Members of Sir Brian's family are now at the lectern.
"He would be surprised, he would be overwhelmed and he would be humbled by the attention, the outpouring of love for him and his family," says son David.
"I have been pondering the order of BJ's passions in life and one that keeps popping up is sheep... slightly bemusing when you think you may figure lower in the pecking order than his beloved sheep."
1:58pm: Sir Brian was club champion several times at the Eketahuna Golf Club and also scored a hole in one.
"BJ wasn't the easiest patient to look after at times and presented many challenges. He had a habit of being distracted on his farm bike and needed many a patch-up job, after - for example - mounting a fence, while trying to sort out his wayward dog.
"Picking up tiny little pills with his massive hands had to be seen to be believed."
1:50pm: Doctor Aage Terpstra is now addressing the gathering - he was Sir Brian's GP in Masterton.
"He loved a joke and having fun," says Terpstra. "He latched onto a good story, and would share it fare and wide with family, friends and All Black mates."
Terpstra relates the tale of Sir Brian's granddaughter painting a smiley face on his backside one day, while he was bending over. He then wandered into town without knowing it was there.
1:48pm: "A great kauri tree has fallen," says Enoka. "A humble man who allowed all of us to sit in the shade of his powerful presence."
1:47pm: "He possessed a set of standards that you wanted to rise to, because the example was so strong," says Enoka.
"Never seeking the limelight, but he was like a lighthouse on a stormy night. What an example.
"When people think of the words like devotion, loyalty, integrity, inspiration and love, they will think of him. Example is such a contagious behaviour."
1:42pm: "He poured charisma into common seanse - what a skill, what a man, what an influence," marvels Enoka. "He had a handshake like no other, hands as big as a plate.
"Watching him use a cell phone was a joy to behold - 'my bloody big fingers,' he would say."
1:40pm: "Boys, if we're heading west, shouldn't the sun be in front of us, not behind us?"
Enoka tells the story of car trip during the 2007 Rugby World Cup, when All Blacks management drove two hours in the wrong direction, before Sir Brian pointed out the error from the backseat.
"Thank God he was a farmer."
1:36pm: All Blacks mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka is now addressing the service. He speaks of the team's shock when they landed in Perth last weekend to hear of Sir Brian's death.
The team will wear Sir Brian's All Blacks number 637 on their sleeves on Saturday against Australia.
Enoka first worked with Sir Brian under former NZ coach Sir Graham Henry.
"BJ called me 'the shrink' and himself 'the bush psychologist' and together we went about our work. We were certainly the odd couple."
1:33pm: "You were the greatest giver of anyone I have ever known. I often thought you would make a great Governor General," says Greive.
"You have been a great leader of men with high principles, always leading by example and setting giant standards."
1:30pm: Sir Brian was apparently a great speaker, but a lousy singer. He helped organise a 'Kumara Club' tour part to the 1991 Rugby World Cup in Britain, where locals were only too keen to entertain the tourists.
Grieve says 22 couples somehow managed to return home, still happily married.
1:28pm: "He was always very fit and I was amazed how quickly he got around the [squash] court for a big man," says Greive.
1:26pm: Sir Brian's mate Ivan Greive claims he had trouble putting on weight and was a "poor doer" in farming terms.
He had 13 farming cadets over the years, including future All Black Neil Purvis, who quickly learnt the responsibilities expected of him.
1:24pm: During long tours to the UK, Sir Brian would phone home for advice from Pam on table etiquette, before visiting Buckingham Palace.
1:21pm: While boarding at Wairarapa College, he became known as 'Boats', because of the size of his shoes.
Apparently, he was a reluctant student and left school after scoring 31 percent in School Certificate. He would blame his pursuit of "a chick across the road" - Pamela Young - whom he eventually married.
1:18pm: "Everything for Brian was a competition, always All Blacks v Springboks," relates Thompson... pretty fitting, when you think South Africa were the only team to spoil his national captaincy record.
"Whoever was his playmate at the time would have to be a Springbok and they got the glare."
He was also a budding pianist - imagine those massive hands pounding the keys.
1:15pm: Thompson is recounting some childhood stories of the rogue once chased across the paddocks by his mother with a baton in hand.
"He was a source of great torment to his siblings, from pelting them with birds' eggs to pouring a tin of golden syrup over his brother's head - nice guy.
"Sister Shona was terrified whenever he was left babysit, because of the pranks he was likely to pull to get a reaction from her."
1:11pm: The service has officially begun and guests greeted by the presiding vicar Steve Thompson, also a local farmer. He was summoned by Sir Brian to plan his funeral.
Thompson says it was humbling to be asked to be part of this services.
"I might not have been there on Sundays, but I've got a faith and I want a farmer's funeral," Sir Brian told Thompson.
"So we need a few prayers and a hymn, and some of my good mates to come and speak."
1:06pm: The official party - carrying Sir Brian's casket - have entered the park to the tune of 'Country Roads', befitting the "farmer's funeral" theme he chose before he left.
Of course, Sir Brian was a farmer by trade, long before professional rugby kicked in and changed the sporting landscape.
12:50pm: "Everybody could talk to Brian," says schoolfriend Dianne Laing. "It didn't matter who they were - he could mix with the Queen and the shearers in the gang.
"He was the same with everybody."
Laing first encountered Sir Brian when she was reserve for the local school's seven-a-side team, which her father coached.
"We were playing Brian's team and my father, when he came off the field, said Brian would be an All Black. We were between 8-10 at the time."
12:48pm: Old All Blacks allies Richie McCaw and Dan Carter have just arrived together, closely followed by Sir Michael Jones, a star of that 1987 All Blacks team that Sir Brian guided to Workld Cup glory.
The PM has indeed arrived.
12:42pm: Crowds are trickling into Memorial Park and the Sir Brian Lochore stand, with early arrivals praising him for his ability to mix with royalty and the common man, while also helping his community far beyond his impact on the rugby field.
*****
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live online coverage of Sir Brian Lochore's funeral from Masterton.
Thousands are expected to descend on the small North Island town to pay their respects to the rugby icon, who meant so much to the game in New Zealand and around the world.
Not only was he a great player across 68 appearances for the All Blacks, captaining them to a 15-3 record, but he was also much celebrated for coaching the national team to victory at the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 on home soil.
He would become a mentor and sounding board for many rugby players, coaches and administrators through his life, and will leave a huge void throughout the game in New Zealand.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is also expected among the mourners at Memorial Park this afternoon.
Sir Brian's pasting contribution to "farmer's funeral"
Humble to the end, All Blacks colossus Sir Brian Lochore apparently organised the caterer for his memorial service scheduled for Masterton on Thursday afternoon.
New Zealand's rugby royalty - as well as the local community - will pay their respects to the former national captain and coach, who died on Saturday night, aged 78, after battling bowel cancer.
The loose forward played 68 games for the All Blacks - including 25 tests - from 1964-71, captaining the national side to a 15-3 record. All three defeats came at the hands of South Africa.
- Tributes flow after death of Sir Brian Lochore
- 'We've lost an absolute icon': All Blacks great honours Sir Brian
- Masterton to host funeral for All Blacks legend Sir Brian Lochore
After his playing career ended, Sir Brian continued to serve the game in a variety of roles, most notably as winning All Blacks coach at the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
Family friend Graeme Reisima told Newstalk ZB that he wanted a "farmer's funeral" and had even gone to the trouble of arranging his own caterer.
"He organised the caterer himself, who is a great mate of his, and that's it - he just left the rest to us," Reisima told Mike Hosking.
Tributes have flowed all week from around the world, and the service, timed for 1pm, will doubtless rival that held for great friend and teammate Sir Colin Meads, when he passed away from pancreatic cancer two years ago.
Both legends lend their names to the trophies for heartland rugby - Sir Brian played his provincial career for Wairarapa Bush and Sir Colin for King Country.
The most notable absentees from the ceremony will be the current All Blacks - they are in Perth, preparing for Saturday's Bledisloe Cup test against Australia and will be represented by mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka.
More to come
