Former Black Ferns and All Blacks coach Wayne Smith has been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours, named as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Now Sir Wayne, his decades of service to rugby have been recognised, as well as his work as a patron of the New Zealand Foundation for Conductive Education, helping those affected by physical disabilities.
Firstly as a player and then as a coach, the man affectionately dubbed "The Rugby Professor" has been involved in the game for more than 60 years, taking up the game as a child in Canterbury.
Following in the footsteps of counterparts Sir Graham Henry and Sir Steve Hansen, Sir Wayne, 66, attributes his success to those he's worked with - ahead of himself.
"It's a real honour, there's no doubt about that," Sir Wayne told Newshub. "For me, it's a real privilege.
"Rugby's a team game, you can't achieve anything by yourself. You need really good people around you... players, coaches [and] staff.
"As I accept this award, I'm thinking of them. They're what make your career."
The honour is the latest for Sir Wayne, who was made a companion of the NZOM in 2012, after winning the 2011 Rugby World Cup as an assistant coach to Sir Graham Henry.
With the All Blacks, Sir Wayne also assisted Sir Steve Hansen to the 2015 World Cup triumph - widely considered to be among the greatest New Zealand men's side.
As well as his achievements in the men's game, Sir Wayne arguably made the greatest impact with the NZ women.
Parachuted in to lead the Black Ferns, after coach Glenn Moore's surprise resignation at the start of 2022, he had six months to turn the side's fortunes around from their lowest ebb.
As Black Ferns head coach, Sir Wayne did not lose a single test - winning 12 matches out of 12 - and defended the women's Rugby World Cup with a dramatic victory over England at a soldout Eden Park.
The victory signaled a seismic shift in the perception of the women's game in New Zealand, with Black Ferns co-captains Ruahei Demant (ONZM) and Kennedy Simon (MNZM) also rewarded in the King's Birthday Honours.
At professional level, Sir Wayne was instrumental in transforming the Crusaders from cellar-dwellers to a Super Rugby force, winning the franchise's first two titles.
Away from rugby, his work towards aiding those with disability has also been recognised in his honour, as son Joshua lives with cerebral palsy.
Despite the knighthood, 'Sir' is the last thing Sir Wayne expects to be known as.
"Everyone calls me Smithy, that's what I expect to still be called," he joked. "This is a great honour, obviously, [but] it doesn't make too much difference to my life."
