Sam Whitelock (left) and Sam Cane in action at the at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Photo: Photosport
The All Blacks' most-capped player has been recognised in the New Year Honours list.
Sam Whitelock, who played 153 games for New Zealand between 2010 and 2023, has become an Officer of the New Zealand Order Of Merit for his services to rugby and the community.
Whitelock, who retired in 2023, was a key figure in the All Blacks for much of his career including the two World Cup-winning campaigns in 2011 and 2015.
He captained the All Blacks 18 times in his career, and was also an experienced leader in Super Rugby with the Crusaders, skippering the team between 2017 and 2019, when the team was in the midst of a seven year title winning streak.
Off the field, Whitelock's also been active particularly in the farming sector, serving as an ambassador for Farmstrong, a nationwide wellbeing programme for the rural community.
Whitelock's also done with philanthropic work with his former secondary school, Fielding High.
Also recognised as an Officer of the New Zealand Order Of Merit is Marguerite Christophers, a powerhouse in New Zealand Paralympic sport for the last 25 years.
Christophers has had several roles during her career, including being a classification manager for Paralympics New Zealand, working at the Halberg Trust between 2000 and 2012, and being head of classification for World Triathlon between 2010 and 2018.
In 2023, Christophers was one of four inaugural recipients of the International Paralympic Committee Classification Recognition Award.
Jockey Noel Harris Photo: Noel Harris
One of New Zealand's best jockeys has also been acknowledged.
Noel Harris is now a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the thoroughbred racing industry.
A jockey from 1970 to 2015, he won almost 2200 races in his career, including multiple Auckland, Wellington and New Zealand Cups, and when 55, he became the oldest rider in a Melbourne Cup.
Since retiring, Harris has been an apprentice riding mentor, to improve skills, both on and off the track, of young jockeys.
Whitelock, Christophers and Harris join golfer Lydia Ko and former All Blacks coaches John Hart and Ian Foster as sporting personalities recognised in the 2025 New Years Honours List.
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