Rugby great's other talent revealed in auction

Sir Wilson Whineray's painting of <i>The Stockman</i> has a reserve of $400 in a Trade Me auction which closes on Thursday. Photo / Supplied

The late All Black Sir Wilson Whineray was a man of many talents - a good rugby player, esteemed businessman and, as it transpires, a budding artist.

A painting by Sir Wilson to raise funds for the Wallace Gallery in Morrinsville is being sold on Trade Me for the second time, coinciding with interest surrounding the death of the 77-year-old last Monday.

Morrinsville bed-and-breakfast owner Dennis Trotter bought the piece, titled The Stockman, for about $400 on Trade Me in 2007 to support the gallery.

The 700mm x 560mm canvas was one of about 18 painted and donated by famous New Zealanders to raise money for the gallery, which eventually opened in 2010.

Mr Trotter thought the Outback-themed artwork of a silhouetted man on his horse with his dogs might be of interest to some of Sir Wilson's fans, given the former All Black captain's recent passing.

An extract from Banjo Paterson's poem Clancy of the Overflow is written at the bottom of the painting along with the initials WW, and it is signed Wilson Whineray 2007 on the back.

"I've never had it on display because the colours are all wrong for me," Mr Trotter said.

"It's pretty much sky blue and tussocky sand and it doesn't go in my house at all so ... it was just an opportunity ... now seemed a good time to move it on."

The high standard of painting suggested it wasn't Sir Wilson's first attempt. "It's a bit better than a school kid who has just done something and I think he must have had a little bit of ability."

The auction for the unframed canvas ends on Thursday and has a reserve of $800.