New Zealand's most-capped hockey player and former Black Sticks captain Phil Burrows has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2016 New Year's Honours list.
Burrows played 16 years of top level hockey before officially announcing his Black Sticks retirement last month.
"I was pretty taken-aback just to be nominated," Burrows told Fairfax.
"Hearing I was actually going to be on the list, I feel pretty privileged and honoured. I'm just a hockey player, you don't expect you get these kind of honours."
36-year-old Burrows helped the Black Sticks win the silver medal at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2010 Delhi games, and also captained the New Zealand side from 2009-2011. He also appeared at the Olympic Games three times from 2004-2012.
