KEY POINTS:
Former All Black and long-time Poverty Bay rugby representative Mike Parkinson has died while on holiday in Northland.
Parkinson, 60, died in his sleep at a family holiday home at Matauri Bay last Saturday, according to family spokesman Pat Butler.
His tangi will be held in Wairoa on Thursday.
Parkinson had been living in Perth for about a year after living in Northland.
Butler said Parkinson had only recently been to the doctor and received a clean bill of health.
A strongly built midfield back, Parkinson played 20 games, including seven tests, for New Zealand in 1972-73 and appeared 51 times for Poverty Bay in a career featuring 90 first-class matches.
Parkinson is survived by his wife Lorraine, a daughter of All Black and Northland great JB Smith, four daughters and a son.
- NZPA
