Former All Black and Taranaki rugby stalwart Ian Eliason has passed away.
The 73-year-old played in 19 games for the All Blacks at lock, though no test matches, and was a life member and former president of the Taranaki union.
Eliason holds the New Zealand provincial record (with Canterbury's Fergie McCormick) of 222 first class games, having debuted as an 18-year-old in 1964 and playing through until 1981.
He had the unique distinction of both his 100th and 200th games for Taranaki being internationals – against England in 1973, won 6-3, and against Italy in 1980, won 30-9.
Taranaki Rugby chairman, Lindsay Thomson, said it was an incredibly sad day for Taranaki and New Zealand rugby, remembering Eliason as a "humble passionate rugby ambassador who will be greatly missed but fondly remembered".