Rugby mourns as Maori All Black Connor Garden-Bachop dies at 25 : Planet Rugby
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Dylan Coetzee 17 hours ago
Maori All Black Connor Garden-Bachop has passed away at the age of 25 following a “medical event” in Christchurch.
Garden-Bachop was a seasoned Super Rugby player, having spent five campaigns with the Highlanders in Dunedin. It was during this period when he received the honour of representing the Maori All Blacks in 2022.
He was set to leave the club after the Super Rugby Pacific season and had posted his thanks to the Highlanders and their supporters last weekend.
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“All of rugby walks alongside the Garden-Bachop family at this time and we are collectively united in our grief,” read the statement, which was also signed by the New Zealand Maori Rugby Board, the Highlanders, Wellington Rugby and the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association.
“Connor was a fantastic young player, an exciting New Zealand age-grade representative and a proud Māori All Black.
“Wherever he played, he was a committed and popular teammate with infectious energy and someone who could light up the room.
“Most importantly, he was a loving father to his twin girls, a brother, a son and immeasurably loved by all those who knew him.”
The statement from New Zealand Rugby included a verse in Maori that had the phrase “the rugby world weeps for you” in it.
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It is an incredibly sad day for the Garden-Bachop family and the rugby community as a whole to see a young player taken far too soon.
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www.planetrugby.com
Dylan Coetzee 17 hours ago
Garden-Bachop was a seasoned Super Rugby player, having spent five campaigns with the Highlanders in Dunedin. It was during this period when he received the honour of representing the Maori All Blacks in 2022.
He was set to leave the club after the Super Rugby Pacific season and had posted his thanks to the Highlanders and their supporters last weekend.
Article continues below
“United in our grief”
New Zealand Rugby released a statement underlining how big a loss it is. It also outlined the lovely character Garden-Bachop had shown all the way from representing New Zealand at age group levels and thereafter.“All of rugby walks alongside the Garden-Bachop family at this time and we are collectively united in our grief,” read the statement, which was also signed by the New Zealand Maori Rugby Board, the Highlanders, Wellington Rugby and the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association.
“Connor was a fantastic young player, an exciting New Zealand age-grade representative and a proud Māori All Black.
“Wherever he played, he was a committed and popular teammate with infectious energy and someone who could light up the room.
“Most importantly, he was a loving father to his twin girls, a brother, a son and immeasurably loved by all those who knew him.”
The statement from New Zealand Rugby included a verse in Maori that had the phrase “the rugby world weeps for you” in it.
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It is an incredibly sad day for the Garden-Bachop family and the rugby community as a whole to see a young player taken far too soon.
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