Jason Pine: The 16 Kiwi sport stars who should never pay for a drink again

On his 37th birthday, Neil Wagner sprinted 20 meters before doing a full-length jump with a torn hamstring and a bulging disc in his back to allow Kane Williamson to score the run that won the Black Caps
the first cricket test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch.

It has elevated him to an elite group: the Kiwi sports stars who can leave their wallets in their pockets for the rest of their lives when they step into a New Zealand bar.

Here is the (not definitive) list…

Neil Wagner

Wags was on the list even before his Hagley exploits. His lion-hearted, fully committed approach to pace bowling, regardless of the game situation, wicket and weather conditions, or personal workload, is unparalleled.

Richie McCaw

Our greatest All Black doesn’t need much explanation, but here’s a guy who stayed at the top of his game for almost 15 years and emerged from the devastation of 2007 to take us to two Rugby World Cup wins. As if that wasn’t enough, he entered the 2011 knockout stages with a broken foot. Hercules.

Mrs. Valerie Adams

Nobody embodies Kiwi’s heart, spirit and vigor more than Dame Val. She is a true Kiwi sweetheart who has represented us at the top of her sport for as long as we can. She competed in five – count them – FIVE Olympic Games and ended her career with medals of all colors and well-deserved accolades of all kinds.

Hamish Bond and Eric Murray

In a sport notorious for pushing its competitors well beyond the pain threshold of mere mortals, our iconic Kiwi couple reigned at the top for a surprisingly long time. Going through their body as many times as they have and being miles ahead of the pack over a period of sustained dominance is something we will likely never experience again.

RossTaylor

While others on this list would likely ask for a cold beer, Taylor’s penchant for fine red wine might cost a little more, but it would be worth it. From humble beginnings, casual racism in the dressing room and stripped of a national captaincy, to becoming one of the greatest run scorers in our history is a story of true resilience. knight him already.

Mika Vukona

No one gave basketball’s black singlet – and the many others he wore – more than Vukona, who somehow made everyone he played with better just by his presence. Whether it was hitting boards and bodies, handing out assists, or shooting buckets himself, everything he did sprang from a deep desire to do his best every time. Steven Adams says Vukona was the man who inspired him the most. Set up the bar tab.

Lisa Carrington

Try to stay upright in a racing kayak. Once you’ve mastered that, try moving it. Then do it fast. Then do it faster than anyone for more than a decade and find something deep within yourself at pinnacle events that allows you to keep blitzing the competition. Carrying around all those gold medals must be thirsty work; Get the girl a drink.

Grant Elliott

There are very few individual sporting moments that have sent the whole country into a moment of pure ecstasy, but Elliott pulled one off on a late March evening in 2015. His down-to-earth six ahead of Dale Steyn at Eden Park to conquer New Zealand to his first men’s Cricket World Cup final has become part of our folklore. Everyone knows where they were that night.

Joanah Ngan Woo

Speaking of legendary moments on the pitch, Ngan-Woo pulled off the biggest line-out steal in New Zealand rugby history at Eden Park to seal the Black Ferns’ World Cup victory late last year. It’s now New Zealand’s very own ‘Hand of God’, wearing a world champion ring and should never be seen reaching into her own pocket to buy a drink.

Paul Coll

Toiling away for years, often far removed from the Kiwi’s sporting awareness, Coll has become the quintessential fierce Kiwi fighter and thinks nothing of repeatedly jumping headfirst across a squash court to keep a rally alive. His rise to the top of his sport in recent years is evidence of a stubborn refusal to accept less than 100 percent of himself.

Lady Susan Devoy

Before Coll picked up a racquet (or was even born), Devoy pioneered Kiwis in sports. In the 1980s, she wasn’t just playing squash, she was literally playing it was to squeeze. Eight British Open and four World titles only begin to tell the story of one person who utterly dominated his sport for a decade. Matchless.

Mr Buck Shelford

The guy had torn his scrotum and continued to play. will you reject him

Mark Graham

One of our original tough men, Graham, played rugby league at a time that was only for the bravest of men. He was named New Zealand Player of the Century and the first Kiwi inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame, but a description by author John Coffey sums him up best; He was Captain Marvel and the Six Million Dollar Man rolled into one.

Barbara Kendall

It’s an incredible achievement to go to one of the Olympics, but when you go to five and win every color medal in a sport where the elements are as against you as they are against your competitors, you’re in thin air. Kendall did, and has since held senior positions on the IOC and the Athletes’ Commission to ensure others are rewarded for their efforts. The best sailor in her family, and that includes another Olympic gold medalist.

Brendon McCullum

Perhaps a somewhat controversial inclusion given his current role with England, but Baz’s exploits in a black cap warrant inclusion here. He dragged the team along with sheer willpower, refusing to bow down to any opponent. His leadership at the 2015 World Championship gave us one of our great sporty rollercoasters. Oh, and he scored 302 once too.