Footy great who played for his country dies aged just 58 after mystery 'medical event' F ormer All Blacks star Shayne Philpott has died aged 58 Philpott believed to have died after medical event in Christchurch Utility back played two Tests and 12 matches for the All Blacks By Andrew Prentice For Daily Mail Australia Published: 01:59 EDT, 26 June 2024 | Updated: 02:00 EDT, 26 June 2024 e-mail View comments Former All Blacks star Shayne Philpott has died in New Zealand following a mystery 'medical event'. Philpott was just 58. Renowned for his v ersatility, Philpott could fill most positions in the backline during his playing days.
He played 12 games and two Tests for the All Blacks after making his debut on the 1988 tour of Australia, just months after rupturing the ACL in his left knee. The injury occurred when Philpott was playing for the New Zealand Sevens in Sydney in a team full of present and future stars. They included Zinzan Brooke, John Kirwan, John Schuster and Frano Botica.
Then despite breaking his arm playing for club side Canterbury just nine weeks out from the 1991 Rugby World Cup , Philpott was named in John Hart's All Blacks squad. As many rugby fans pointed out online following the tragic news, Philpott was no superstar - but his desire to improve made him a fan favourite. Former All Blacks star Shayne Philpott has died in New Zealand following a mystery 'medical event' NZ Rugby has confirmed the news of Philpott's death, stating their 'thoughts were with hi.
