Richie McCaw continues to surprise. The talk since he led the All Blacks to victory at the World Cup this year has been about him receiving a knighthood, of Richie becoming Sir Richard.
Given his standing in New Zealand and his previous success, there has also been speculation about knight- hoods on earlier occasions.
Few could disagree with him being given such an accolade. Not only is there a growing consensus he is New Zealand's finest rugby player, surpassing previous leader of the pack Sir Colin Meads, but he also captained the All Blacks in 110 of his 148 tests over 14 years in black.
He led New Zealand to a World Cup triumph on a broken foot in Auckland in 2011 and to back-to-back success in London this year.
McCaw declined a knighthood while still playing, and with his retirement came the expectation he might accept the honour. Then, in the New Year honours list announced today comes the surprise - not a knighthood but something higher, the Order of New Zealand (ONZ).
This is New Zealand's most senior honour, limited to up to 20 living New Zealanders as ‘‘ordinary'' members, with a handful of ‘‘additional'' members, appointed so far on four special occasions. The order was instituted in 1987 and has its parallels in Britain and Australia.
McCaw's honour might well seem inappropriate to many New Zealanders, accustomed to thinking of knighthoods as top of the tree.
And while, indeed, there is something special about formally being addressed as Sir or Dame, the ONZ only adds to McCaw's mana.
He can be recognised as a ‘‘great'' New Zealander while eschewing the trapping of a formal title.
This fits his persona of modest confidence, of leadership without artifice, of being one of the boys while also a leader among men.
We do so like such characteristics in our heroes, which is one of the reasons Sir Edmund Hillary (also ONZ) was so revered.
If anyone in this country is taking over his cloak as our No 1 exemplar it is McCaw. He now flies into his future as, at least initially, a helicopter pilot, with his reputation even further (if that is possible) enhanced.
How special for us in the South to reflect again about his origins in North Otago.
It is extremely rare for sportsmen to be honoured with the ONZ, Sir Murray Halberg, Sir Brian Lochore, Arthur Lydiard, Sir Edmund and Sir Bob Charles being the only examples.
Each also excelled with exemplary service in other fields or with impacts well beyond sport. Scarce, too, are ONZ recipients from the South.
Slotting just below knights and dames is the South's most senior other honour this New Year, the CNZM, bestowed on John Lee, of Cardrona and Wanaka, an entrepreneur who made such a difference in business and tourism to the Lakes region.
He was ahead of his time when, as a farmer, he developed the Cardrona Alpine Resort, the snow farm on the Pisa Range and the Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground.
There are another dozen or so from southern New Zealand honoured this time. Some are well known and others are quiet achievers going about their community work tirelessly.
It is right to reflect on what such people do, and to honour this selection of them. They have and are doing their bit, and public recognition is something the community can do to say thank you.
Healthy communities rely on such people to run the voluntary organisations, to work out front or behind the scenes, to play key roles in their professions.
Just as we can be proud of Richie McCaw, we can also reflect with pride on what many others, those publicly honoured and those not, achieve as part of our community.
