This was not the only time he recovered from a major injury in a short amount of time to be able to perform for his country. Nine weeks before the 1991 Rugby World Cup, Philpott broke his arm in a game for Canterbury – nevertheless, he persevered through the gruelling rehabilitation stage of his injury and managed to be bit fit in time to be named in the New Zealand squad. Such heart made him a cherished icon in the sport.

In the wake of Philpott’s passing, New Zealand Rugby posted a statement on their official X (formerly Twitter) page, which reads: “Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of former All Black Shayne Philpott, who has passed away aged 58. Philpott played 14 matches for the All Blacks between 1988-1991, and was a stalwart of Canterbury rugby. Rest in love All Black.”