Joeli Vidiri has been remembered by friends, family and former teammates at a moving ceremony in South Auckland on Friday three weeks after the late All Black's sudden death.
Vidiri died in the US last month but was given the sendoff he deserved on home soil after the rugby community rallied to raise the funds to bring his body back to New Zealand.
The 48-year-old was celebrated at Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe - an old stomping ground for Vidiri from his provincial days with Counties Manukau.
The provincial pride was on full display during the service with a framed Counties jersey and a photo of Joeli placed close to the coffin, while on it were both a Blues and Pukekohe Rugby Club jersey.
While Vidiri's wife watched from the US, the late winger's mum and other family members had managed to get to New Zealand from Fiji for the service as well.
The haka was the final sendoff for the late All Black. (Source: Supplied)
After Vidiri's aunt opened the ceremony with the eulogy, Brad McNaughton from the Pukekohe Rugby Club spoke next, recounting the impact he had on the club when he arrived in 1994 aged 20.
Next to speak was longtime teammate and former Counties captain Errol Brain, who shared some of the more memorable moments they had while playing together.
One particular story had those attending laughing as Vidiri's true character was recounted.
"We were playing Southland on a Friday night down in Invercargill and it was freezing, absolutely freezing," Brain said.
"When we arrived, we made the decision to get to the ground about 50 minutes before kick off, because it was that cold, we didn’t want to hang around too long.
"We got off the bus and went into the changing room and I can’t remember if it was the manager or bus driver came up to me and said we’ve got a problem. Joeli won’t get off the bus.
"So I walked back outside, jumped on the bus and walked down to Joey and he was sitting there with his Counties tracksuit collar up to there [gesturing to the root of his nose] and his beanie down and you could only see his eyes.
"I said ‘what are you doing Joey? We’ve got a game to play.'
"He said ‘EB, it’s too bloody cold.'
"I told him, 'harden up you pussy and get off the bus. This is crazy, mate.'
“So he he said, OK, he’d get off if he had to. Then he went out there and scored three tries.
"But after 60 minutes he walked off and said ‘I’m off’ and that was it!”
Sir Michael Jones then spoke, acknowledging how his former Blues teammate would "bamboozle" opponents before the last speech came from Vidiri's son, Timothy.
“Dad could light up any room with a smile. Dad really did love his community and the Pukekohe Rugby Club," his son said.
“He was his happiest when he had a rugby ball in his hand and was close to a rugby field.”
After prayers and bible readings, gathered teammates and friends performed an emotional haka as Vidiri's coffin was carried to his final resting place nearby.
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