Sean Fitzpatrick: Former All Black Captain gives tribute to Norm Hewitt

The tributes continue for Norm Hewitt. 

The Former All Black, Māori All Black, and Hurricane was fighting with Motor Neurone Disease before passing at the age of 55.  

For most of his international career, Hewitt was head-to-head with Sean Fitzpatrick for the No. 2 jersey. 

Fitzpatrick told Mike Hosking he has a massive respect for Hewitt, and the reason he got the best out of him is because Hewitt was hugely competitive.  

He said he has a huge admiration for what he did, saying that he had some difficult times and to be able to turn that around and give back was huge. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tributes to flying for Normal Heward, who died yesterday, of course,
age fifty five, fighting motor neur own disease. Former All
Black Mary all Black, Hurricane Wellington hero. Of course, for
most of his international career he was head to head
with the Shawn Fitzpatrick for that number two jumper. Shawn
is with us from Britain. Shawan morning to.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
You, Mike.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
When you think of Norm Hewitt, what do you think of.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm firstly, I'm very sad. It's been a very sad
day and I thoughts with him and his family. But
my first thoughts that he was a great All Black,
very loyal and Funnily enough, Mike, he got the best

(00:41):
out of me because he was hugely competitive, a very
good player. And as I said, he got the best
out of me, that's for sure.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
How do you handle those scenarios when you know he's
after your job and you've got his job, and how
does he how did that relationship and vibe work?

Speaker 2 (01:00):
As I said, I have massive respect him as an
All Black. And you know, in the old days when
we used to go on two of the Wednesday players
are trying to get on the Saturday team and the
Saturday teams trying to keep the Wednesday player out. It
brings out the best in both of us and Norm.

(01:21):
Norm definitely did that. You know. I think back to
ninety three, Mike, when we lost that second Test in
Wellington and Norm was on fire and I was lucky
enough to get another opportunity on the following Saturday. But
he was a huge competitor, hugely passionate about the all

(01:42):
Black jersey and and that sort of relationship developed from
ninety three and then we went on ninety four or
ninety five. He went to the World Cup and I
think back to that where he started and against Japan,
and Laurie May said to me that he wanted me
to play, and I said no, I said, it's an

(02:06):
opportunity where Norms should start. This is a mark of
respect for what he had done for the all Black jersey.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Fantastic. What did you make of an I know you followed,
but what did you make of his turnaround of life
post rugby and what he did for other people?

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Yeah, huge admiration for what he did. He had some
very difficult times and to turn that around and what
he gave back was huge. And you know, to be
to be saddled with the motor neuron disease, which is
just a horrible, horrible disease to have, and you know

(02:46):
the way he dealt with that, you know, and you
know I was. I was fortunate enough to see his
brother when I was down there in April and he
told me where Norm was out and it's just you know,
just tragic.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
Yeah, without shifting gears to awkwardly the England thing, we've
just seen. What a great way to start the season.
England were good. I thought England fantastic even they last twice.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, both, it's doing a good job. They're they're in
good shape. We did we did well to beat them up.
You know. It was a good, good test for us.
But they are definitely a team that you know on
this in this cycle, they'll be hugely competitive in three
years four years time and when we heads to Australia

(03:32):
for the World Cup. But yeah, they're they're a good outfit.
But a good test for us and and be interesting
to see what happens in the autumn when they come
up when the aublc's come up here to play them
in that November test.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
Exactly good to catch up. I appreciate it. Very much.
Shean Fitzpatrick, who with us from from Britain this morning.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
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