Very sad news to hear that Jock Hobbs, former canterbury player, All Black captain and outstanding NZRFU Chairman, who finally lost the battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphona, a form of leukaemia earlier this week.

I was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in 2008, and had a bone marrow transplant in early 2009, and while I am now clear and have recovered I know too well the battle he has been through. I have had a few friends make the connection between Jock Hobb's situation and mine, and I thought it was a good opportunity to pay my respects and also point people at some more info if they are interested.

I recommend the fantastic NZ Blood Cancer and Leukaemia foundation website. Particularly check their overview on Leukaemia.

In New Zealand we are very lucky to have such a great health system, with some of the top Haematology doctors in the world. I'm sure Jock had similar wonderful support to me, but leukaemia and blood cancer is a very serious condition, and one that can't always be cured.

Anyway, sorry about the somber topic, but I just wanted to pay my respects to Jock, and felt that Rugbyheads needed to be the place that I did that.

Thanks for everything Jock, especially your key part in winning the rights to the now historic 2011 RWC in New Zealand. You will never be forgotten, and knowing now what you were going through at the time, your appearance during the ceremony was huge.

Kia Kaha to the Hobbs family from the Rugbyheads faithful.

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