Rugby: All Blacks legend Sir Bryan Williams among first seven inducted to Pasifika Rugby Hall of Fame

Some of rugby's biggest names have gathered at Eden Park to celebrate the Pacific's immense contribution to the sport.

Seven legendary players will be the first inducted to the Pasifika Rugby Hall of Fame, among them All Blacks icon Sir Bryan Williams.

As a rookie winger in the New Zealand team, he made his name on the 1970 tour of South Africa and played 38 games for the national team. He would eventually retire in 1982, after 132 games for Auckland.

"As you can imagine, I'm very honoured, very humbled and I guess I've been around a long time," he told Newshub's Ollie Ritchie. "I'm very happy about it.

"When I started there weren't many Pasifika players at the top level. When I made the All Blacks in 1970, there had been other players that had come before, but very spasmodic.

"Going to apartheid South Africa was pretty daunting, but I had quite a good tour, and over time, many players of Pacific heritage started playing top-level rugby - the trickle became a flood."

The others in this inaugural induction are All Black colossus Jonah Lomu, World Cup-winning Black Ferns captain  Seuiuli Fiao'o Fau'amausili, Manu Samoa heroes Peter Fatialofa and Brian Lima, Fijian sevens maestro Waisale Serevi and former Wallabies flanker George Smith.

Watch the video for the full interview. 

Some of rugby's biggest names have gathered at Eden Park to celebrate the Pacific's immense contribution to the sport.

Seven legendary players will be the first inducted to the Pasifika Rugby Hall of Fame, among them All Blacks icon Sir Bryan Williams.

As a rookie winger in the New Zealand team, he made his name on the 1970 tour of South Africa and played 38 games for the national team. He would eventually retire in 1982, after 132 games for Auckland.

"As you can imagine, I'm very honoured, very humbled and I guess I've been around a long time," he told Newshub's Ollie Ritchie. "I'm very happy about it.

"When I started there weren't many Pasifika players at the top level. When I made the All Blacks in 1970, there had been other players that had come before, but very spasmodic.

"Going to apartheid South Africa was pretty daunting, but I had quite a good tour, and over time, many players of Pacific heritage started playing top-level rugby - the trickle became a flood."

The others in this inaugural induction are All Black colossus Jonah Lomu, World Cup-winning Black Ferns captain  Seuiuli Fiao'o Fau'amausili, Manu Samoa heroes Peter Fatialofa and Brian Lima, Fijian sevens maestro Waisale Serevi and former Wallabies flanker George Smith.

Watch the video for the full interview. 

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