Former All Blacks hooker Norm Hewitt dies, aged 55

Former All Blacks hooker Norm Hewitt has died, aged 55.

He passed away after a long battle with motor neurone disease.

"It is with great sadness that the death of Norm Hewitt is recorded today," Hewitt's family said in a statement.

"Husband to Arlene, and father to his beloved children Elizabeth and Alexander, the former All Black and NZ Māori, Hurricanes and Wellington rugby captain passed away, in the company of his immediate family, in the early hours of this morning. Norm had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

"Norm's funeral arrangements are private and his family similarly ask for their privacy at this difficult time, so that that they might properly grieve their husband, father, son and brother."

The Hastings product made his test debut against Ireland at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa.

Hewitt was a part of the All Blacks squad from 1993 to 1998, operating primarily as Sean Fitzpatrick's understudy. Substitution laws at the time limited his on-field contributions, resulting in nine caps through six years behind the famous captain.

At Super Rugby level, Hewitt was a fixture for the Hurricanes, playing a total of 62 games through the competition's first five years.

In the National Provincial Championship, Hewitt played 292 games over 13 seasons for Hawke's Bay, Southland and Wellington. The majority of those were with his hometown Magpies, who he represented on 92 occasions.

He retired from rugby in 2001, becoming a youth mentor and anti-violence advocate, while working closely with the SPCA as a spokesperson for animal cruelty prevention.

In 2005, he won the popular TV show Dancing with the Stars.