Former All Blacks hooker and Dancing with the Stars winner Norm Hewitt has passed away. He was 55.

It is understood he died last night. He had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, his family said in a statement.

”Although rugby dominated his early life, he established a thriving human relations consultancy after retirement, and his services were much in demand both nationally and internationally,” they said.

”He walked confidently in both Māori and Pākehā worlds and was a particular role model for troubled youth, citing his own background, and offering inspirational teachings that one’s present life need not be one’s future.”

He was married to Arlene and father to Elizabeth and Alexander.

Growing up in Pōrangahau, southern Hawke’s Bay, Hewitt played 296 representative matches during a memorable first-class rugby career spanning 13 seasons for Hawke’s Bay, Southland and Wellington. He earned 23 caps for the All Blacks over nine seasons and was a key member of the Hurricanes in the early years of Super Rugby, missing just one match in the first five years.

Norm Hewitt models for the Charmaine Love collection at Air New Zealand Fashion Week in 2005. 

Former teammate Ofisa Tonu’u posted a tribute on Facebook.

“I’m just devastated finding out the news today. I will never forget how you always stuck up for me during the Black Tracker days when no one else would, you always look after all the players and we always followed you into battle.. No more pain brother, you can now rest in Love.. Fa’afetai tele lava my uso for having my back as I did yours.. I know the other boys will be welcoming you with open arms at the gates.. Rest in Love Normy”.

After retiring from rugby, Hewitt became a public speaker and mentor to youth and was heavily involved in violence prevention programmes and advocacy and worked for the SPCA as an animal cruelty and anti-violence publicity officer in schools.

He was the season-one winner of Dancing with the Stars in 2005 alongside professional dancer Carol-Ann Hickmore.

Norm Hewitt leads the haka against Boland Invitation XV on tour to South Africa in 1996. Photo / Photosport 

While an All Black, Hewitt had a famous haka standoff with England’s Richard Cockerill in 1997. The pair came face-to-face in an intense showdown before the match at Old Trafford in Manchester.

Hewitt later described the incident, which ended with pushing and shoving between the pair, and the English team standing toe to toe with the All Blacks, as an ingrained part of “rugby folklore”.

“It was like there were only two people on that field,” said Hewitt. “At one point I thought to myself ‘if I had a patu [club] I would have cut his head off’ and I was going into that place. I don’t know why... it was a big game and we were going to war and he’s my enemy, [a] kill or be killed scenario. I likened it to that and yeah, I suppose it is now part of that folklore much like when the Irish stepped over the line with Buck Shelford.”

England's Richard Cockerill famously confronts Norm Hewitt during the Haka in Manchester. Photo / Allsport

Hewitt played behind All Blacks skipper Sean Fitzpatrick which offered few test opportunities in an era where substitutes were used sparingly. He played nine tests for the All Blacks, the last being in a 40-10 win over England in 1998. Hewitt made his test debut at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, coming off the bench in a famous 43-19 pool win over Ireland which introduced Jonah Lomu to the world stage. Hewitt also started in the 145-17 thrashing of Japan but didn’t appear in the knockout games.

‘A very good All Black’

Former All Black manager Mike Banks said had Hewitt not had to play lieutenant to Fitzpatrick he would have appeared in a lot more tests.

“I was not aware Norm was terminally ill and that has come as a complete shock to me. He was a totally committed player and because of that commitment he achieved the ultimate goal of becoming an All Black,” Banks said.

“He was an All Black and a very good all Black. Had he not been lieutenant to Fitzy, he would have played more games but when he did play he was fiercely loyal, fiercely proud and a real warrior for the All Blacks. He stayed in Fitzy’s shadow because it was all about the team not about him and he always gave 110 per cent.”

Hewitt also famously played on with a broken arm in Wellington’s NPC final win in 2000 and was a key member of Hawke’s Bay’s famous win over the 1993 touring British and Irish Lions side.

Hewitt was also credited with publicly confronting an alcohol problem and helping others address their issues.

In 1999 he drunkenly broke into the wrong Queenstown hotel room. He later broke down in tears at a press conference and apologised.

Norm Hewitt and partner Carol-Ann Hickmore during the first season of Dancing With The Stars. Photo / Neil Mackenzie

The hotel incident proved to be a life-changing moment, forcing Hewitt to finally realise how serious his drinking problem had become.

Speaking years later at a sport and alcohol conference, Hewitt could poke fun at his public embarrassment.

”Many people come up with jokes, like ‘Don’t do a Norm’, or ‘Watch out for the window’, or ‘Norm, you can’t have many windows in your house’.”But I don’t know how many people have said: ‘Bud, I’ve been there. But I’d hate to have gone what through what you went through’.”

Former Magpies teammate Jarrod Cunningham died in 2007, also after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

His rugby career was immortalised in The Flight of the Conchords TV show starring Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie. Clement revealed just last month the character Murray Hewitt (played by Rhys Darby) was named after two rugby icons - Murray Mexted and Norm Hewitt.

Tributes flow for Hewitt

An outpouring of aroha has flowed across social media for the fallen Hewitt, with many remembering him for his life away from the rugby field as much as on it.