November 2004, it was reported that Whineray was a top contender to replace Dame Silvia Cartwright as Governor-General in 2006. Bob Howitt has said that, "had he allowed his name to go forward, he would have become the Governor-General". He became the first New Zealander inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame, being elected on 21 October 2007 (following the IRB World Cup in France) after a public vote. Whineray died in Auckland in 2012, at the age of 77. He was buried at Purewa Cemetery in the Auckland suburb of Meadowbank. All Blacks statistics Tests: 32 (30 as captain) Games: 45 (37 as captain) Total matches: 77 (67 as captain) Test points: 6 (2 tries) Game points: 18 (5 tries, 1 dropped goal) Total points: 24 (7 tries, 1 dropped goal) References Further reading Howitt, Bob (2010). A perfect gentleman : Sir Wilson Whineray. Auckland : Harper Collins New Zealand. 1935 births 2012 deaths New Zealand international rugby union players Rugby union props Auckland rugby union players Canterbury rugby union players Waikato rugby union players Manawatu rugby union players World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees Harvard Business School alumni University of Auckland alumni People educated at Auckland Grammar School Rugby players and officials awarded knighthoods Rugby union players from Auckland New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit Businesspeople awarded knighthoods Burials at Purewa Cemetery