'Bert' and 'Crono' make the New Year Honours list

'Bert' and 'Crono' make the New Year Honours list

Two members of the All Blacks coaching staff widely known as 'Bert' and 'Crono' have made today's New Year's Honour list.

Following on from the team's history making World Cup triumph at Twickenham, mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka receives the ONZM   (Officer of the New Zealand order of Merit) for services to rugby and sports psychology and forwards coach Mike Cron has been given the MNZM (Member of the New Zealand order of Merit) for services to rugby.

For Cron, the so-called scrum doctor, the award comes after a coaching career that spans more than 30 years while Enoka has a sporting CV that includes working with the Black Caps, the Silver Ferns and the All Blacks.

Both live in Christchurch, with Cron saying he wouldn't have worried if he hadn't got the award - but is still chuffed to have his efforts recognised, while Enoka says the award is a far cry from his early years which were spent in a children's home near Marton in the late 1950s, early 1960s.

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