Sports

Leggat was long a central part of NZ sports media and the undisputed elder statesman.

Journalists also loved working with him, and it wasn't just for the warm experience. Leggat - the veteran - was going out of his way, making sure the newbie knew about the touring media dinner and felt welcome. Women's hockey became something of a treasure to him, and I believe the last piece he ever filed, for Newsroom, was a memory lane story on the White Ferns. Without overtly championing the cause of women's sport, he did so by covering it like anything else. Before leaving Auckland, Leggo had apparently grabbed leftover cash from a previous overseas assignment. It feels heart-breaking and surreal, and the mourners will include - I can safely say - much of the sports writing and media community around New Zealand. For he was a truly unique and special character, of unforgettable charisma, warmth and charm.