New Zealand great Sir Colin Meads has pancreatic cancer

Sir Colin Meads was knighted in 2009

New Zealand rugby union great Sir Colin Meads has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Meads, 80, played 55 times for his country, and was voted the greatest ever All Black in a national poll in 1999.

The former second row said the diagnosis has been hard on his family, and requested privacy.

"Thank you to everyone for their concern, but for now, it's about me fighting this," he said.