All Blacks open-side flanker Richie McCaw rated him as one of the best back rows in the game, shortly after he missed being selected for the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.
Cockerill attended Otago Boys High School, one of New Zealand’s oldest and most prestigious boys’ secondary schools and boasts alumni such as Sir Keith Park, Sir Jack Marshall, Sir Russell Coutts and Richie McCaw.
Lionel Richie | Richie Havens | Nicole Richie | Richie Hawtin | Richie Hayward | Richie McCaw | Richie Zito | Richie Zisk | Richie Williams | Richie Furay | Richie Evans | Richie Benaud | Richie Unterberger | Richie Kotzen | Richie Stanaway | Richie Ray | Richie Hebner | Richie Cunningham | Richie Ashburn | Donald Richie | Craig McCaw | Richie Woodhall | Richie Phillips | Richie Kohler | Richie Hearn | Susan McCaw's | Susan McCaw | Shane Richie | Richie Williams (Canadian football) | Richie Spice |
Players involved in the match included Shane Warne, Stephen Fleming, Tana Umaga, Richard Hadlee, Martin Crowe, other famous former New Zealand cricketers, current All Blacks Richie McCaw and Conrad Smith and actors Russell Crowe, Ian McKellen.