Norm Hadley

Norman Hadley (1964–2016) was a Canadian rugby union player known for his size and strength, standing at 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) and weighing 21 stones (130 kg). He played professionally for London Wasps, Bedford Blues, Western Suburbs in New Zealand, James Bay, and UBCOB Ravens. Hadley earned an M.B.A. from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1991 and represented Canada in rugby, gaining 15 caps between 1987 and 1994. He was part of the Canadian team that reached the quarter-finals of the 1991 Rugby World Cup, where they narrowly lost to New Zealand but impressed with their performance against Fiji, Romania, France, and New Zealand. Hadley captained Canada five times in 1992–3, including a notable match at Wembley Stadium against England. He was named to the World Team by *Rugby World* magazine after the 1991 World Cup and played for the Barbarians four times, facing the 1992 Australian World Cup winners at Twickenham. While playing in London for Wasps, he gained notoriety for confronting two hooligans on the London Underground, earning widespread media attention and even a mention in the House of Commons by Prime Minister John Major. After his rugby career, Hadley worked as a TV pundit on BBC’s *Rugby Special*. He had one daughter, Madison Elle Watson, and was the grandson of Academy Award-winning cinematographer Osmond Borradaile. Norman struggled with depression, chronic pain, and suspected Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), leading to his death by overdose at age 51 on March 19, 2016. His passing was ...