Stu Wilson’s First Wife: Family, Career & Life of the All Black

When a rugby legend passes, public curiosity often turns to the quiet corners of their life. For New Zealand’s Stu Wilson, one of those corners is the question of his first wife — a remarkably private detail that makes this story worth telling.

Full name: Stuart Sinclair Wilson ·
Born: 22 July 1954 ·
Died: 8 June 2025 ·
All Blacks Tests: 34 ·
Test tries: 19 (New Zealand record) ·
All Blacks number: 772

Key facts about Stu Wilson

Seven data points, one pattern: a career built on speed and tries, a personal life kept deliberately low‑key.

The implication: the public knows the athlete but barely the man. Nearly every reliable source sticks to stats, not stories.

Who was Stu Wilson’s first wife?

This is the question that brings most readers here — and the answer is almost certainly none that can be confirmed. Stu Wilson’s obituary, published in The New Zealand Herald (national newspaper), states he was survived by his wife Sue and daughters Kristy and Livvy. No earlier marriage is listed in any biographical sketch, including his Wikipedia entry (encyclopedic source).

Could there be a first wife that went unrecorded?

• No public document — birth, marriage, or census — links Stu Wilson to a spouse other than Sue.
• A separate individual, Clarence Stuart Wilson (1914‑2013), a Canadian‑born machinist, married Willa Mary Craig in 1949; this person is sometimes confused in online searches (Wilson genealogy blog).
• Speculation online often stems from the phrase “Stu Wilson first wife” in search patterns, not from any verified source.

The implication: the question itself is likely a search-engine mix‑up, not a hidden chapter in his life.

Has Stu Wilson got any children?

Yes — two daughters. The NZ Herald obituary (trusted regional publisher) lists them: Kristy and Livvy.

Who is Livvy Wilson?

• Livvy Wilson is an accomplished sprinter: she has medalled in the 100 m and 200 m at New Zealand Athletics Championships (Wikipedia encyclopedic source).
• She won gold with the Auckland 4×100 m relay team at New Zealand Championships.
• She was part of the New Zealand women’s 4×100 m relay team that broke the national record on 4 June 2022 in Mackay, Queensland (Wikipedia encyclopedic source).

Stu Wilson’s family tree

• Wife: Sue Wilson (named in NZ Herald obituary).
• Daughters: Kristy Wilson and Livvy Wilson (NZ Herald obituary).
• No other children are mentioned anywhere in the public record.

Why did Stu Wilson retire?

The short answer: because a book got him banned. In 1984, Wilson and teammate Bernie Fraser co‑authored Ebony & Ivory: The Stu Wilson, Bernie Fraser Story with journalist Alex Veysey. Under the strict amateurism rules of the time, profiting from a rugby‑related book was a professional foul — and the New Zealand Rugby Union imposed a seven‑year ban (Wikipedia, citing sports history sources).

Stu Wilson’s rugby career

• Debuted for Wellington in 1973 (Wikipedia encyclopedic source).
• First All Blacks test in 1976.
• Part of the 1978 Grand Slam team that beat England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales — scoring a try in the 13‑12 win over Wales (Wikipedia encyclopedic source).
• Captained the All Blacks on the 1983 end‑of‑season tour.
• Final test: 1983. Retired 1984 after the book ban.

Health issues in later life

• Wilson participated in prostate cancer awareness cycling events in the years before his death (NZ Herald national newspaper).
• He died peacefully in his sleep on 8 June 2025, aged 70 (Legacy.com obituary platform).

The pattern: a career cut short by principle, yet his legend only grew.

Where did Stu Wilson live?

Three key locations trace his life.

Birthplace and early life in Gore

• Born in Gore, Southland, on 22 July 1954 (Wikipedia encyclopedic source).
• Gore is a small town in New Zealand’s deep south, known for its rural rugby culture.

Playing career in Wellington

• Represented Wellington from 1973 to 1983 (Wikipedia encyclopedic source).
• As a provincial player, he likely lived in the Wellington region during his rugby years.

Final years in Tauranga

• He died in Tauranga, a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty, on 8 June 2025 (NZ Herald obituary).
• Tauranga is a popular retirement and lifestyle destination; Wilson’s final years were spent there with his family.

The pattern: a journey from small‑town Southland to the capital, then to a quiet coastal life — a geography that mirrors his low‑key personal approach.

Timeline of Stu Wilson’s life

• 22 July 1954 – Born in Gore, New Zealand (Legacy.com obituary platform)
• 1973 – Debuts for Wellington (Wikipedia encyclopedic source)
• 1976 – First All Blacks test
• 1983 – Final test for All Blacks
• 2025 – Participates in prostate cancer awareness ride (NZ Herald national newspaper)
• 8 June 2025 – Dies in Tauranga, New Zealand (Legacy.com obituary platform)

The pattern: a life bookended by Gore and Tauranga, with the rugby peak in between.

What’s confirmed, what’s not

Voices remembering Stu Wilson

Stu was a competitor who played the game with a smile. That smile never left him, even in his toughest moments.

– All Blacks official Facebook page (tribute, June 2025)

He swapped his boots for a bike, raising money and awareness for prostate cancer. That was Stu — always giving back.

– New Zealand Herald (national newspaper), reporting on his charity cycling

He was the Laughing Cavalier of New Zealand rugby. A bloke who loved a yarn as much as a try.

– Lynn McConnell on Substack (independent sports writing platform)

For New Zealand rugby fans, the takeaway is straightforward: Stu Wilson was a record‑breaking athlete who valued privacy off the field. The mystery of a “first wife” likely reflects search‑engine confusion rather than a hidden chapter. For the Wilson family, the legacy is clearer — a father and husband who lived a full life in three towns and left a daughter sprinting toward her own records. The choice for the curious reader is to respect the boundary between public career and private life.

Frequently asked questions