Chris Laidlaw  Christopher Robert Laidlaw (born 16 November 1943) is a New Zealand politician and former rugby union player, Rhodes Scholar, public servant, diplomat and radio host. Laidlaw was born in Dunedin and schooled at King's High School from 1957 to 1961, where he played in the first rugby team. Laidlaw attended Otago University from 1962 to 1966, after which he went overseas with the All Blacks. In 1969 he took up his Rhodes Scholarship at Merton College, Oxford. Described as a rugby prodigy, Laidlaw was immediately selected for the University A side in 1962 upon leaving school. Such was the impact of his play that during the same year he played for an Otago representative side, for a South Island regional side, and for New Zealand Universities. Personal training sessions with former All Black Charlie Saxton endowed Laidlaw with "a marvellous pass and an accurate kick from forward base". Not yet 20, Laidlaw made his debut for the All Blacks in 1963 on their tour of Britain and . Although chosen as reserve to the incumbent half-back and vice-captain, Kevin Briscoe, Laidlaw's performances catapulted him into selection for a test against France and a match against the Barbarians. In all, Laidlaw played 57 matches for the All Blacks, including 20 internationals. He captained the team on three occasions: a test against Australia in 1969 and games against Victoria and South-West Africa in 1969 and 1970, respectively. In 1972, Laidlaw joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and served as Assistant to Commonwealth Secretary-General Sonny Ramphal who he described in 1999 as "far and away the most brilliant man I have ever met." In 1977 during a diplomatic cocktail party in New York Laidlaw says the then NZ Prime Minister Robert Muldoon drunkenly harassed him, jabbing his finger in Laidlaw's chest. Muldoon was angry about Laidlaw's public comments criticising apartheid. Laidlaw says he grabbed Muldoon by the lapels and propelled him against the wall saying something like "If you ever touch me again I'll knock your teeth out." Muldoon glared at him, turned on his heel and walked out. In 1986, Laidlaw became New Zealand's first resident High Commissioner to Harare, representing New Zealand's interests throughout Africa. In 1989, Laidlaw was appointed Race Relations Conciliator. Laidlaw won the Wellington Central by-election in 1992, following the election of Fran Wilde to the Wellington mayoralty.