Sir Colin Meads in hospital

Former All Black legend, Sir Colin Meads, has been admitted to hospital with "stomach pains".

The much-loved rugby great, 80, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August.

Today, he spoke to the Herald from his bed at Waikato hospital and said he wasn't feeling great.

"I came in yesterday. I had stomach pains so they are doing some scans."

His life, with the disease, hit the headlines late last year when it was linked with his controversial use of a water-based product called Te Kiri Gold.

The water's producer, Taranaki farmer Vernon Coxhead, has since pulled back from claims it was a game changer for cancer-sufferers.

A disclaimer has gone up on the site, where the product is still being sold, that Te Kiri Gold is not a medicine.

Meads, who said he was still being provided with the product, had previously claimed it gave him a "better quality life".

However, today he was less confident about its actual benefits when asked if he was finding it helpful to keep drinking the water.

"Well, not really, I wouldn't be here otherwise."

Meads hoped he would be going home today.

This story originally appeared in the NZ Herald and has been republished here with permission.