He and his fellow ambassador, 1974 Commonwealth Games 10,000m gold medallist Dick Tayler, will present medals and encourage competitors at the Games.
"We wanted to do something special for the 21st annual Games," Masters Games manager Aaron Joy told the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
"We are fortunate to have two such noted sportsmen as our ambassadors.
"Competitors tell us that it is special for them to have medals presented to them by famous people like Dick and Colin."
Meads and Tayler were guests at the official launch of the 2010 New Zealand Masters Games at the Glenroy Auditorium last night.
Meads said he had accepted the knighthood because it would be good for rugby and would help his charitable work for IHC.
"But I don't want people calling me Sir," he said when he arrived at Dunedin airport yesterday.
"I still want to be known as Colin or Pinetree."
Meads, who played 133 games, including 55 tests, for the All Blacks between 1957 and 1971, has said he is happy to be called Sir Colin on formal occasions.
"It's an honour to be asked to perform this role," Meads said.
"It's great to team up with Dick. He's bound to get me into trouble.
"The Games are tremendous. They get people together and active. It is serious fun.
"I admire the spirit of the competitors. I know we are a competitive nation, people who play to win, but at the Games it's also about enjoyment and doing your best."
It will be Dick Tayler's fourth time as a Masters Games ambassador and he is looking forward to sharing the duties.
"It's great working in tandem with Colin. He's a great communicator and mixes so easily with everybody.
"I love helping at the Masters Games," Tayler said. "The competitors enjoy it and put so much passion into their sport."
Tayler has been working hard on his fitness over the past two years and hopes to compete in the walk next February.
At the launch, Games chairman and Dunedin city councillor John Bezett said Dunedin could expect up to 7000 competitors and 1000 volunteers to be involved in the 2010 Games, which would inject an estimated $5 million into the local economy.
Rhythmic gymnastics will be added to the more than 70 competitive activities at the Games.
Making a comeback are windsurfing and flying, with the latter including target bombing, forced landings and navigational circuits.
For those wanting a more mental challenge, euchre will enter the line-up, and Scrabble is still on board.
Most sports have social and competitive grades, and while the qualifying age is generally 30 it varies from sport to sport. Most competitors are aged between 40 and 60.
The Games Village will again be at the University of Otago Students Centre, a venue which has proved popular.
Joy said there would be a 21st birthday theme to next year's Games.
"We want everyone to be proud of this achievement, and our ambassadors, Colin and Dick, are going to provide the icing on the birthday cake.
"Dunedin proves every time that it can successfully stage the country's largest multisports event, and with New Zealand's ageing population, the Masters Games is expected to continue to grow."
The ACC New Zealand Masters Games will be held in Dunedin from January 30 to February 7 next year.
