His brother, Bill, a leather manufacturer who has lived in Dunedin since 1971, said Drake collapsed and died when cleaning the swimming pool at his home.
Drake was joined by his brothers, Bill and Robert, who works for the Maquarrie Bank at Sydney, at a family reunion in Mount Maunganui between Christmas and New Year last year to honour their mother, Katherine Drake, who has cancer.
That was the last time the three brothers, who all played tighthead prop, were together.
Drake is the first member of the New Zealand team that won the 1987 World Cup to die.
He represented New Zealand between 1985 and 1987 and played 12 matches, including eight tests, for the All Blacks.
Drake captained the Auckland Grammar First XV before studying commerce at the University of Otago in 1977.
He played for the elite University Blue team in the Dunedin under-20 competition and represented the Otago under-20 team.
The highlight of that year for Drake was to play for the University Blue team against the University Gold team in the curtain-raiser to the Otago-Lions game at Carisbrook.
Drake stayed at Selwyn College during his year in Dunedin, but was a frequent visitor to brother Bill's flat in Bank St.
The Selwyn College tradition at the time was for any student who committed some minor misdemeanour to be given a cold bath at the college.
"But they could escape the punishment if they stayed away for 24 hours," Bill explained.
"These were the times when John used to spend the night at our flat."
Drake returned to Auckland in 1978 and played for the under-23 and B provincial teams before becoming a regular member of the senior side.
He also captained New Zealand Universities.
He played rugby in France during the summer months for three seasons and it was during the third season, 1985-86, that he was recalled to join the All Blacks touring Argentina.
He was selected for the All Blacks' tour of France in 1986 when he played at tighthead prop in both tests.
Drake retired at the end of 1987 at the conclusion of the World Cup season to concentrate on business ventures that he operated from his home.
Laurence Drake, his father, played rugby for Auckland in the 1930s as a wing forward.
"John was a fantastic family man and was devoted to his wife and three daughters," Bill said.
He looked after his health and used to cycle 15km a day around Mount Maunganui and swim each day.
An autopsy will be held today and the date and venue of the funeral will be confirmed after this.
John Drake is survived by his mother, Katherine, wife, Cathy, and daughters, Bridget (16), Libby (15) and Rachel (10).
