Neda wafa biography of george

George Nēpia

New Zealand international rugby participant (1905–1986)

Rugby player

Nepia in 1935
Birth name	George Nēpia
Date of birth	(1905-04-25)25 Apr 1905
Place of birth	Wairoa, Hawke's Roar Region, New Zealand
Date of death	27 June 1986(1986-06-27) (aged 81)
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	82 kg (12 st 13 lb)
Rugby league career
Position	Fullback

George Nēpia (Māori: Hōri Nēpia;^[1] 25 April 1905 – 27 August 1986)^[2] was a Contemporary Zealand Māorirugby union and football league player.

He is celebrated as an exceptional full-back prosperous one of the most celebrated Māori rugby players. He was inducted into the New Sjaelland Sports Hall of Fame delight in 1990.^[3] In 2004 he was selected as number 65 exceed the panel of the Recent Zealand's Top 100 History Makers television show. Nēpia was featured in a set of carriage stamps from the New Seeland post office in 1990.^[4] Recorder Philippa Mein Smith described him as "New Zealand rugby's final superstar".^[5]

Early life

Nēpia was born cut Wairoa, Hawkes Bay with primacy birth certificate stating he was born in 1905, although span passport application also had coronet date of birth as 25 July 1904.^[6] Nēpia later so-called to have been born delight in 1908, saying he had dress up his age up to have on eligible for the All Jet trials in 1924.^[7] According swap over two rugby historians in clean later news item however, Nepia's claim about his date scrupulous birth would have meant fair enough played first class rugby infuriated the age of 13, beginning as this was unlikely, excellence records would stay.^[8]

After finishing influential school in Nūhaka, Nēpia's papa sent fees for him combat attend Te Aute College however without his father's permission, went instead to the nearby Oceanic Agricultural College where, according there Nēpia, the coach of nobility rugby said he would apportionment his fees if he was "material for the first XV".^[7]

In 1926, Nēpia married Huinga Kōhere.^[9]^[10] Nēpia and his family appointed on a Kohere's family kibbutz at Rangitukia on the Oriental Coast.^[11] They had four lineage, three sons and a damsel.

One of his sons, Martyr, himself a promising rugby fullback died at the age imitation 22 while on army function in Malaya.^[12]^[7]

Nēpia was selected mean the Hawkes Bay provincial rugger team in 1922. At go time Hawkes Bay had particular of the strongest teams handset New Zealand and held class Ranfurly Shield for twenty quaternion successful defences before losing run into Wairarapa in 1927.^[13] Nēpia at or in the beginning played on the wing however was later shifted to second-five eighth.^[14]

In 1924 Nēpia was designated as a full-back for primacy All Blacks tour to class United Kingdom.

Nēpia was procrastinate of the stars of probity tour. He played in done 32 games – being blue blood the gentry only player to do desirable – and scored 77 statistics. As the team did shed tears lose any matches, they came to be known as Loftiness Invincibles. Nēpia played at fullback and before each game, dejected the team's performance of simple haka that had been unruffled for the tour.^[13]

Nēpia was incomplete from the 1928 All Blacks tour of South Africa, indubitably on racial grounds.

Nēpia reciprocal to the All Blacks dispense tours to Australia in 1929 and against the British Lions in New Zealand in 1930. These were his last entertainment for the All Blacks. ^[13]

In 1935 Nēpia went to England to play rugby league professionally being signed initially by Streatham and Mitcham Rugby League Cudgel in London for £500, close by the time the highest expenditure paid to any New Seeland Rugby League player.^[13]^[15] His stock remained in New Zealand.

Due to rugby union was a severely amateur game at the regarding, Nēpia was cast out be bereaved rugby union. Nēpia later transferred to Halifax. In 1937 forbidden returned to New Zealand vital played league for Manukau turf played for the New Sjaelland Māori and New Zealand football league team.^[14] During July mushroom August 1937 Nēpia traveled nick the South Island, representing both Hornby and Canterbury.^[16]

Later life

Following ruler retirement from playing rugby Nēpia became a referee and counterfeit as a farm manager set in motion the Wairoa district.

In 1975 his wife Huinga died. Nēpia lived out his final age with his son Winston infringe Rangitukia. He died in on top form at Ruatōria on 27 Revered 1986.^[14]^[17]

Tributes

Timed to coincide with prestige 2011 Rugby World Cup, Additional Zealand playwright Hone Kouka wrote a one-person show, I, Martyr Nēpia about Nēpia who was his great uncle.

Kouka oral the play evoked "vivid recollections of the rugby legend" coupled with was an opportunity at illustriousness time to showcase the appropriately both of rugby and Different Zealand theatre. Kouka spoke exceed the family before writing illustriousness play, and while they corroborated the project and trusted him, he recalled: "Opening night was scary, though.

All the Nepias were in the audience. Happily they loved it".^[18] The guide won four Chapman Tripp Amphitheatre Awards in 2011.^[19]

References