George Nēpia
Hawke's Bay Region , New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 27 June 1986 | (aged 81)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 82 kg (12 st 13 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby league career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Fullback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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George Nēpia (
Early life
Nēpia was born in
After finishing primary school in Nūhaka, Nēpia's father sent fees for him to attend Te Aute College but without his father's permission, went instead to the nearby Maori Agricultural College where, according to Nēpia, the coach of the rugby said he would pay his fees if he was "material for the first XV".[7]
In 1926, Nēpia married Huinga Kōhere.[9][10] Nēpia and his family settled on a Kohere's family farm at Rangitukia on the East Coast.[11] They had four children, three sons and a daughter. One of his sons, George, himself a promising rugby fullback died at the age of 22 while on army service in Malaya.[12][7]
Rugby football career
Nēpia was selected for the Hawkes Bay provincial rugby team in 1922. At that time Hawkes Bay had one of the strongest teams in New Zealand and held the Ranfurly Shield for twenty four successful defences before losing to Wairarapa in 1927.[13] Nēpia initially played on the wing but was later shifted to second-five eighth.[14]
In 1924 Nēpia was selected as a full-back for the
Nēpia was omitted from the 1928 All Blacks tour of
In 1935 Nēpia went to England to play
Later life
Following his retirement from playing rugby Nēpia became a referee and worked as a farm manager in the Wairoa district. In 1975 his wife Huinga died. Nēpia lived out his final years with his son Winston in Rangitukia. He died in died at Ruatōria on 27 August 1986.[14][17]
Tributes
Timed to coincide with the 2011 Rugby World Cup, New Zealand playwright Hone Kouka wrote a one-person show, I, George Nēpia about Nēpia who was his great uncle. Kouka said the play evoked "vivid memories of the rugby legend" and was an opportunity at the time to showcase the best both of rugby and New Zealand theatre. Kouka spoke to the family before writing the play, and while they supported the project and trusted him, he recalled: "Opening night was scary, though. All the Nepias were in the audience. Thankfully they loved it".[18] The play won four Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards in 2011.[19]
References
- ^ "Nēpia, Hōri - te Aka Māori Dictionary".
- ^ George Nēpia player profile Scrum.com
- ^ "George Nepia (1905-1986)". New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. 2024. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ Stanley Gibbons stamp numbers 1560 and MS1561
- ISBN 0-521-54228-6, p.148
- ^ "The Invincibles: Passport applications". Archives New Zealand. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ a b c Romanos, Michael (1 December 1985). "Nepia was the supreme NZ whizz-kid". Tu Tangata (27): 34. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024 – via National Library of New Zealand - Papers Past.
- ^ "Revelation by Nepia but records to stay". Press. 19 December 1985. p. 36. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024 – via Papers Past: National Library of New Zealand.
- ^ "All Black's Romance George Nepia Weds". Press. Vol. LXII, no. 18689. 12 May 1926. p. 6. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024 – via Papers Past: National Library of New Zealand.
- ^ "Te Wairua o George Nepia". clubrugby.nz. 10 October 2021. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "George Nepia". Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "N.Z. Soldier Killed in Malaya". Press. Vol. XC, no. 27512. 20 November 1954. p. 8. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024 – via Papers Past: National Library of New Zealand.
- ^ a b c d Fowler, Michael (25 August 2018). "Great George Nepia missed out on all-white All Blacks". Herald Home: Hawke's Bay Today. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ a b c McConnell, Robin C. "Nēpia, George (Dictionary of New Zealand Biographes)" (First Published 1998, updated July, 2023). Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Coffey, John. Canterbury XIII, Christchurch, 1987.
- ^ "George Nepia, rugby legend, dies". Press. 28 August 1986. p. 40. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024 – via Papers Past: National Library of New Zealand.
- ^ Utiger, Taryn (23 July 2013). "Heartfelt theatre homage to 'Uncle George'". Stuff. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ Springford, Vomie (17 October 2013). "Homage to Nepia transcends rugby". Wairarapa Times-Age. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024 – via NZ Herald.