Hawea Mataira
FullnameHawea Karepa Mataira
Birth date3 December 1910
Birth placeNūhaka, New Zealand
Death date15 November 1979 (aged 68)
Death placeWairoa, New Zealand
Height1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight92 kg (14 st 7 lb)
FirstRU
Ru club 1Hawke's Bay
Ru year1start1932
Ru year1end36
Ru appearances 135
Ru teamaNew Zealand Māori
Ru teambNew Zealand
Ru yearbstart1934
Ru appearancesb1
Ru triesb0
Ru goalsb0
Ru fieldgoalsb0
Ru pointsb0
Club 1City Rovers
Year1start1937
Year1end41
Appearances 161
Tries 19
Goals 10
Fieldgoals 10
Points 127
Club 2City-Ōtāhuhu
Year2start1942
Appearances 211
Tries 23
Goals 20
Fieldgoals 20
Points 29
Club 3City Rovers
Year3start1943
Year3end44
Appearances 337
Tries 38
Goals 30
Fieldgoals 30
Points 324
TeamaAuckland Māori (Tamaki)
Yearastart1937
Yearaend44
Appearancesa10
Triesa0
Goalsa0
Fieldgoalsa0
Pointsa0
TeambNew Zealand
Yearbstart1939
Appearancesb1
Triesb0
Goalsb0
Fieldgoalsb0
Pointsb0
TeamcAuckland
Yearcstart1941
Yearcend43
Appearancesc3
Triesc2
Goalsc0
Fieldgoalsc0
Pointsc6
SourceScrum.com
Newyes

Hawea Karepa Mataira (3 December 1910 – 15 November 1979) was a dual-code rugby football player who represented New Zealand in both rugby union and rugby league.

Rugby union career

Mataira made his first class debut in 1931 and in 1932 made his debut for Hawke's Bay. He went on to play 35 first class matches for Hawke's Bay between 1932 and 1936.[1]

In 1934 he made his All Blacks debut on a tour of Australia. The next year he was a surprise omission from the 1935–36 tour of Great Britain.[1] Mataira also represented New Zealand Māori.

In 1936 Mataira became involved in a dispute with a teammate over a jersey. His teammate, Bernard Edward Rogers was knocked down during the fight and suffered a fractured skull after striking his head as he fell. He died from his injuries. Mataira was charged with manslaughter but was acquitted after it was found that Rogers had been the aggressor and Mataira had tried hard to avoid coming to blows.[1]

Rugby league career

Mataira switched codes in 1937, moving to Auckland and joining the City Rovers club in the Auckland Rugby League competition. Mataira later joined the Manukau club.[2] He was selected for the New Zealand national rugby league team 1939 tour of Great Britain and France but the tour was cancelled before any Test matches were played due to the outbreak of World War II.

After the War, Mataira represented New Zealand Māori against several touring sides.[1]

References

  1. ^ Hawea Mataira allblacks.com
  2. ^ Manukau Rugby League and Sports Club Inc Archived 20 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine aucklandleague.co.nz