Tawera Nikau

Tawera Nikau
Personal information
Full name Nū Ia Tawera Nuieia Nikau
Nickname T
Born (1967-01-01) 1 January 1967
Huntly, New Zealand
Playing information
Position Lock
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Unknown (WRL)
Otahuhu Leopards
York
Sheffield Eagles
1991–96 Castleford 165 25 0 0 100
1995–97 Cronulla Sharks 61 4 0 0 16
1998–99 Melbourne Storm 53 8 0 0 32
2000–01 Warrington Wolves 59 9 0 0 36
Total 338 46 0 0 184
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1986–?? Waikato
1987–19?? Northern Districts
Auckland
1989–97 New Zealand 19 4 0 0 16
1986–00 New Zealand Māori

Tawera Nuieia Nikau[1] (born 1 January 1967) is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New Zealand international representative forward, he played club football at a number of different clubs in New Zealand, England and Australia during his career, including the Melbourne Storm's victory in the 1999 NRL season Grand Final.

Early years

Nikau was born in Huntly, New Zealand. He began his career playing rugby league for the Otara Scorpions and rugby union for the East Tamaki Rugby Union club in Auckland before his family moved to the Waikato.[2]

Playing career

A Waikato and Auckland representative, Nikau played his early club football for the Otahuhu Leopards, York Wasps, Sheffield Eagles and Castleford Tigers. Tawera Nikau played Loose forward/Lock in New Zealand's 0-17 defeat by Great Britain at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 16 October 1993.[3] Tawera Nikau played Loose forward/Lock in Castleford Tigers' 33-2 victory over Wigan in the 1993–94 Regal Trophy final during the 1993–94 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 22 January 1994.[4] He spent the 1988 season with the Canterbury Bulldogs on the New Zealand Rugby League's "Rookie Scheme".[5] Having already spent several seasons playing in England, during which time he earned representative honours for his country, from 1996 to 1999, Nikau played in the Australian NRL, spending the 1996-1997 with the Cronulla Sharks, losing the 1997 Super League Grand Final to the Broncos in Brisbane. He joined the Melbourne Storm team in its 1998 inaugural year, helping the team reach a third-place finish in the minor premiership. Melbourne also did well the following season and Nikau played at lock forward in the 1999 NRL Grand Final victory over the St. George-Illawarra Dragons. Nikau's performance has been credited with sparking Melbourne's second-half comeback.[6] From 1999 to 2001, Nikau was under contract with Super League franchise, the Warrington Wolves.

As a player he was known for his high energy, fearless charges and his sometimes terrifying facial expressions while playing. In defense he was often seen to be "everywhere"; making a tackle on one side of the field and the following the ball to complete a tackle on the other.

Nikau suffered a personal tragedy on 5 April 2001, when his wife Letitia committed suicide. After taking some time from rugby to spend with his children in New Zealand, Nikau completed the season. He won in a charity boxing match in June 2002 against Samoan Pita Fatialofa, supporting the Yellow Ribbon Fight for Life to prevent youth suicide.

Representative career

Between 1989 and 1997 Nikau was a New Zealand Kiwis representative, although his international career was hindered by a dispute with Richie Blackmore that resulted in him refusing to play in the same side as Blackmore.

Nikau toured with the New Zealand Māori side in 1996 and 1998 and played at the 1986 Pacific Cup.

Nikau attended the 2000 World Cup as captain of the Aotearoa Māori side.[7][8]

Later years

In 2003 Nikau had a motorcycle accident in which resulted in an amputation of his right leg. Nevertheless, he participated in the 2004 Yellow Ribbon Fight for Life, defeating Tea Ropati. In that same year, his athletic career to date and the details of the tragedies he had survived were described in the biography Standing Tall.

In 2004 Nikau was the inaugural coach of the Waicoa Bay Stallions in the Bartercard Cup. In 2004 and 2005 he coached the New Zealand Māori rugby league team.

In November 2006, Tawera was appointed New Zealand and Islander Liaison Officer with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Nikau currently works for Māori Television and previously provided NRL match commentary for Sky Sports. Recently he has been added as a consultant to the board of directors of the newly formed USARL.[9] He is the chief executive of Aotearoa Construction and owner and managing director of Team One Corporate Development, a training company.[10]

In 2010 Nikau was appointed a New Zealand Kiwis selector for two years.[11] Nikau also completed the New York City Marathon with Frank Bunce.[12]

In 2012 Nikau was found guilty of assaulting his estranged daughter Heaven-Leigh outside the Huntly police station,[13] he was convicted and fined after he failed to get a discharge without conviction. This conviction was later quashed on appeal. [14]

Honours

In 2008 Nikau was inducted as one of the NZRL Legends of League.[15]

Nikau is also a Tigers Hall Of Fame Inductee.[16]

He won a Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award for emerging leaders in 2011.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1993, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1993. p.1
  2. ↑ Superleague, Issue 1 2011. p.22.
  3. ↑ "Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk ℅ web.archive.org. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Wigan 2 - 33 Castleford". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. ↑ Lion Red 1989 Rugby League Annual New Zealand Rugby League, p.11
  6. ↑ Cockerill, Ian (1999-10-03). "Eye of the Storm". The Sunday Age. p. 4. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  7. ↑ New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1998. p.118
  8. ↑ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. p. 292. ISBN 9781869693312.
  9. ↑ USA Rugby League,'USARL', 18 February 2011
  10. 1 2 Hannan, Hayley (2 July 2011). "Sir Peter Blake awards: Emerging leaders". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  11. ↑ "Iro, Nikau named Kiwis selectors". The New Zealand Herald. NZPA. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  12. ↑ "Nikau completes marathon challenge". One Sport. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  13. ↑ "'Step up' demands league star's daughter - National - NZ Herald News". The New Zealand Herald. 3 June 2012.
  14. ↑ http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/7245541/League-star-Nikau-fined-over-assault-on-daughter
  15. ↑ "New Zealand Rugby League Annual Report 2008" (pdf). NZRL. 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  16. ↑ "Hall of Fame at castigers.com". castigers. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2009.

Further reading

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