Kokiri 19 - Te Puni Kokiri

RAU TAUNepia practising his kicking atNewton Abbott, 1924.Source: New Zealand Rugby MuseumNepia in an all-too familiar pose during 1924.Source: New Zealand Rugby MuseumSource: New Zealand Rugby MuseumGeorge NepiaGeorge Nepia is regarded asthe greatest Mäori player tohave ever taken the field. Heperfected the art of the torpedokick and the tackle, two facetsof the game that he executedto perfection. Nepia, aged only19, stamped his mark on theworld stage as fullback of the1924 Invincibles. In 1935, Nepiaswitched to rugby league for theBritish competition.In 1950 he captained theOlympian Club against Poverty–1923Tour of Australia. The first internal Māoriregional competition is organised and theteams play for the Te Mori Rosebowl.Bay and set three New Zealandrecords: with his son George‘Dedum’, it was the first timea father and son played in thesame first class fixture; aged45 years and 158 days, Nepiabecame the oldest player to takethe field in a first-class fixture;and the match gave Nepiathe longest first class rugbycareer. Nepia died in his sleep inRuatoria in 1986.Source: New Zealand Rugby Museum–1924–25Nepia shakes the hand of an Indian Chief in Canada.Source: New Zealand Rugby MuseumThe legendary Invincible All Blacks playundefeated in 30 matches. Amongst the squadwas fullback George Nepia who played inall matches. He, Lui Paewai and Jimmy Millbecame household names overnight.Source: Hocken Library–1926–27Tour of NZ, Australia, Ceylon, France, GreatBritain and Canada. They play 40, winningthree-quarters of their games. After beatingthe French, France adopted the Māori style ofgame as their own. The squad was captainedby Wattie Barclay who would become theleading try-scorer for New Zealand Māoriwith 40. He is closely followed by fellow touristAlbert Falwasser, with 38.TE PUNI KÖKIRI | KÖKIRI | Höngongoi – Hereturiköka 201011