Whetu Taewa 1995 21.jpg

Player Whetu Taewa

Date of Birth
Oct 19, 1970
Birth Location
West Coast, New Zealand
Nationality
  1. 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Height (cm)
176 cm
Weight (kg)
89 kg
Position/s
  1. Centre
  2. Winger
Warrior #
5
Warriors Debut Date
Mar 10, 1995
Warriors Debut Details
March 10 1995, Round 1 vs Brisbane Broncos at Ericsson Stadium, Auckland, NZ
Warriors Years Active
  1. 1995
Signed From
Counties Manukau
Rep Honours
  1. NZ
  2. NZ Maori
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whetu_Taewa

mt.wellington

Contributor

Date of Birth Oct 19, 1970
Birth Location West Coast, New Zealand
Nationality New Zealand
Height (cm) 176
Weight (kg) 89
Position/s Centre/Winger
Warrior # 5
Warriors Debut Date Mar 10, 1995
Warriors Debut Details March 10 1995, Round 1 vs Brisbane Broncos at Ericsson Stadium, Auckland, NZ
Warriors Years Active 1995
Signed From Counties Manukau
Rep Honours NZ Kiwis/NZ Maori

Whetu Taewa (born 19 October 1970) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand six times between 1989 and 1996.

Whetu was born on the West Coast, New Zealand and started playing rugby league there; all grades up to the West Coast Representative side. In 1987 he made the New Zealand under 17's training squad and also débuted in the West Coast rugby union side. Taewa made the Junior Kiwis in 1988. In 1989 he moved to Christchurch and played for the Hallswell club. This was the year he first made the New Zealand national rugby league team, joining their tour to Great Britain. From 1990 to 1993 he was part of the successful Canterbury side of the era and again joined the Kiwis on the 1993 tour of Great Britain and France. He played 4 games for the West Coast and 37 games for Canterbury. He played in the 1992 Pacific Cup for the New Zealand Māori side. In 1993 he was invited to be part of an Auckland Invitational XIII side that drew 16-all with the Balmain Tigers.

In 1994 he signed with the Auckland Warriors who were to be a new team in the Australian Rugby League premiership. He moved up to Auckland and played for the Counties Manukau Heroes in the Lion Red Cup that year and represented Auckland in their Rugby League Cup challenge. In 1995 he was in the inaugural run on side for the Warriors in their first match against the Brisbane Broncos. However, in 1996 he was released from the club and he joined the North Queensland Cowboys. Taewa toured PNG in 1996 with the New Zealand Māori.

In 1997 he joined the Sheffield Eagles in the Super League competition. Taewa played centre in Sheffield Eagles' 17–8 victory over Wigan in the 1998 Challenge Cup Final during Super League III at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 2 May 1998.

In 1999 he joined the Hull Kingston Rovers who played in the Northern Ford Premiership, the division below the Super League. He became the captain in 2000, before retiring at the end of the 2002 season.

In 2003 he was an assistant coach for Hull Kingston Rovers before he returned home to New Zealand. Taewa left Hull KR after a family friend fell ill in New Zealand. He now resides in Cromwell.

As Taewa represented the New Zealand national rugby league team while playing for the Haswell club, he was rewarded with Honorary life membership at the club.


NZ representative centre (6 Tests between 1989 and 1995) played with Sheffield Eagles (1997-98) and Hull Kingston Rovers (1999-01) in England following seasons with the Warriors and the North Queensland. Taewa was a member of the Sheffield Eagles team that defeated Wigan, 17-8, in the 1998 English Challenge Cup final.

 

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