Riki Papakura
Encyclopedia
Riki "Dick" Papakura was a New Zealand
rugby league
player who represented the New Zealand Māori
side and Australasia and played professionally for Warrington
. His position of preference was at fullback or in the centres.
, Papakura toured Australia twice with the New Zealand Māori
side; in 1908 with the original touring party and again as captain of the 1909 New Zealand Māori
side, he also represented Australasia
.
In 1909 Papakura played for Rotorua against an Auckland XIII before playing for Auckland
against Wellington.
In 1910 Papakura was one of three New Zealanders invited to Sydney to represent Australasia against the touring Great Britain Lions
, alongside Albert Asher
and Con Sullivan
. Papakura played in both "Test" matches at fullback.
In 1911 Papakura travelled to England to attend the Festival of Empire
. He was recommended to Warrington
by 1910 Lion Frank Shugars
and 1908 All Gold Massa Johnston
and joined the club in September. He twice appeared for Warrington A but gave the impression of being overweight and unfit.
Papakura played centre for Warrington's first grade team in 14 October 1911 in a 13–8 win over Broughton Rangers
at Wilderspool
. This match was part of the 1911–12 Northern Rugby Football Union season. Papakura was New Zealand's first overseas transfer, as he was granted a clearance by the New Zealand Rugby League
on 6 October and Warrington
paid a 20 pound fee that was forwarded to the Rotorua sub-league.
After his one and only first grade appearance, Papakura was again named in the Warrington A side. However, he realised he had failed to secure a place in the Warrington first grade team and so he returned to the Festival of Empire in London.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player who represented the New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...
side and Australasia and played professionally for Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
. His position of preference was at fullback or in the centres.
Playing career
From RotoruaRotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
, Papakura toured Australia twice with the New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...
side; in 1908 with the original touring party and again as captain of the 1909 New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...
side, he also represented Australasia
Australasia rugby league team
-1911-12:Following individual tours by New Zealand and Australia in 1907-08 and 1908-09 respectively, the Northern Rugby Football Union invited an 'Australasian' team to tour Great Britain during the 1911-12 season...
.
In 1909 Papakura played for Rotorua against an Auckland XIII before playing for Auckland
Auckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
against Wellington.
In 1910 Papakura was one of three New Zealanders invited to Sydney to represent Australasia against the touring Great Britain Lions
1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
The 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand was the first international tour of the Great Britain national rugby league team, "The Lions". They played the second ever Ashes series against Australia before travelling to Auckland to take on New Zealand...
, alongside Albert Asher
Albert Asher
Arapeta Paurini Wharepapa, or Albert Asher as he was more commonly known, was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1890s, 1900s, '10s and '20s...
and Con Sullivan
Con Sullivan
Con Sullivan was a New Zealand international rugby league footballer of the early twentieth century who played for various Australasian representative sides.-Playing career:...
. Papakura played in both "Test" matches at fullback.
In 1911 Papakura travelled to England to attend the Festival of Empire
Festival of Empire
The Festival of Empire or Festival of the Empire was held at The Crystal Palace in London in 1911, to celebrate the coronation of King George V...
. He was recommended to Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
by 1910 Lion Frank Shugars
Frank Shugars
Frank Shugars was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at club level level played rugby union for Penygraig RFC, and at representative level played rugby league for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for Warrington, playing at , i.e...
and 1908 All Gold Massa Johnston
Massa Johnston
William "Massa" Johnston was a New Zealand rugby union and rugby league international...
and joined the club in September. He twice appeared for Warrington A but gave the impression of being overweight and unfit.
Papakura played centre for Warrington's first grade team in 14 October 1911 in a 13–8 win over Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers was a British rugby football, and subsequently a rugby league club. It was based in Broughton, Salford.-History:Broughton Rangers was founded in 1877 as Broughton and added Rangers for its second season...
at Wilderspool
Wilderspool
Wilderspool is a district of Warrington, England, located near to the town centre. Its area is basically Wilderspool Causeway and the streets coming off it; the limits being the River Mersey into the Stockton Heath Area of Warrington , Bridgefoot , and Centre Park...
. This match was part of the 1911–12 Northern Rugby Football Union season. Papakura was New Zealand's first overseas transfer, as he was granted a clearance by the New Zealand Rugby League
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
on 6 October and Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
paid a 20 pound fee that was forwarded to the Rotorua sub-league.
After his one and only first grade appearance, Papakura was again named in the Warrington A side. However, he realised he had failed to secure a place in the Warrington first grade team and so he returned to the Festival of Empire in London.